Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You also greatly overestimate the power teachers have over controlling this. We don't have the ability to block websites. We can send links to IT and they can eventually block them in like 7-10 days. By then, the kids have found 3 new sites they use and you're blocking a site they won't ever access anyway.

To make it worse, the kids at my middle school realized that they could put the links inside of google doc pages and they were almost undetectable because anytime you checked a browser history it came up as Google Docs. They also used them as live chat rooms that could be accessed by any student in the county.

As a co-teacher, I do my best when I am not leading class, I monitor lightspeed from time to time and I shut down and lock students screens whenever they are not staying on task. I can't do this 100% of the time though.

Is there a reason they have to have the computers open in the first place? Is it mandated by MCPS to use a curriculum that involves computer use? If not, can't the teacher just have them do assignments on paper?

As I mentioned before, as a 9th grade teacher, I would love to do more paper and pencil work but these kids have zero ability to neatly and legibly write. I have 15 year old kids who cannot write within lines or accurately space their writing to fit in the assigned spaces. Also, they will misspell probably 50% of the words at a minimum. When students do actually do paperwork, I have no shame in admitting the kids typically score 20-30% lower than if it were typed because If I can't read it, it's automatically wrong. No explanation. No questions. Just a zero for the question.

Then there is the fact that they are all too irresponsible to actually keep and maintain paper assignments. Half of them get lost and the other half are turned in folded, ripped, and crumpled up. I take off points for that too.

Doing the assignments on the computer removes all of the human errors and elements that these kids simply weren't taught prior to HS and I don't have the patience to teach to them now.

Anonymous wrote:You also greatly overestimate the power teachers have over controlling this. We don't have the ability to block websites. We can send links to IT and they can eventually block them in like 7-10 days. By then, the kids have found 3 new sites they use and you're blocking a site they won't ever access anyway.

To make it worse, the kids at my middle school realized that they could put the links inside of google doc pages and they were almost undetectable because anytime you checked a browser history it came up as Google Docs. They also used them as live chat rooms that could be accessed by any student in the county.

As a co-teacher, I do my best when I am not leading class, I monitor lightspeed from time to time and I shut down and lock students screens whenever they are not staying on task. I can't do this 100% of the time though.

Is there a reason they have to have the computers open in the first place? Is it mandated by MCPS to use a curriculum that involves computer use? If not, can't the teacher just have them do assignments on paper?

You also greatly overestimate the power teachers have over controlling this. We don't have the ability to block websites. We can send links to IT and they can eventually block them in like 7-10 days. By then, the kids have found 3 new sites they use and you're blocking a site they won't ever access anyway.

To make it worse, the kids at my middle school realized that they could put the links inside of google doc pages and they were almost undetectable because anytime you checked a browser history it came up as Google Docs. They also used them as live chat rooms that could be accessed by any student in the county.

As a co-teacher, I do my best when I am not leading class, I monitor lightspeed from time to time and I shut down and lock students screens whenever they are not staying on task. I can't do this 100% of the time though.

If it's not games, its access to websites that serve genuine brain rot like dumb quiz websites about which kpop star could be your boyfriend. Hundred of links in my kids' chrome history with this crap timestamped during class time.

We send our child to a private Christian school that is pencil/paper for this reason, op. It is a good value compared to other private schools. We aren’t even Christian, but I also appreciate the emphasis on morality & general vibe. Unfortunately, post-covid, public schools are just disasters.

Anonymous wrote:Name the school or it did not happen.

It's all of Howard County too- the Chromebooks are nonstop games - the school system is impotent to block them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.

What are you talking about? The core curriculums are all paper based. My kid is only on a Chromebook during standardized tests and downtime

I truly apologize. I forgot I was reading a post in the Elementary forum, not MCPS. So core curriculum is all on paper? This is across the district? Do you mean downtime after completing standardized tests?

My 5th grader played computer games for the first quarter of FIT. Last year she played games on her computer every morning while the non-compacted math kids did “something else” on their computers. I’m guessing it Zearn or something else math related. I used it during the pandemic and wished she also got to use it for that purpose.

I made sure to ask the HR teacher recently if he could encourage my kid to read a book or finish her math HW depending on the time of day she has down time.

The math teacher said it took her until November for the compacted kids to be okay with waiting for their peers to finish their work (without yelling out “I’m done” or asking for something else).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.

What are you talking about? The core curriculums are all paper based. My kid is only on a Chromebook during standardized tests and downtime

Every school and teacher is different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.

MCPS does have an opt-out for releasing student information and opening accounts but the teachers don't follow it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.

What are you talking about? The core curriculums are all paper based. My kid is only on a Chromebook during standardized tests and downtime

I truly apologize. I forgot I was reading a post in the Elementary forum, not MCPS. So core curriculum is all on paper? This is across the district? Do you mean downtime after completing standardized tests?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher here in MCPS and I think Chromebooks shouldn’t be issued until like 10th grade at the earliest. I can’t issue pencil and paper work anymore in 9th grade because 80% of the kids are incapable of writing small and neat enough to fit more than 4 words into a space designed for like three sentences. Probably 50% cant write anything actually legible.

What grade are they issued in MCPS?

My kindergartener doesn't have a Chromebook assigned to him that he brings home or keeps in his desk or anything, but he had his login info (which includes a random 8 digit number) memorized by November, if that tells you anything...

Does your kid get lunch at school? He needs that number for that.

I'm the parent of the kindergartener and nope, he brings lunch from home (and also this came up when he proudly told me he now knew his "number for the Chromebook" without looking at the paper anymore and recited it and his password to me.)

My understanding is that all ES teachers are suppose to have kids spend time on the CKLA computer programs regularly (I think one is called Boost) and many use math programs/games as well. And then lots of FIT time is computer time too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.

What are you talking about? The core curriculums are all paper based. My kid is only on a Chromebook during standardized tests and downtime

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher here in MCPS and I think Chromebooks shouldn’t be issued until like 10th grade at the earliest. I can’t issue pencil and paper work anymore in 9th grade because 80% of the kids are incapable of writing small and neat enough to fit more than 4 words into a space designed for like three sentences. Probably 50% cant write anything actually legible.

My college Freshman has classes where everything must be handwritten. All assignments, all essays, all exams. Hopefully this handwriting-to-defeat-AI is just a blip, but I wouldn’t bet my kids college success on it. Kids need to learn legible handwriting.

The constant games in ES has been goiing on for years and its harmful but saying Chromebooks shouldn't be issued till 10th is absurd too. Kids will always find a way to cheat, and they can just use AI and then hand write it. Teachers need to change their teaching methods for the new technologies.

What is really within the teacher’s control?

I’m curious to know what kids are doing on chromebooks in early elementary and why they are necessary.

Seconding this.

Anonymous wrote:I have posted before that my youngest child is allowed to play games on his Chromebook when he finishes his work. He routinely tells me he races through his work so he can get on the Chromebook. He often has simple errors in his work from rushing but does very well on standardized tests like MAP. I am sure he is not the only one.

Same experience here! But I don’t see a lot of work coming home.

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t there at least be an option for no screens until kids master reading, writing, handwriting, arithmetic, polite behavior, and other basic k-8 skills? People who want their kids to be on screens can choose that and those who don’t can choose the no-screen option.

I’m on the fence about an option to opt out. I think it would be very difficult to implement and could potentially cause more stress for teachers who are using it to manage behavior in elementary.

I do think there should be a spotlight on schools districts that are introducing devices to our youngest learners, and questions asked about the quality, quantity and effectiveness of learning online.