Lazy teaching with apps

[Zuzus]

DC is in year 3.

In his previous school, he got homework once a week. This was then collected and checked by his teacher.

In his current school, there is no homework. Instead they have logins to a number of apps and leaderboards. DC in year 3 now needs to use a smartphone to do his work.

I am not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, DC happily does his own work with all the gamification. On the other hand, I think he is too young for the amount of screen time required of him.

Is this just lazy teaching?

That’s a massively outdated mindset. Most young people need to be savvy with technology. You may not like it, but it’s a fact of life that most things now need some sort of tech-awareness.

My sons’ primary school issued each child with a Chromebook. They did their research as and when needed, not once a week when they had booked the ICT suite or library. They did five minutes a day of spelling work on spelling shed, and another five minutes a day on TT Rockstar. They used Google docs to work collaboratively with each other, as well as individually. They kept track of work in the classroom app. Children who had dyslexia, or other learning disabilities faculties were given log in details for things like Nessie which alongside daily quiet reading allowed them to build confidence with their reading skills. All children also had access to accelerated reader so they could quiz their reading comprehension after finishing a book. I’ve also never seen a class as happy to be completing a quiz as they are when there’s a Kahoot session ongoing. The engagement that these tools can bring into class is often invaluable.

The chromebooks did not do the teaching, nor did they steal the ability of the children to utilise other skills. They allowed the children to build an extra set of skills, (alongside using traditional methods such as the class library for research, mastering legible handwriting, and working in teams) that would also be of use as they move bed onto senior school and into adult life.

The other bonus of the chromebooks in school was that no child was left out because a parent decided that they didn’t like the idea of their child using technology to consolidate learning.

Please forgive typing errors on that post. I’m arguing with my cat about what I ought to be doing right now.

So what you're saying is this is another case of schools overriding parental autonomy then? Parents can't do right for doing wrong.

On one hand you have schools complaining kids are on their phones too much on the other you're having schools enforce the use of phones to do their school work. Meanwhile parents get no say in either scenario.

Where did I say there was a phone involved?

The school purchased a couple of hundred chromebooks, enough for one per child in his key stage. They’re taught to use them, in school, and learn how the technology can help them. They’re engaged in their work, and consolidating information they’re taught using more traditional teaching methods. The primary school machines stayed in school, except during lockdown where they went home and were a lifesaver for the classes, who held daily zoom/teams chats to keep the children going socially, as well as having direct teaching and being able to submit work. (The school provided hotspot dongles for families with no internet connections)

Are you saying you’d rather children get to senior school at 11 with no ability to use these technologies?

My son is in year 7 now. The entire school uses chromebooks. From the head down to the new starters in year 7. They still use exercise books too, but the Chromebook is a necessity, and if it is forgotten on a regular basis it is punishable in the same manner as forgetting other equipment.

All communications from the school to me as a parent come through email or text. They don’t post anything, nor do they print out a couple of thousand letters to send home with the children.

As for having no say, well, no you don’t. A school operates to educate. They do that regardless of how you think they should do so, because for the most part they’re far better at knowing how schools/teaching/and pupil engagement works than a couple of thousand (my son’s school has 2.5k pupils from y7-y13) random parents.

You can dislike the fact that a youngster will need to develop and use these skills, but you’d be a complete fool if you think you’d be doing your child any favours to try to stop them.

My five year old has to do 45 minutes a week of maths on an app, I don't like it, we limit his screen time and don't give him a phone or tablet. We do have a home pc and we can get the app to work on that. For a start I think 45 minutes of maths a week for a reception child is too much and I don't want him on screens. There is no non app alternative, his school has over 35% of children eligible for pupil premium so it's the expectation around the tech too, it seems tone-deaf. I couldn't use apps at primary age they didn't exist, it hasn't limited my capability to use technology as an adult so I don't buy into that argument.
People saying children on computers/online is essential and nothing to be concerned about don't see what I do every day through work. It would horrify most.