https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:00:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2849130 Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:57:50 +0000 808love 2849130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meganmp: that autonomy to spend and choose what you have decided is best for kids is ideal! I am fortunate to have some of the freedom you have and I look forward to continue to push the boundaries on the rest. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2849112 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 22:24:43 +0000 meganmp 2849112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Not entirely my doing (at all!). I teach at a private school, so we are a)afforded all the bells and whistles and b)not forced to follow district mandated curriculum, so I actually get to do what I think is best for kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2849098 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 21:28:07 +0000 808love 2849098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So much to say on this topic...but so little time. @annem1990: Thanks for that! We are in this together. Private schools show no advantages when adjusted for socioeconomic factors. </p> <p>Also, Project Lead the Way videos are generally under 2 minutes but is captivating (which is probably why your child mentioned it). </p> <p>Because kids have so much access to screen time at home with parents, I find there is a recent shift where students prefer conversation and PE to computers in their free time now. When computers were not mainstream, they wanted computers in their free time. </p> <p> This is my first year with a Makerspace and it has been phenomenal reward/play/creation time for 4th graders. Really, technology fluency is the move toward designing and creating solutions with computers as just a tool/resource as necessary to complete projects. It's not about the tech...it's about what we do with it. Consuming appropriate educational videos is Level 1 use of tech.... it's a start, not the finish line. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2849051 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 17:21:43 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2849051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I totally agree with you. We had an astronomical number of kids with ADHD on my grade level last year and I actually brought up to my principal that maybe we should consider the screens and how that may be affecting the kids...I was promptly shut down :( so I try to manage it the best I can on my own. It's super hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848881 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 09:45:59 +0000 annem1990 2848881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: One thing I think to consider is how hard we are on teachers compared to other countries. At least in my experience, teachers were not trusted by parents and administration to use their judgement. We were constantly criticized...classroom teachers specifically. Even in the best-performing district in our area, we were always belittled. It’s impossible to live up to everyone’s standards and coupled with ridiculously low pay it creates high-turnover and extreme exhaustion. The mental toll put on teachers is horrible. I teach ESL online PT and am a SAHM now. Classroom teaching was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. </p> <p>All that to say, I think we need to give everyone a break...kids, moms, dads, teachers, administration. We are all just doing our best. Perhaps micro managing everything is what creates such high-stress for everyone. It’s a vicious cycle. Learning should be fun and our focus should be on children’s growth and happiness. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848880 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 09:45:03 +0000 snowjewelz 2848880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just had a back to school night for pre-k and at her school, all preschool/k rooms have smart boards. Her teacher was just saying that all teachers do things differently and some def uses the smart board more but not her. Some even do their circle time/daily calendar from the smartboard but her teacher prefers the real thing which I love. I think sadly it's just inevitable that kids get more and more screen time for whatever reason and that's why I'd actually want to delay it as best as I can (tho I don't have super strict screen time at home currently). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848865 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:58:33 +0000 Anagram 2848865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't mind some tech for producing something--typing, making something. It's the pure consuming I don't love, and only when it's class after class all in one day. Her Mandarin and French teachers are native speakers.</p> <p>I teach Animation in a middle school where every student has a laptop, so my students are on their laptops constantly--but they are making something and actively busy. When I have to teach them a new concept, I show them myself with my laptop hooked to my digital projector, although I could just show a youtube video of someone else doing it--it feels more tailored to what we are doing that day for me to do it myself. Also, my students are 13 years old.