Tablet/Laptop being requried at Middle School

[2sunshines]

My teen got a chrome book for Christmas last year from grandma and I am extremely unimpressed. He feels the same. I certainly wouldn't personally purchase one...

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by TheNaturalBetta

My first thought is, "what a horrible idea". Tablets have internet capability... So many kids are already hooked on p..n and texting erm, "pictures", and here they will be unsupervised by parents. Not that long ago it was common advice to only have the computer in the main room of the house for that reason. Supervision. Even innocent stuff like just distracting games or whatever... It just seems like a bad idea. Aren't teachers going to wish for the days of gum chewing and passing notes being the normal offenses? Kids are already having to deal with online bullying after school. Or am I being overly dramatic?

At the very least, it WILL be hugely embarrassing to the children who cannot afford it. Everything matters in school, the right hair, shoes, clothes... It is awful.

Schools do have filtered internet access. In the districts I work in, if I connect to their wifi I can't get to facebook, Universal Studios website, or even gmail! They really try to restrict it to academic sites.

[twoplustwo]

Our elementary school has device use starting in 4th grade (and all the schools in our district - so 10 total). Kids can bring their own or use one of the schools and there are more than enough for everyone (there is never a shortage). But it's "cooler" to have your own to bring. My dd used the school's the first half of the year and then saved up and bought one for the 2nd half of the year.

They also have restricted use of internet AND if they bring their own they can't play games or anything outside of classroom work. If they do they can't bring their own anymore.

I also live in an affluent area. As in, that if you lived in my state you would know the name of my town probably. Though we are not affluent ourselves.

[Pragmatist]

I think it's ridiculous. Yes, it's an affluent area, but not everyone has money.

On principle, I would want to refuse to buy one, but I wouldn't want my kid to feel left out.

[ChristmasGirl]

Originally Posted by 2sunshines

My teen got a chrome book for Christmas last year from grandma and I am extremely unimpressed. He feels the same. I certainly wouldn't personally purchase one...

Very good to hear this from someone else! Thank you.

---------- Post added at 07:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Pragmatist

I think it's ridiculous. Yes, it's an affluent area, but not everyone has money.

On principle, I would want to refuse to buy one, but I wouldn't want my kid to feel left out.

Yes, that is definitely my dilemma.

Their elementary school went to being more technology based as well, but they did it after he left, and he said that they school purchased them.

---------- Post added at 07:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:51 PM ----------

Originally Posted by ECingMama

My nephew said EVERYONE at his middle school has an iphone, and all the teachers let them use them during class. I wouldn't be surprised if a tablet/laptop is soon required there too. Ugh.

I have a laptop like this. Follow instructions on amazon on how to make it run well, and it's fine.

https://www.amazon.com/HP-15-g070nr-...AT0T3WGJ721ZPX

Thanks I"ll check that out. my daughter said most kids have IPhones at high school. We finally let her get one, but she is paying for it. My son has a prepaid phone and doesn't seem to care...yet.

[RiverRock]

My dd will need a surface pro or tablet next year for Grade 8. We can buy or rent through Staples. The school is expecting most people to rent and it is similar in price to a band instrument. Nearly all homework requires a computer and my kids are already fighting to use the one pc that we have set up for family use.

[twentysixcats]

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

Our elementary school has device use starting in 4th grade (and all the schools in our district - so 10 total). Kids can bring their own or use one of the schools and there are more than enough for everyone (there is never a shortage). But it's "cooler" to have your own to bring. My dd used the school's the first half of the year and then saved up and bought one for the 2nd half of the year.

They also have restricted use of internet AND if they bring their own they can't play games or anything outside of classroom work. If they do they can't bring their own anymore.

I also live in an affluent area. As in, that if you lived in my state you would know the name of my town probably. Though we are not affluent ourselves.

My good friend who lives in a more affluent area a little north of me dealt with this with her 1st grader. They used devices daily in the classroom and it was a "bring your own device" kind of school.

I also feel like if the school requires it, they should provide it. Sorry you're having to deal with this.

[Virginia]

I would absolutely contact your school or your child's guidance counselor and ask for financial assistance or for the school to provide one. If it is requires for schoolwork, then the school has to be making accommodations for kids who come from families who cannot afford one.

