Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please speak out at council meetings, make it known to your council member. Please also reach out to the WTU, who would like to partner with more parents. Maybe if we work together, DCPS will follow the science.

I would love to see more real books and more assistance. I think we need 3 teachers in pre-K (1 lead 2 paras). And 2 in every grade until 5th. More differentiation will be possible and another person to support with behaviors as needed. If we have a really strong foundation in PK-5th MS and HS will be so much better. Sometimes I think DCPS thinks screen time will make learning more ‘fun’ and students better behaved -it’s the opposite.

We also need to get DCPS to give students consequences and hold parents who don’t take their kid to school accountable.

Increase staffing by 50% in ECE and 100% in K-5.

This is deeply unrealistic.

+1 It sounds amazing but you're talking about doubling school budgets at a time when schools are not renewing contracts for some teachers just to hit existing budgets.

A major reason Ed Tech is popular is because it's so much cheaper than people. You get what you pay for, but they aren't going to more than double ES staffing.

Anonymous wrote:Please speak out at council meetings, make it known to your council member. Please also reach out to the WTU, who would like to partner with more parents. Maybe if we work together, DCPS will follow the science.

I would love to see more real books and more assistance. I think we need 3 teachers in pre-K (1 lead 2 paras). And 2 in every grade until 5th. More differentiation will be possible and another person to support with behaviors as needed. If we have a really strong foundation in PK-5th MS and HS will be so much better. Sometimes I think DCPS thinks screen time will make learning more ‘fun’ and students better behaved -it’s the opposite.

We also need to get DCPS to give students consequences and hold parents who don’t take their kid to school accountable.

What kind of consequences are you talking about? And how exactly do you hold parents accountable for not taking their kid to school?

Anonymous wrote:Please speak out at council meetings, make it known to your council member. Please also reach out to the WTU, who would like to partner with more parents. Maybe if we work together, DCPS will follow the science.

I would love to see more real books and more assistance. I think we need 3 teachers in pre-K (1 lead 2 paras). And 2 in every grade until 5th. More differentiation will be possible and another person to support with behaviors as needed. If we have a really strong foundation in PK-5th MS and HS will be so much better. Sometimes I think DCPS thinks screen time will make learning more ‘fun’ and students better behaved -it’s the opposite.

We also need to get DCPS to give students consequences and hold parents who don’t take their kid to school accountable.

Increase staffing by 50% in ECE and 100% in K-5.

This is deeply unrealistic.

Anonymous wrote:Please speak out at council meetings, make it known to your council member. Please also reach out to the WTU, who would like to partner with more parents. Maybe if we work together, DCPS will follow the science.

I would love to see more real books and more assistance. I think we need 3 teachers in pre-K (1 lead 2 paras). And 2 in every grade until 5th. More differentiation will be possible and another person to support with behaviors as needed. If we have a really strong foundation in PK-5th MS and HS will be so much better. Sometimes I think DCPS thinks screen time will make learning more ‘fun’ and students better behaved -it’s the opposite.

We also need to get DCPS to give students consequences and hold parents who don’t take their kid to school accountable.

This is the way. At DCPS level. Not every parent at every school has the energy and resources to do advocacy but those who do, really should jump in. It’s not fair to teachers who know better and want to take another approach, to be beholden to so much pressure from
Central that runs counter to that, and it shouldn’t be that schools with more UMC families advocating will see a more favorable trend while others see 4th graders addicted to the entertainment and stimulation of more and more screen-based “learning” (in quotes because there are times when they don’t really learn, they’re just consuming content).

Please speak out at council meetings, make it known to your council member. Please also reach out to the WTU, who would like to partner with more parents. Maybe if we work together, DCPS will follow the science.

I would love to see more real books and more assistance. I think we need 3 teachers in pre-K (1 lead 2 paras). And 2 in every grade until 5th. More differentiation will be possible and another person to support with behaviors as needed. If we have a really strong foundation in PK-5th MS and HS will be so much better. Sometimes I think DCPS thinks screen time will make learning more ‘fun’ and students better behaved -it’s the opposite.

We also need to get DCPS to give students consequences and hold parents who don’t take their kid to school accountable.

Anonymous wrote:What charter? Why do people saying their schools don’t use many screens not want to identify those schools? That’s positive feedback!

I’m the PP above and charter is MV

Anonymous wrote:What charter? Why do people saying their schools don’t use many screens not want to identify those schools? That’s positive feedback!

There are virtually no screens whatsoever at LAMB.

What charter? Why do people saying their schools don’t use many screens not want to identify those schools? That’s positive feedback!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the Peabody tour today, they said kindergartners use tablets for about 15 minutes a day for iReady purposes (and then we saw the kids on tablets). Is this the same across DCPS? I understand that charters can do their own thing and can be lower-screen, but I thought I was told that some DCPS elementary schools are also lower-screen. But do they all have tablet use in K?

Yes they all have tablets in K. They do other testing on it. Also I think it’s 30 minutes at some schools because they have to do math and ELA. FYI most charters will have some for testing purposes as well.

15 minutes isn’t horrible but I’d want to know what the time is for 1st-5th.

We are at a charter and K kids are not on screen at all. Why do you need to test math in K??

Now the teacher did do individual reading eval but that was live one on one so those kids who were reading knew which bin of leveled books to take.