</p> <p>I looked up the AAP guidelines, because I know they were "relaxed" a little last year, but they are still recommending 1 hour of daily screens a day. Maybe I'm becoming a crunchy hippy and should start looking for low-tech private schools, haha. It just seems like a lot for K students. They are a world away from even where a 4th grade would be. Many of the kids can't even write their ABCs in both upper and lower case, so I feel like trying to type them is putting the cart before the horse--although, I'm not an early childhood expert, and I only have 2 years of experience working in an elementary school. I don't have statistics to back any of this up (are there any? I'd love to see it), it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me to have screen time in every class when it *seems like* kids would learn better from hands on learning. Like rather than a video of Mandarin body parts, actually standing up and pointing to those body parts and chanting them or singing them in real life. I don't know. It's something I may bring up in a very careful way during parent conferences--just asking some general questions about the school's screen time policies by age level and what a day is like.</p> <p>My oldest is actually a really compliant, adaptable kiddo so she wouldn't be the type to get in trouble for not having enough activity--but I guess I worry a little bit just in general, about societal trends.</p> <p>As I said, this is not just based on my own experience as a parent, but on statistics of american students vs other developed countries and stats about how much we spend vs those other countries. I agree our teachers work hard--I'm on of them! But somehow, our society is missing a link and while we're spending more money, we're not getting better results. While I believe this is societal, not just a "school issue" (like I believe lack of affordable early childhood care, lack of universal health care, lack of options for low income working mothers are all affecting how well our students do once they get to school), I think it's worth exploring how our societal dysfunction is influencing our education choices from admin, teachers, school boards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848855 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:06:43 +0000 looch 2848855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meganmp: That's amazing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848830 Wed, 03 Oct 2018 05:36:52 +0000 hellobeeboston 2848830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm, this has not been our experience thus far in Kindergarten. He was very excited to tell me about the movie they got to watch half of one day when the power went out in the school and they were all in the gym (generator). But no other videos being used yet. The kids will also play in the rain for recess if talk not absolutely pouring. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848807 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:35:15 +0000 Mrsbells 2848807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: when DD startes kindergarten I was surprised that they would watch short educational youtube videos for certain portions of the day and they also had laptop time and even wrote and printed out their own books for writing. Overall the screentime is minimal per day but happening on a regular basis. It came as a surprisee because her daycare had no screentime at all but it seems most public schools are shifting to this tech approach </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848793 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:21:46 +0000 jhd 2848793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a foreign language teacher I think short videos are very valuable. I want my students to hear a variety of native speakers. I’m sure I could find audio-only resources but the video aspect gives students context. I use short videos as a jumping off point to start a lesson or as a review. I’m talking like a minute or two minutes most of the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848789 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:00:45 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2848789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My district is 1:1 devices starting in K. We are a pretty lax screen family, but we have a no screens on school days rule now.</p> <p> I'm sure my 5th graders are using tech for at least an hour a day independently, plus video clips, etc. I hope my kindergartener isn't on it that much but it wouldn't surprise me. </p> <p>As a teacher, I try to balance the amazing learning opportunities that tech provides with other means of learning. I aim for no more than an hour a day but if they are typing a story or working on a project it will be more. We also do a lot of testing on the computer, which has to fit in there too. </p> <p>What you are describing sounds very normal and appropriate to me. I would try not to worry too much, and balance it with as much screen free play time as you can at home ❤ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848788 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 19:53:12 +0000 annem1990 2848788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Former primary teacher here - sounds fairly normal to me. Not having recess stinks though for everyone. </p> <p>From my experience in both under-privileged and very wealthy districts, teachers just can't win. My first school (predominantly low-income) was BEGGING for these kind of things. I used the overhead projector.</p> <p>In the "wealthy" school district, teachers were constantly getting complaints for less technology, more technology, more traditional methods, less traditional methods. We'd hear "We pay for all of this technology so we better see it!" and "The kids are too reliant on it. Use less." You literally could not please everyone. And that's okay! It would be impossible for a teacher to cater to every parent. Some parents click with certain teaching styles better than others. </p> <p>But 99% of the teaching I saw was sincere and intentional. These people work their butts off. At least in my district, we were observed like crazy and it would not fly to be doing something irrelevant (in most cases). The technology we have available is so good and can be tailored to so many levels and types of learners. Except for extreme outliers, the teachers are probably doing the very best they can with what they're given. