3 year old always on iPad when being picked up from school.

[Sofialowri10]

My daughter currently attends school half day, every day. She doesn't tend to listen, and also has a speech and language delay. My issue is that, every single time I pick her up she is always sitting there playing the iPad- and is the only one doing so. I have told the teacher that colouring will keep her entertained- but nothing seems to change no matter how much advice I give them on how to keep her sitting at the table. Am I over reacting? Thankyou x

That's shocking. I would make a request in writing that your daugher not use a computer/ipad for the forseeable future and send a copy to the Headteacher.
OR
If you are happy that your previous conversation was very explicit, I would make an appointment to see the Head now and say that you intend to complain to ofsted.

Thankyou for replying, that's the annoying thing- the head teacher is my daughters key worker and she is the one I have said everything to.

Are you at work? Can you attend school with her for a few days?

I think this is outrageous. Why is she being given an iPad in school. That's just laziness on the part of the teachers.

I'd be livid. You really need to sort the out her speech and language will not be improved with lots of screen time. I would put in writing that due to her delay you want her not to have any access to the ipad, however the may say its a continuous provision and they cannot limit it. You may have a fight on your hands.

Is it school nursery? Why do they say they give it to her? At our school nurseries they have lots of IPads but use is restricted to specific sessions. Do you know how long she has it for etc and is it just for 5 mins while they wait to be picked up etc? At this point what are the others doing?

I agree with others, this is madness and I would be SO unimpressed! Personally I wouldn't want my DD on an iPad at all while at nursery/school, I monitor her time on it at home (not even every day) she is also 3 by the way!

Go into school and be calm but firm that you do not want your DD spending anytime on the iPad while at school unless it is a whole class activity. Say Ti them that if they want some ideas for keeping your DD occupied then you are happy to give them.

BTW is it a nursery or a school? (not that it makes any difference in my opinion)

"Personally I wouldn't want my DD on an iPad at all while at nursery/school"

I assume your thoughts on this will change when they are of actual school age, from foundation?

We have computers and iPads and every class form foundation up has a scheduled computing lesson in the ICT suite on computers and/or tablets , plus a scheduled iPad session - usually in their classroom as part of literacy, numeracy, music, topic, art, etc.

Wouldn't want my pre- schooler on IPads at nursery or for hours at school.There is no neeed.

Re schools yes ICT suite time learning to code but seriously Ipad time in class on top of this and white board screens in class.I don't see the need.It's overkill.

Kids spend far too much time at home on tablets following same old,same old easy to learn software as it is.

I think hulababy makes a good point. Both our school nursery and private nursery use iPads for learning, in constructive ways as a small part of the learning day. They use learning program's and don't just sit about watching movies or playing games. My 4 year old is very confident on computers and iPads despite no iPad at home and very limited laptop time. Everything had its place

We use out iPads in many ways - not to play games n class time.

Eg:

camera/video - to act out and retell stories
animation/movie editing software - topic work, literacy, green screen work
coding and control - Logo, Kodable, Beebot
simulations - what if scenarios, linked to topic, etc
art - various apps using brush techniques, exploring online galleries, photography editing
d&t - build and make apps, simulation apps
research - instant internet access; specific apps for some topics (space, online webcams to look at safari park, etc); ancestry software for family tree work
music - explore different instruments, mix music, add voice, record and playback, add video element
e-reader - iBooks and Kindle apps, Comic app, First News
phonics - Twinkl phonics suite, Pocket phonics, etc
numeracy - various for specific areas, also online dice, number generators, 100 squares, etc
purple mash - now optimised for tablets
QR reader - to communicate learning with other pupils and parents

etc.

Never are they used to just play games.
They are timetabled in, planned for and used to support teaching and learning by pupils.

They can be an excellent tool when used correctly and have had a big impact in our school since we introduced them last year. Pupil become very engaged when using them. We never have a problem with them playing games or going off task.

We use them in EYFS - Y2 (infant school here) and all our feedback from staff, parents, pupils, and inspectors (LEA, curriculum advisors, etc) has been nothing but positive.

If some children are using tablets too much at home then that is for parents to control and limit. Shouldn't mean schools should limit their effective use of technology just because some parents don't limit game play at home.

I have a coder/software developer partner and an extremely able coding 10 year old.He had no screen time at that age.

A lot of the software on tablets and confidence can be picked up extremely easily and most kids have more than enough time sat on phones and tablets at home.It doesn't take or need hours from an early age.Pre-school is for Duplo and play dough imvho.

Kids sit engaging with packages far too much,it isn't necessary.

Sorry but bar the coding and DT a lot in that list isn't crucial.You don't need tablets to teach phonics,maths etc.They may add to a lesson but if kids are already stuck in front of interactive white boards all day alongside having access to suite time in order to learn to code and design I think screens should be limited in other areas of the curriculum.