That was it. There are no screens

Anonymous wrote:At the Peabody tour today, they said kindergartners use tablets for about 15 minutes a day for iReady purposes (and then we saw the kids on tablets). Is this the same across DCPS? I understand that charters can do their own thing and can be lower-screen, but I thought I was told that some DCPS elementary schools are also lower-screen. But do they all have tablet use in K?

Yes they all have tablets in K. They do other testing on it. Also I think it’s 30 minutes at some schools because they have to do math and ELA. FYI most charters will have some for testing purposes as well.

15 minutes isn’t horrible but I’d want to know what the time is for 1st-5th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

Sure kids need to take tests on screens but learning doesn’t have to be on a screen.

My kid went to one of the immersion charters and never had a screen until 3rd for testing. Screens were not used as a substitute for teaching. Teachers did recommend a typing app at home if kids wanted to get used to typing. My kid rarely did it and now at DCI, is typing fine.

For those parents who don’t want screens in early years, look at charters then. And those parents who are trying to justify screen use so young, well good luck to that.

The best thing would be for parents who don't like screens to go to low tech schools, and let parents who do like screens to go to schools that use more of them.

No, what would be best is for DCPS to follow science -which is low tech. Parents who’d like to slow down their kids can go to a charter.

Our charter almost never uses screens. DCPS sounds like a nightmare.

+1. Same and my kid and his group of friends all turned out fine thru elementary as top performers.

Anyone who is selling tech as a way to help academic achievement especially in younger kids is pulling the wool over yoir eyes. IMO it is actually harmful.

Emphasis on the word “selling.” Parents and school districts are falling for it.

At the Peabody tour today, they said kindergartners use tablets for about 15 minutes a day for iReady purposes (and then we saw the kids on tablets). Is this the same across DCPS? I understand that charters can do their own thing and can be lower-screen, but I thought I was told that some DCPS elementary schools are also lower-screen. But do they all have tablet use in K?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

I organized for more tech use in MS, because without apps, my kid would have learned nothing. The teachers have their hands full dealing with social/emotional issues and 7th graders who read at a 1st grade level.

+1. I know the only reason my kid knows how to spell is because of Lexia, because he detests reading.

I don't blame your kid. If I had to just read on Lexia, I would hate reading too.

So sad that kids don’t read hardly any books in school anymore. They just answer main topic and inference questions after reading short passages on Lexia.

This is just absolutely horrendous. Way to kill the joy out of reading.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/A19DF2E8-3C69-4193-A676-430CF0C83DC2


https://www.edweek.org/technology/should-schools-curtail-the-use-of-technology-congress-fuels-debate/2026/01


Some easy reads for skeptical parents. As an educator, I find it interesting that there is such discord on here about this.

Current tech is not great for learning, who knows about the future. Either was in the early years (birth to 6), nothing beats human connection, play, and love/safety.

Yes, even if people want to argue about tech in older grades, it seems like a no-brainer to me that we should be eliminating as much tech as possible from PK and K classrooms.

To be fair, the PK teacher our kid had in a Title I DCPS was already on this 5 years ago -- it's one of the reasons we chose that PK despite getting into some charters in September. No tablets or computers in the classroom, the only screen use ever was a short dance video they would play for the kids while setting up for "choice time." Physical books were read to the kids, as much time as possible was spent outside, any learning was done through play, music, and games. She (and her teacher's aide) were such a gem. I think a lot of DCPS PK classrooms are like this, though, because DCPS requires most PK teachers to have a masters in early childhood education, and anyone who has gotten that degree in the last 20 years is going to understand that you don't teach 3/4/5 year olds with apps and screens.

I think K is the tougher sell, especially in Title I schools, because DCPS starts pushing academics pretty hard in K and that often leads to more screens because of DCPS's reliance on iReady and other tech for teaching. But honestly, even our K class wasn't that screen heavy -- some videos here and there, the teacher used a smart screen for lessons (this is just a more convenient chalkboard, it's fine), and sometimes kids did iReady lessons during centers time (this was the only one that bothered me).

But I don't think it would be that hard to get parents and teachers on board with a concerted effort to get the vast majority of screens out of ECE classrooms.

I think grades 1-5 is where the battle will be, because yes at those ages some tech is pretty much inevitable and advisable in some areas (like learning to type), but it's also a time when kids can get completely hooked on screens and apps. I know people keep saying "stop talking about screen time!" because it makes me sound like an overzealous parent of a toddler, but I'm speaking as the parent of older kids -- screen addiction is REAL and it becomes a critical problem for tweens and teens when they can't go a few hours without a screen. Some of these kids have zero ability to work through normal boredom, social discomfort, anxiety, etc. without screens. You see it in adults too, of course. This is a major social issue. It's really more about handheld, interactive screens than about screens in general, but I mean, I'm 45 and I worry about my "screen time."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

I organized for more tech use in MS, because without apps, my kid would have learned nothing. The teachers have their hands full dealing with social/emotional issues and 7th graders who read at a 1st grade level.

+1. I know the only reason my kid knows how to spell is because of Lexia, because he detests reading.

I don't blame your kid. If I had to just read on Lexia, I would hate reading too.

So sad that kids don’t read hardly any books in school anymore. They just answer main topic and inference questions after reading short passages on Lexia.

I bet the children of the tech bros read many books in their private schools though.

Yep and all the higher ups in tech are anti-screens too.