We have a 1:1 laptop program in my district, but they are county laptops that the kids basically "rent" for $50, and even then, if they're on free/reduced lunch, they either get it for free or do a payment plan

[SalH]

In Australia a lot of junior schools seem to force parents to buy an iPad for their 9yo for school.

I don't send my children to school. This is actually one of the reasons I want to keep homeschooling (many other reasons).

Secondary schools in my city then some need laptops too. Again parents buy.

It is a principle of mine that my children don't own anything I cannot afford to replace.

What happened to kids playing soccer and using their bags as goal posts on the field???

I personally don't believe learning on screens uses the brain in the right way, for long term memory to develop / brains to wire properly etc.


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[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by SalH

In Australia a lot of junior schools seem to force parents to buy an iPad for their 9yo for school.

I don't send my children to school. This is actually one of the reasons I want to keep homeschooling (many other reasons).

Secondary schools in my city then some need laptops too. Again parents buy.

It is a principle of mine that my children don't own anything I cannot afford to replace.

What happened to kids playing soccer and using their bags as goal posts on the field???

I personally don't believe learning on screens uses the brain in the right way, for long term memory to develop / brains to wire properly etc.


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I don't know schools that require you to purchase one here (not public anyways), but public schools all have ipads or laptops or even a bank of desktop computers in each room. The laptops are on carts teachers check out. Every class uses them. A lot of teacher utilize web sites for reading and math practice (razkids is one for example). They also use them to learn to type, research, program, or type of papers (this is all in elementary school).

[Little Forest]

Originally Posted by SalH

In Australia a lot of junior schools seem to force parents to buy an iPad for their 9yo for school.

I don't send my children to school. This is actually one of the reasons I want to keep homeschooling (many other reasons).

Secondary schools in my city then some need laptops too. Again parents buy.

It is a principle of mine that my children don't own anything I cannot afford to replace.

What happened to kids playing soccer and using their bags as goal posts on the field???

I personally don't believe learning on screens uses the brain in the right way, for long term memory to develop / brains to wire properly etc.


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Yes! Show me any research that demonstrates benefits of introducing technology to younger children! So many downsides.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Virginia]

Originally Posted by Little Forest

Yes! Show me any research that demonstrates benefits of introducing technology to younger children! So many downsides.
Posted via Mobile Device

Just one person's opinion/conclusions, but unfortunately, many seem to agree with her.

I'm 100% with you- I think there is too much technology in schools at every age and it is detrimental to students' learning

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insigh...ary-classrooms

[SalH]

Dh is a music therapist and trained in psychotherapy and did a lot of work with children, so knows a lot about the brain, hardwiring, and the effects of screens on behaviour and development.

My own anecdotal evidence is that:

Reading eggs didn't advance my children in any way despite using it as part of school in the early days and no other education apps have actually taught them anything, their memory doesn't seem to be engaged

I have read articles about how we are all losing the ability to remember events and holidays and scenery because we take photos of everything: we don't engage our senses and memory in the same way because we are snapping everything instead (I really relate to that experience)

I only found my way around Adelaide in the car after living here for about 5 years when I stopped using the gps. My memory wasn't in use when I was driving. I did the same routes repeatedly but panicked when I didn't have the gps.


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---------- Post added at 03:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:47 PM ----------

Also: technology is going to change goodness knows how much by the time our kids are adults. What were computers like when we were little kids? Most of us are happy using the tech as it is invented and changed now. I don't believe iPads now are going to make our children more tech literate in the future.


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---------- Post added at 03:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ----------

(That's usually the excuse given for pushing it on little kids)


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[Mother of Sons]

I would be freaked out about the cost for sure but I support the use of laptops and tablets in the classroom. All of my kids have their own tablets and have liberal use of them. There are just so many cool ways they can be used in groups. Plus it's better for their backs

[mipennsn]

My kids go to a private school. 7-12th use individual Chrome books that owned by the school (we pay a fee for an insurance policy). Their textbooks are online, they are have tracking software that the principal can access at anytime and certain keywords produce a report for him to review. The teacher in the classroom can see what is on their screens at anytime.

They are a test school for Google classroom. I'm looking forward to see how this works out as my oldest is 7th grade in the fall. They have been using the Chrome books for 2-3 years.

The elementary and even the preschool kids have structured computer time. Because my 2nd born struggles with handwriting he is allowed to do his reports on the computer as a 3rd grader.