Kids & Electronics rant

[2girlsmom]

My son does learn those skills (sitting properly at a table)...every day at home. As far as rewards/consequences...yes, that works great for our NT ("nuerologically typical" or "normal") kids (we have 5 kids). We also do teach a bit when out to eat. As I said, he is expected to stop playing his game and look up at the waiter when he orders. He is expected to stop playing if someone is speaking to him and he is expected to stop playing once his meal arrives. As for the rest of the time...try going into a place that makes you a uncomfortable: put on some strob lighting, blast a stereo, have people all over, a TV on, fill the room with overwhelming smells, etc and try to sit and carry on a polite conversation. That might give you some idea of the sensory overload an ASD kid feels. Right now the DS helps him cope. As for looking down the road, he will always have a spectrum disorder. As he gets older, he will learn new/better coping skills (he already has).

Jess

I agree with this, with my dd, she DOES learn it at home, as well as in places without lengthy periods of inactivity, but it is a fact that she CAN NOT sit still for extended periods. It isn't that she doesn't want to or gets bored, she is physically not capable of doing it. When she was younger this was true of anything over 5 minutes, now she has learned to cope with periods up to about 1/2 hour. It is a growing and learning process.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Actually I saw a segment on the Today show a few months back about how the younger generations are now becoming more socially awkward and if they do not have anything in their hands like an ipod or cell phone,they get anxiety and cannot seem to carry on normal conversations. They lakc in eye contact and normal responses in conversations. They said that the upcoming generation is lacking in normal social skills and having a lot of trouble with interviewing. It is sort aof a "wait and see" to see how it pans out.

I have a friend who has a son with some special needs (mild autism). He gets therapy for communication skills. The therapist told my friend that a lot of his new clients are high school and college students who are coming in to learn basic communication skills for interviews. These kids do not have special needs. They just no longer know how to communicate well face-to-face because they are too hooked on electronics and spend more time interacting with a screen than they do interacting with a person in regular conversation. It's sad.

 

[mumom95]

I stopped using cursive in middle school. I can print really fast.

I haven't written cursive since I was junior high age either. Honestly, other than learning to sign your name, I think it's pointless. In today's world teaching kids to type will be much more useful.

Our elementary teaches cursive in the 2nd grade. I would like to see them stop teaching cursive and use that time to teach Power Point.

 

[turkeymama]

I haven't written cursive since I was junior high age either. Honestly, other than learning to sign your name, I think it's pointless. In today's world teaching kids to type will be much more useful.

Our elementary teaches cursive in the 2nd grade. I would like to see them stop teaching cursive and use that time to teach Power Point.

See, I'm torn on this one. In many of my college classes, laptops and recorders aren't allowed, so students have to take written notes. Personally, I can write in cursive much quicker than I can print. Of course, if I never learned how to write in cursive, then I wouldn't know the difference.

Both of my kids have had instruction time on computers every year so far (DD is in 3rd and DS is in K). I wish they would take the time to give them some keyboarding lessons while they're in there.

 

[FireDancer]

Both of my kids have had instruction time on computers every year so far (DD is in 3rd and DS is in K). I wish they would take the time to give them some keyboarding lessons while they're in there.

They aren't?!?! I was in 4th grade in 1988 and that is the year our school got computers. We had computer class and part of it was typing proficiency. If we couldn't type at a minimum rate without looking at the keys we failed just like we would if we couldn't add two numbers.

Technology is always advancing and there is no reason not to use the tools available to us in life and in education. I think schools should switch over to devices like the Kindle and there should be a lot more Internet based work because once the kids are out in the real world they will have to know how to use the tools to do the job. I don't think the purpose of this thread was whether or not technology is ruining things. It is about the proper time and place to use said technology.

As I said earlier I am the biggest pro technology person you will ever meet. I work in the field and am always connected. That doesn't mean that I sit at the dinner table and play video games, text message, take calls, or listen to music. It isn't about the technology but the proper interaction with those around us. If we are sitting face to face we should interact face to face. I won't be at a table with someone and whip out one of my many gadgets, even if I am bored by their conversation.

Technology does make it easier to colaborate remotely and that is a good thing. When we are right in front of each other that is the time to interact without the gadgets.

As far as being in a store or any other public place on a phone that is just fine with me. If I a walking around a store I may be on the phone, especially if I am there alone. When I get to the counter though I am courteous enough to get off the phone because it is rude to be there interacting with a person (even a lowly cashier**) and have the phone stuck up to your ear.






** Please note the lowly cashier reference is merely a use of sarcasm and not a value judgment on people who are cashiers. This is something that is apparently needed because along with technology ruining writing it has apparently made many people incapable of understanding sarcasm.

 

[mumom95]

See, I'm torn on this one. In many of my college classes, laptops and recorders aren't allowed, so students have to take written notes. Personally, I can write in cursive much quicker than I can print. Of course, if I never learned how to write in cursive, then I wouldn't know the difference.

Both of my kids have had instruction time on computers every year so far (DD is in 3rd and DS is in K). I wish they would take the time to give them some keyboarding lessons while they're in there.

But by the time elementary kids today reach college, I think it will be rare to find a class that doesn't allow laptops. A few of the private high schools here in Cincinnati have even gone to all computer/no paper schools. The kids take/get everything electronically.

Some kids prior to 4th grade just don't have the fine motor skills needed to type. But I would love to see keyboarding introduced by the 4th grade and continued for the next couple of years.

I'm not anti-cursive. I just feel in today's world that time could be spent on things that will be more useful to students. That being said, both of my kids enjoyed learning cursive in the 2nd grade. They said it made them feel more grown up.

 

[dismom2]

I always write in cursive, and find it much faster than printing. I think my printing is sloppy and ugly--just one more reason why I prefer cursive.

I don't think they should elimiate teaching cursive. Don't kids need to learn this so they can sign their names on things.....like checks and legal paperwork?

Back to the OP: I think Firedancer's last post said it well.