Tech/screentime in TK programs
Hi wise parents, we are exploring TK options for our kid. We've become aware that our neighborhood school has a set of ipads in the TK classroom, and uses them routinely for instruction (for math, for example). We've been careful to limit screentime for our child thus far, and are not thrilled to know that the kids will be on screens starting in TK if we enroll at our neighborhood school. Is this typical? Does your TK or K classroom routinely encourage/require use of computers or tablets? Do we have to start looking into private schools if we don't want our kid learning via screens starting in TK or K (and are private schools any better)? (For what it's worth, we're not generally anti-tech--we just don't think learning from computers/tablets is necessary or preferable at such a young age!)
Parent Replies
My daughter's K class starts the day every morning with a series of You Tube videos. Lasts about 10-20 minutes. Various songs the kids sing to about ABCs, counting, days of the week etc. This is a Berkeley public school. The other K teachers at our school don't do this but, you have no control over which teacher you get and there is no switching classes to another teacher. After talking with the principal and the district office, it seems like the teachers can use technology mostly however they want. Also, the BUSD doesn't have a good set of policies for technology use in TK-2, but does have a more developed policy for G3-5. In G3-5 they do a lot of Google classroom with laptops.
My daughter has had more screen-time in Kindergarten than in her entire life otherwise.
The State of California disagrees with you. Much of the elementary curriculum is available online (to be accessed at the teacher's discretion) and all of the standardized assessments have moved online. My child went to TK in WCCUSD in 2015-16, and they used tablets daily for about 30 minutes per session. I did think that was a little much, but adjusted the amount of screen time at home downward. In elementary school (two kids) I have observed that if the teacher is a Millennial or Gen X, they use tablets in class a lot. Baby Boomer teachers... not so much. However the amount of tech time during the school day will only increase over time, and personally I think it's fine and appropriate for older kids, say 3rd grade and up. You may not know that, for example, the reading software the district uses is dynamic - meaning, the passages and questions will get more difficult if your child is getting them right. Differentiation is built in, and I assure you, it's very hard for a live teacher to do that with 24 kids in person.
My son has had chromebook use in class since K (his birthday did not qualify him for TK). It is 2-3 times a week depending on the week and it has been such a great experience for him. They are not just mindlessly watching videos or playing, but rather are introduced to educational apps and a very different way of learning. If your child gets screen time in school daily or for a long time and it replaces instruction then it is a problem, but if it is just occasional use to supplement teacher's teaching and allows your kid to learn a certain way, it does not have to be bad. You could ask your kid be given a book or something else to do during the ipad time, but he would be pretty upset as it is something kids generally like and look forward to. I would find out the length of time and frequency at which your kid gets screen time in the classroom before you make a change in his education over this.
My son is in TK at an OUSD school and does not have access to electronic devices at school. I’m not sure how typical it is. I was also bothered when I toured schools that touted computer and tablet usage in the classroom. We allow our son significant screen time at home, and I have no interest in him getting more at school!
I think in Public schools you might generally find less tech....