Byod?

There will always be kids who have and kids who don't.
If a pencil and paper will work, a tablet is not necessary. That said, my daughter preferred to take notes on her iPad. Her school had a BYOD policy. Did she need a tablet? No. Was she one of a few who had them? Yes.
The kids had the same opportunity -- to take notes or not.

This is not the only problem faced by students of less affluent families. They suffer a host of inequalities, which is one of the reasons that statistically, people from a lower socioeconomic background rarely move up the socioeconomic ladder.

I observed the open house of a fancy private school the other day, wherein students are given their own laptops, and there are ten or less students per class.

Contrast that with thirty to forty plus students in a classroom, who often don't even have writing utensils. The lack of opportunities for these kids begins in infancy and preschool, and compounds as they fall farther and farther behind.

Kids started wearing uniforms here so they all look alike - cuts down on bullying and teasing. Same with free lunches - you can't tell a kid who is getting free lunch from those whose parents send in money to pay for lunch. Again, cuts down on bullying, teasing and making a child feel "less than." If they start this BYOD thing, it's going to put the less advantaged kids right back in the arena for bullying and feeling self-conscious because they don't have and can't get what the other kids are using.

IMHO, if the school is promoting it, they should supply "devices" to those that don't have one.

I suppose that is one way of looking at it, another would be if no devices are allowed how does that change her child's learning? She is still learning the same, the difference is the other kids who could afford a device are now drug down to her level.

Perhaps it is just me but I am getting rather tired of the equality of dragging others down. Sure they are then equal but nothing has been gained and a lot has been lost.

Okay also getting kind of tired of everyone thinking it is the schools responsibility to provide everything. What if a mechanical pencil makes it easier but your sister can only afford old school regular pencils, should the school supply mechanical pencils to her daughter because the other kids can afford them and it makes it easier? Should the students with mechanical pencils have to share?

I know it looks silly to use pencils but the principle is the same, the devices make it easier, they don't change what is being learned. So your niece has to take notes on paper, she cannot google, she has to look things up in the textbook, that isn't changing her education.

When I was in school, overhead projectors and reel-to-reel movie projectors were high tech.
But even then, there were students who had encyclopedias at home. My family didn't. I had to get my mom to drive me to the library for research projects and take notes there, since reference materials couldn't be checked out. Not having my own home refernce library didn't put me at a disadvantage.
When I was in college, laptops were just becoming a thing. I couldn't afford one. I also couldn't afford a home internet connection. I took myself to the library and did my research there. It didn't put me at a disadvantage to those who could google at home.

Depends on what they are using it for really. As a note taking tool? Sure, why not? I don't really see that it is hindering a child without the device in any way. Now, if the teacher suddenly changes the pace at which she conducts the class so that ONLY the kids with devices can keep up with the note taking aspect, then that would be an issue. But otherwise, I don't see it as any different than one kid coming to school with a nice organizer binder and a kid coming with a plain spiral bound notebook to take notes in.

Should the school provide every student with a binder, so that it is "fair"? No. I don't think they should. If the class is set up so that ONLY students with a binder can succeed in it, then that would be an issue worth addressing.

But because a student with means can do things more easily (which doesn't mean that other kids have to work extra hard-- in other words, if nobody brought tablets or devices, ALL the kids would be working that hard, so it isn't adding to the student's work load in any way) doesn't mean that the public at large should be required to provide those niceties to everyone.

Running track in "good" shoes is probably an advantage over running track in "cheap" shoes. But it doesn't keep either kid from running. One kid being faster doesn't make the other kid slower.

So... if a kid's family can't afford a backpack, should no one be allowed to bring a backpack unless all kids are provided one by the public funds?

Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think it is a good idea for kids to bring a lot of devices into school. But, I also would LOVE for my son to be able to take a picture of his assignment rubrics on his phone, so that when (not if, but when) that page is lost or torn up in the bottom of his backpack, he still can see what he has to do for the assignment. He'll have that ability outside of school. Why not in school? But, alas, their school does not allow them to have their technology out in class, or it is confiscated.

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I would also add that there is a difference that often goes unrecognized between equal opportunity and equality. NOTHING is ever going to be equal. Ever. Even within a single household and the siblings in the family. One kid will be older/younger. One kid will be a girl/boy. One kid will have a faster/slower metabolism. One kid will sleep better. One kid might be more prone to illnesses and miss school. And on and on and on. Equal opportunity is not the same as equal outcome, either.