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848770 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 18:48:37 +0000 pachamama 2848770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meganmp: you're right, I should rephrase... I have a few teacher friends who let their primary students play games/watch videos for fun when "they're too tired to teach". I was like cmonnn... but hey, I can emphasize with being a tired teacher 😝 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848760 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 18:16:43 +0000 DesertDreams88 2848760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I'll respond with teacher-mama perspective. I've taught 5th &amp; 8th mainly, so, different than the specific focus here. Everyone in my district has a SB.</p> <p>- I use 5-10 minutes of video, probably 3-4 minutes a week. That adds up to, on average, 30 minute of my 270 minutes, which is 11% of my instructional time. </p> <p>- I also use the smartboard for parts of most of my lessons, bc it is way better than re-writing on the WB 5x a day. It also allows me to "save" my lessons more easily, and edit/improve them next year. I've attached a screenshot of a typical lesson for me. As you'll see, it includes a video, a class discussion, partner reading, discussion of vocab and main ideas, then leveled group questions (ABCD), which we will then share/discuss/write in our notebooks. </p> <p>- Videos or SB activities are a great way to "hook" the students attention, close/summarize a lesson, or switch the mode of learning. I'm a BIG believer in not having students learn in any one "mode" for more than 10 minutes, TOPS, so a brief 5 minute video provides a "chunk" of info that is different than ALL reading, or ALL worksheets, or ALL discussion, or ALL projects, etc. </p> <p>- SBs can be used interactively. I often have drag-and-drop activities where they come up and touch the SB themselves, and during videos, my students always have a prompt to think or write about, and they are held accountable for that. </p> <p>- Sometimes, the videos are just REALLY good, and a great way to explain the info in a way that I might not be able to do perfectly 5x a day. To me, it's like how adults might share a link or an infographic to communicate their point - if there is a good resource out there, why not share it?</p> <p>- I can't copy in color &amp; I have a copy limit for paper. So, the smart-board helps me save paper or show things in color.</p> <p>- I use my SB for my document camera which is SUCH a helpful tool, and all it does it does is show the kids what I'm writing in my notebook or annotating on the paper. So, simple, low-tech, but it is shown on a screen.</p> <p>Now, granted, real discussion, reading, projects, etc are SO important and should take precedence, for SURE. I don't like how much screentime there is overall for kids, ESPECIALLY screen-based testing.... research shows that students comprehend more when reading paper vs. reading on a screen! So, I hear and understand the concerns. My kid definitely will be the one that needs much more physical activity than most, and at age 2 I'm already worried about dwindling recess and increasing screens. </p> <p>Also, lastly, I think the screens are reflective of how education has changed in the last decade or so. There a big push to personalize/differentiate instruction, and to use more tech. With the 1:1 concept, I think some schools believe it will help get students "college and career ready" and promote "STEM." (I don't agree, but whatever.)</p> <p>[attach=5393/18/pfzvc5.600x457.Capture-SB.JPG] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848750 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 17:52:00 +0000 meganmp 2848750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 4th graders can use 3D design, type out essays and stories efficiently, create digital presentations as a way to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways (which also helps to differentiate for learning style), utilize search functions effectively, use the green screen, and a host of other things that I am not even going to list. Perhaps reframing the use of technology would be helpful for you to feel more at ease? </p> <p>Not all teachers who use technology liberally are lazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848737 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:46:10 +0000 bhbee 2848737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: they had a reading program in kinder (iStation) they were supposed to use at home but we almost never did. It didn’t seem like she got anything out of it, could be we weren’t using it correctly but I assume she modeled what they did in computer lab.</p> <p>Thankfully though last year they just had computer lab once a week (though I do know there was other video watching). Now the district just put 1:1 iPads into k-1 (older kids already had it). I feel pretty torn about it ... she has a good teacher and I think they have good intentions, but I just hope they don’t overuse them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848726 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:21:58 +0000 pachamama 2848726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is why I have my son in a crunchy outdoor school until he turns almost 6 and will go into public kinder. 