It isn't good for kids to spend vast amount of time on screens all day,it is possible to learn without them and when you factor in system break downs a lot of time can be wasted in a lesson pfaffing around when you could have taught the same thing without yet another whizzy package any kid could pickup at home if given web details.

But we have said school rather than pre-school - my original post was in response and said this.
And once at school the use of technology is expected and will happen regularly. Tablets and computers are common place in schools now.

And not all children actually have tablets at school. Around 50% of my students do not have access to a tablet/phone at all out of school.

The fact that apps are easy to use is excellent for use in infant schools. The teaching of how to use such apps effectively and for specific reasons simply enhances this, and the learning of those children.

I have 4/5 years olds learning the basics of coding using apps, understanding what it means to test and debug an algorithm. The tablet app makes this far easier for them to understand and get to grips with,

I have 6/7y creating 5 minute animated movies, with full story board incorporating all their literacy tools. They effective write and produce for given audiences, they add sound and voice effects, add music they have created themselves, edit their work to ensure it is accurate and smooth, they know how to save it and create QR codes to place in their work or take home to share their work.

Or on computers when 6y are learning to code proper with Scratch software. They use a wide range of commands, debug, test and progress.

Yes - we could wait til they are 10y or they could do it at home - but then as a school we would be doing them a disservice.

Retropear - we shall have to agree to disagree. The children, even with iPads, computers and whiteboards, still spend far more time away from screens in school time than they do using them. In my experience anyway - and as a Computng teacher that is saying something.

Of course it isn't crucial to use them. But if you can use them every so often - once a week for the iPads here - to enhance teaching and learning, then why should they be ignored?

But then I grew up with technology. I have had a computer at home since I was primary school age - I am 41y so this was fairly early; most of my friends did not. I just don't have an issue with effective uses of technology.

I will be clear, I don't change my opinion re: not wanting my DD to have any iPad time at school at her current age. I wouldn't mind a couple of hours a week as a whole class activity as she gets older and once she was in jrs would accept it becoming much more prevailent, however at this age I see absolutely no use for it. My children share a tablet and they still use it far less than once a week as they have very little interest in it. DH is a tech-ie geek and there were no computers when he was young, now he runs whole teams of computer coders!

I have to say the majority of what is listed above can be accomplished without "modern technology" and I would prefer DD learnt how to do it all the "old fashioned way" first and then progressed onto computers, so she has both skill sets. I will admit to being an old fashioned book worm myself.

This is all by-the-by as I don't think OP is saying her DD uses an iPad as part of a class lesson and instead is more singled out as it is an easy distraction to keep her occupied (sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick) and that is what my original answer was based on.

Not got a problem with coding de bugging etc but sorry in a screen heavy week I'd rather my 6 year old was writing manually for an audience during literacy lessons.

3 year olds do not need to be spending vast amounts of time on tablets in pre-school.Rec aged kids in school pick up ICT skills very quickly even in the pre tablet days when we had 1 Acorn per classroom for 30 kids.

Anyway - apologies OP. This has derailed your post about preschool and your child. And fwiw I agree - your 3yo should not be sat alone every day using an iPad at nursery.

I don't have a problem with effective use of technology.As I said I have a coding partner who has coding siblings who have written a lot of the packages we all use daily.We've always had the latest tech eons back from a Sinclair Spectrum.

However I don't think 3 years olds need to be using precious pre school time on tablets and school age kids don't need hours and hours of it either.

I worry that we're starting to use screens for screen sake with children and to be frank think an awful lot of it isn't needed.

As I said my 10 year old is a very competent coder and can work his way round any app or package.He has had quite limited screen time.

But yes we will have to agree to disagree.

I think more detail is needed to help op effectively. iPads have their place. If kids are having loads if iPad time at home then that's just as bad ad at school - same as too much TV. Mind have iPads at school nursery and nursery but not at home. Home us time for outdoor stuff, books, talking, duplo, toys, games etc

Why is there an assumption that children need to learn all this computing stuff but not foreign languages or music in school in the same detail? Is it just what interests the teachers or has anyone actually evaluated this? My children didn't do it and would not have wanted to. Reading the above posts I am so glad they had an old fashioned education!

Ultimately it's not about the IPad. It's about asking a teacher not to let a child do something and it being ignored

It is a nursery school that my daughter attends.I have no issues with her playing the iPad from time to time, but when it's being used every day to keep her quiet? I'm not ok with that, when there are different things that can be done .

I would want to know why the ipad is being used. I know my daughters school uses them sometimes but it isn't every day and from what I gather they either use them working in small groups so they have a task to do and therefore are communicating too or they are doing the work on them in groups with a member of staff so again are communicating as well.

My daughter has a visual problem and it is thought she may have a speech and language problem too so too much screen time could cause her problems but I think her school has a very good balance that they integrate them into different lessons so children learn to be confident with technology and use it in different ways without being overloaded with them.

Hula could you name some apps please? DS is 5 and I'm looking for some that might challenge him a bit with his literacy