Dear APS Superintendent & School Board Members
Ensure the Basics for our Youngest Learners
As a family with APS students ages 5-14, or parent/s whose child/ren have been impacted by the 1:1 program, we ask that APS offer parents a choice to place their children on a 'Low-Screen Instructional Track' for all core subjects. This Low Screen Track can be implemented come January of 2019...a good resolution for the new year!
Our children's education has been shortchanged. It is ironic that APS advocates what it calls “personalized learning,” with iPads as a primary tool to deliver this so-called “vision,” which is anything but "personal" and in reality is not teaching kids basic communication skills or providing holistic measures of success. APS must instead deliver a new focus on handwriting (cursive), language arts, meaningful testing (not the majority being multiple choice) and the promise of developmentally appropriate digital learning (keyboarding with actual keyboards).
An example of where this type of learning tool has fallen short: APS delivered iPads four years ago with no keyboards, and no accompanying typing or digital learning curriculum. 5th graders are expected to type essays on iPads leaving children and teachers frustrated. APS and elementary school enrichment programs are SELLING typing classes on Saturdays through the Career Center and after school programs. Teachers are asking parents to provide keyboards, or PTA's buy them. This all adds up to a program that launched without a true plan of implementation, or a vision to compensate for basic skills that may have been lost with the transition, not to mention the added expense, time and resources that are required to support this high tech environment.
Where has all the writing gone?
APS promises mastery of cursive handwriting in third grade in the Program of Studies and has not delivered consistently, leaving many children all the way through high school not able to write or even read cursive. Cursive or printing has been shown to help students retain information (note taking), improve reading fluency and improve fine motor skills. Parents need to ensure our kids have the needed skills to live in a non-multiple choice world.
How much have we lost as we try to leap ahead?
What skills are lost by replacing authentic experiences with screens? Most kids are coming into APS with substantial "screen" experience and need not be taught how to use them. Teachers are seeing the lack of "soft skills" required to be successful including: resolving peer conflicts, attending to a non-multimedia lesson, sustaining tasks and good motor skills. PT professionals report floppy muscle tone, weak core strength, lack of wrist strength needed to write, underdeveloped sensory integration and vision issues.
Research and legislation are addressing devices being correlated with serious health problems and developmental and cognitive delays. Myopia, sleeplessness, anxiety, internet addiction, and attention issues are a few of the associated risks that we need to be concerned about.
As a parent of a student age(s) 5-14 or parent of an upcoming APS student, we want Low-Screen Instruction for our elementary and middle school learners while encouraging a love of learning and curiosity. This track would include less multiple choice testing, daily reinforcement of handwriting and writing throughout their subjects, and meaningful developmentally appropriate digital learning.
In the name of "personalized learning" we ask you let parents choose the communication and test taking path our Elementary and Middle School students will take. APS has experimented long enough on the youngest learners the past few years chasing a vision of "personalized learning" through an increased reliance on technological solutions - transparency and accountability must be provided to the community as we have been asking (https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/1-1InitiativeCommunityMeetingFeedback-1.pdf for years with little/no response - help us ensure a solid foundation of the basics for our youngest learners.
Thank you
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