😝 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848725 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:20:27 +0000 pachamama 2848725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a high-school teacher whose district is aggressively tech based. starting from 5th grade on is one-to-one Chromebooks which I can't stand. I really think these kids need less technology and more physical movement. We're some sort of Google tester school or whatever so we're supposed to use it all the time. I'm a believer less and less everyday. I don't want my students or kids staring into a Chromebook all day. But unfortunately that is the way the world is going. They're absolutely digital natives to say the least and it's part of their school persona really<br /> For kindergarten, I don't so much have a problem with Smart Board presentation because I think it's a very efficient, engaging and clear way to present to children. I do have a problem with a five-year-old only having 20 minutes of recess and playing games, apps on computers.<br /> Maybe I'm in the minority but I wish schools used less technology. I know my son's public school uses a lot, especially the lazy teachers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848702 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 14:42:58 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2848702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: yes </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848699 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 14:35:40 +0000 Mama Bird 2848699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The SmartBoard thing seems typical. As far as I can tell from my first grader, they don't seem to be over-using it to the point where it interferes with learning. I'm a lot more bothered that twice a week, the kids have "media class" that's all about playing games. DS has mentioned Minecraft - I think that requires some kind of registration, and I can only hope the teacher is on top of making sure the kids don't put sensitive personal info out there. They know their address and DOB way before they're old enough to understand why they shouldn't give them to random people.</p> <p>I also stopped by a Gifted and Talented class last spring to get an idea how they're different, and was told all the reading assignments and homework are on iPads. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848660 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 11:41:55 +0000 kiddosc 2848660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Screen time for my first grader is sort of ridiculous. So much of their learning takes place on an iPad. Almost all of the pictures I see are the kids doing activities on the iPad and we have logins for so many different learning programs. Raz-kids, Epic, and one more I can't remember the name off. Then all the info from the teacher comes through class dojo and seesaw. It's hard to keep it all straight. We're supposed to use home logins for these apps too, but after he's spent so much of his time on an iPad at school, the last thing I'm going to do is hand him another screen after school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848653 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 11:11:14 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2848653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, the recess thing is a bummer. My daughter is in K this year and we had nonstop rain in September so she told me they would go to the gym if they couldn't go outside, and they have recess 2X. </p> <p>The videos thing - that doesn't bother me. I honestly think this is how kids learn now. It's a bummer they're substituting recess with it, but I think the learning just happens in a more interactive way now. I wish our under-resourced Title 1 school had smartboards and all the stuff you're describing. What I saw in the classroom their first day was really depressing - old, tattered books, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848644 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:28:55 +0000 Anagram 2848644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Baby Boy Mom: switching schools to private? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848636 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 10:09:28 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2848636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our experience in public school was unfortunately similar. It was a huge difference between pre-k to K. Smart boards in the classrooms used regularly and screen time during indoor recess. I did a lot of research into the different schools to see if it was just ours, but unfortunately it was common across the board especially during the winter. The only schools that had active indoor recess were those that had dedicated staffing for it (usually funded by the PTA). This was a huge problem for my very active LO and ultimately one of the reasons we had to switch to a different school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848630 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:42:37 +0000 looch 2848630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son's school also has smart boards in every classroom, including the specials. At first I was very shocked by it, but now, I am more relaxed about it. I don't have a lot of choice, what am I going to do, redefine the day's work, or send my kid to another school? So I basically decided that as long as it is educational content, I am okay with it. Where I do get worked up is when it is used to show movies during instructional time, which the principal is also against, so it works out.