Do your kids take laptops to school?

[Beca]

We just moved to a suburb of Dallas. The cable installers came and hooked up our cable yesterday. They noticed that my 3 yr old had her own computer, and they both commented that I would be needing to buy her a laptop within a couple of years. I asked them why, and they said that by second grade, all kids in this area take their laptops to school with them. They said that they are allowed to turn in all of their homework via their laptop. Both installers had young children, and commented that EVERY child in their children's grades had their own laptop.

I am a little stunned! I'm not against dd having a laptop (I'll have to get her a light one), but I am shocked....I didn't know schools were doing this.

Does anyone else have experience with this?



Beca

 

[Daxx]

Not in my school or DS's school. At least, not yet.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What District? I hadn't ever heard of this for a requirement for Public School. Now private high schools back in Missouri did have this as a requirement.

 

[Barb D]

Nope. Not even in high school. And we're in a relatively affluent, yuppie area.

 

[MoniqueU]

Yes my son is in the laptop program at his Jr High. All his classes excpept Math, Elective and PE are on Laptop. He loves it and I love it. His handwriting always knocked his grade down a bit so we don't have that issue now. He is learning a ton and is getting prepped for what it will be neccesary for in College.

 

[lewdyan1]

My brothers children are in school in North Dallas and neither one use a laptop in Elementary! Nor do we in any grade in Miami!

 

[snappy]

Yes, at my daughter's Catholic girl's high school. Included in the tuition each year is a technology charge. Tuition is higher at her school than at the Catholic boys school.

She is a sophomore and got a new one at the beginning of the school year.

They use it in every class.

It is a lot to lug around along with the school book bag and swimming gear (she is on the swim team).

 

[mum4jenn]

Some of the private schools here do this. I am sure eventually it will happen for all schools.

 

[KathyTX]

Beca,

Mystery Machine and I are both in the same school district as you, and I don't know WHAT those cable installers were talking about.

The elementary and middle schools do have computer labs, and I imagine the high schools are the same. The kids will use the school computers. Once we got to the 4th or 5th grade, DS did have an occasional assignment that required some (very minor) computer research. But he did it at home using links provided by his teachers. And kids with no internet connectivity at home were given opportunities to do the assignments on the school's computers.

We're a pretty well-connected household (computer-wise), as I'm pretty sure you are . But it's never been suggested or recommended that the kiddo have a laptop for school, and I'm pretty sure that using a privately owned computer at school would not have been allowed.

 

[Kimberly]

Kids now do in the area I live in (northern Bergen County, NJ), but the school district wasn't even dreaming of it when I was in high school. Personally I believe it's more of "why tech?" than "high tech".

 

[damo]

Only a few private high schools do that here. Laptops and elementary school children aren't a good mix, IMO.

 

[Beca]

Beca,

Mystery Machine and I are both in the same school district as you, and I don't know WHAT those cable installers were talking about.

The elementary and middle schools do have computer labs, and I imagine the high schools are the same. The kids will use the school computers. Once we got to the 4th or 5th grade, DS did have an occasional assignment that required some (very minor) computer research. But he did it at home using links provided by his teachers. And kids with no internet connectivity at home were given opportunities to do the assignments on the school's computers.

We're a pretty well-connected household (computer-wise), as I'm pretty sure you are . But it's never been suggested or recommended that the kiddo have a laptop for school, and I'm pretty sure that using a privately owned computer at school would not have been allowed.

Thanks, Kathy!! I forgot....I guess I could've just pm'd you, huh!! And yes, I did "double check"....these guys were talking about LISD schools (I don't remember which one). It's not that I mind "technology", but if I was going to have to buy her a laptop, I would like to know about it a little in advance (for $$$$ reasons).

When the cable guys left, I said to dh, "I knew Texas schools were good....but, wow!! This is really different from Arizona."


I'm a little relieved!!!



Beca

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

What if you can't afford or don't want your child to have a laptop? I don't even have one.

 

[Free4Life11]

Only a few private high schools do that here. Laptops and elementary school children aren't a good mix, IMO.

Yeah I can't imagine it'd be a good idea. Even in college, few kids bring their laptops to class.

 

[DVCLiz]

My daughter changed schools for high school, and her new school has a middle and upper school laptop requirement. Not the lower school, though - I can't imagine giving elementary school kids access to that technology before they had a solid foundation in doing it the old-fashioned way. It is a private school, though, not a public one.

DD has used hers for four years, and will certainly take one to college next year. Even though one poster above mentioned that few college students take a laptop to class, all of the schools we've toured this year have a laptop recommendation, and several have requirements to bring a specific kind of laptop with them. So I think college students will eventually have them everywhere.

 

[MoniqueU]

Just wanted to clarify that my son attends public Jr High. His Laptop class is not a requirement but rather something you opt into. I think somethink like 800 of the kids out of 2000 sign up for it so it is pretty popular. No one is forcing anyone to buy a laptop. You also have to keep your grades up. I have noticed all his laptop classes are honors classes too so that is great. For me it wasn't a thought of if he would do it or not. It was a simple of course. I can't imagine turning down something so great. The high school doesnt offer it though so one step forward two steps back. I would even let my elementary kids do it if that was offered. We are very technology driven in my house though and have 3 laptops and 3 desktops for 5 people and looking to add another desktop.

 

[robertsmom]

We just moved to a suburb of Dallas. The cable installers came and hooked up our cable yesterday. They noticed that my 3 yr old had her own computer, and they both commented that I would be needing to buy her a laptop within a couple of years. I asked them why, and they said that by second grade, all kids in this area take their laptops to school with them. They said that they are allowed to turn in all of their homework via their laptop. Both installers had young children, and commented that EVERY child in their children's grades had their own laptop.

I am a little stunned! I'm not against dd having a laptop (I'll have to get her a light one), but I am shocked....I didn't know schools were doing this.

Does anyone else have experience with this?



Beca

I have never heard of this. I, too, live in a suburb of Dallas and elementary children here do NOT take laptops to school. It would not be allowed even if they wanted to. Starting in junior high, children are issued laptops by the school.

 

[DVC-Don]

Friend of mine lives near Richmond, VA and his school district issues laptops to middle and high schoolers.

 

[Talking Hands]

I have seen a few a students in the elementary grades using laptops in school. They have all been children with special needs that could not write easily and it is an accommodation for their disability. I do have a few high school students that bring laptops and they are all in classes like computer assisted design and computer repair. I sub at a vocational school.
It is not required but a personal choice.

 

[CapitanCook]

Speaking of laptops in high schools, we are trying to help Tony's kid in this thread. Join the effort.