</p> <p>I equate it to the overhead projectors my teachers used when I was in elementary school and how I use powerpoint at my office. Maybe I should be more concerned, but I am not getting any reports of poor behaviors from my son....which is not the case when he plays the iPad for fun at home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848625 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:38:06 +0000 gestalt 2848625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter is in the second grade, and each student uses their own chrome books a few times a week. They complement their math lessons with online math games the kids can choose themselves, and will use it to do research for projects. I believe they will also have some language arts games available as well. Each class has a Smart Board, but i'm not sure to what extent it's used.</p> <p>I was really taken aback when i found out in the first week of school, they were allowed to just "surf the web" and do whatever they wanted. Like watch Peppa Pig clips. Watch music videos. WTF. I haven't heard any of it so far, so i'm wondering if it was to just get kids comfortable using the chrome books?</p> <p>We came from a very digital-free private school so this is definitely very new to us. I have mixed feelings about it for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848622 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:32:47 +0000 DesertDreams88 2848622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a couple of quick thoughts off the top of my head...<br /> - It would be good to know how many actual minutes these videos were. There's a big difference between a 5min vs 15min video, in my opinion.<br /> - It also helps that it was broken up and separated throughout the day.<br /> - Hopefully it was just a weird set of circumstances where they all ended up on the same day, in that this was a little bit more than normal.</p> <p>Have to go, respond more later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848620 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:21:35 +0000 gotkimchi 2848620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This seems normal for when I toured our public 4K except they don’t do recess at all :sad: we ended up not going with them which I know isn’t an option for everyone </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/screen-time-at-public-school-whats-your-experience#post-2848609 Tue, 02 Oct 2018 08:44:08 +0000 Anagram 2848609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter started Kindergarten this year (full day, 8:10-3:00 pm), and I've been surprised about how much "Screen time" she can end up getting in a given day.</p> <p>Some background--we had a week or more of very rainy weather, so they weren't able to have outside recess. Other background: our state recently signed into law a mandatory 20 minute recess, that as many of those recesses as possible (weather permitting) should be held outdoors, and that recess can't be taken away for behavior issues.</p> <p>So, having given that background, I ask every single day what my kids did at school--and to combat the "nothing" response, I work my way through their daily schedule and ask specific questions like-- What did your teacher read during reading circle? What did you sing/learn in music class? Did you learn any new words today in Mandarin class/what were the words? Who did you play with in recess and what did you play? Who did you sit with at lunch? Etc.</p> <p>SO recently, there was a stretch of days where DD1 (kinder) said she watched a youtube video in Mandarin on the chinese body parts on the Smart board, she did ABC Mouse in language arts (she chose that station herself), in recess they had more youtube videos on the SmartBoard and they were encourage to dance along (it was rainy; the song was the "popsico" song that is popular now, along with a couple of other songs to dance to), and then in her after school French class, another Smart Board video about French Colors.</p> <p>All on the same day. She goes to a different teacher for Mandarin (and all other specials like P.E. and Music), "Project Lead the Way" (basically a science/engineering class) and for after school French. And the ABC Mouse station is in her regular teacher's class.</p> <p>Every class seems to have a Smart Board because she told me on another day that she watched a video about Engineers in her Project Lead the Way class. THis was another day where she chose the ABC Mouse station and they had another indoor recess which probably involved more dance-along videos.</p> <p>So...all these are educational. But.....I feel like it's excessive for a kindergartner. I understand having to do indoor recess, but can't they just put on music without the video to dance to? Should the ABC Mouse station be limited? What about for the language classes--while I understand that videos can be a useful tool, can't they just as easily teach those concepts (colors, body parts, names of family members) without a video and with colored sheets of paper or anything not in a video but that they kids can experience in real life?</p> <p>This amount of Smart Board usage doesn't seem to be every day, but it's a lot more than I ever expected. When she was in public pre-school, she got almost no (or extremely rare) screen time exposure.</p> <p>By the way, I work in a middle school with a 1:1 laptop program and I don't LOVE that either. They have to use their laptops constantly, all day long, in every class save maybe P.E.</p> <p>What have you all experienced in terms of Smart Board and computer usage in the young grades of elementary school? I'd love to hear from the teacher Bees, too. Is this normal? Would you be okay with it as long as it continues to be educational? </p>