My first thought is the reason I am good at math is I had several teachers along the way who would not allow us to use calculators. You had to do the math by hand. So by taking the technology out of the equation, I was forced to think and comprehend. I really had to grasp what the heck I was doing and as a result it made me better at math. I learned such a valuable lesson I did a similar thing at college and I still do at work. To slow myself down I put the technology aside. I write long hand and/or do the math the long way. It's amazing what happens when your brain and hands work in unison.

My second thought is I was the kid who was low man on the totem pole through almost all of my schooling. It's a tough row to ask a child to hoe. I wore my brother's worn out tennis shoes, his hand me down clothes, carried my school supplies in a plastic grocery bag, used old pens/pencils/crayons and had no binders or notebooks and on and on. We had no money for food so I learned to ask teachers with supply closets if I could do my homework in their closets. That way I could be out of view while everyone else ate. It sucked and made me want to quit more times than I can count. I was able to pull myself up by my bootstraps but I know plenty who didn't or couldn't. Now I don't think it is the world's responsibility to provide pencils or backpacks or tennis shoes or or or. But as a society we should understand the consequences of inequality. We need to fully comprehend the burdens we are putting on the youngest members of our society when inequalities exist. As adults we can rationalize the haves and have nots debate all we like but at the end of the day my heart goes out to the children who have to sit in those classrooms where the supplies aren't provided by the schools. I know firsthand just how much those experiences will pierce those children to their core and I say shame on us as communities for not finding a more equal solution.

I'm with the others and just see this as the newest thing needed for school. Lots of school have requirements for the $199 calculator. You can get a lptop for that now. So really, it's just part of the world. I think it's good to let parents know ahead of time that this cost is coming, but I don't really have a huge problem with it.

I'm willing to bet there are resources to help families in need as well.

I don't like it. Our school allows the kids to bring devices, but only on Fridays and only for use during their free "fun friday" time if they have earned it by the class staying on track all week. I actually think I would talk to the school about this. Unless they can provide some kind of devices for the students who don't have them (even computers would be fine) to level the playing field then it is not fair to the poorer students to be punished or for the richer students to have the hand up on grades.

Some schools are now using iPads to put their text books on and they loan one out to each student, offering the parent the option to buy insurance. I think this is a great program because it allows all the students to learn new tech without the up front expense many families can not afford.

Society has always had and always will have the 'haves' and the 'have nots'.
No school policy will ever change that or create an equal platform for every student.

My best advice is that kids/families who do not have these devices, and who want them, get extra income earning jobs,like babysitting, lawn mowing, save up and buy a used one. Since so many kids will undoubtedly have access to new electronic devices, it won't be long before kids can ask for hand me downs, find them used on Craigslist, ask to receive them as birthday / holiday gifts.

The devices are not that expensive that a family couldn't save up for a used one. There are plenty of cheap used games and free apps on the market.

ETA: I recommend that the families / schools look for a solution to providing electronic toys to all kids, either through teacher letters home to parents who might have extras, to fundraising, to asking the PTA, etc.

ETA: to MyMission....I don't see how you can call my post out as a 'let them eat cake' attitude. My husband and I have personally provided numerous computers / laptops / cellphones / ipods / ipads / xbos / wii computer games to close family and friends for many, many years. We are the 'go to' community and family member who enjoy supporting public schools and providing to the less fortunate. One year we gave $10K to our kids elementary school to purchase the remaining Smart Boards for the younger grades. This year we paid for the entire Christmas Dinner for our cities homeless population. I of all people do not have a track record of such a stated attitude. I do have a track record of providing for the less fortunate. But we cannot provide electronic devices to an entire school / nation. Progress will always be paid for buy those with means, making the technology affordable to those with less.

I don't see any difference in this and 40 years ago when we were told to buy calculators for math class. I'm sire there were families who couldn't afford them either.
Even the kids that HAVE the device might not even bring them every day and from what I've seen & heard, kids are pretty open to sharing. The teacher usually has O. as well.
It's the wave of the future -- start planning now!

I just skimmed thru the other answers, but it seems everyone is reading too much into this. Both my kids have byod policies. They are allowed to use them (educational games/apps only) when they are done with assignments or to help with in class assignments. There are also computers and a couple of tablets available for kids without devices. You don't HAVE to have one to get the work done, the kids just like to use them. My kids have ipods. Sometimes they take them, sometimes not. My 11 yo seems to be perpetually grounded from his, so even though he has one he can't take it much. No big deal, he uses the computer or pen/paper/books. The policy was introduced at my 10 yo's school to actually free up the in class devices for kids who don't have their own: 22 kids, 4 computers/tablets vs 22 kids, 4 computers/tablets, 15 personal devices. As you can see, bringing the personal devices means there is more time for the kids without them to use the school's resources. It has really been a non-issue around here. BTW, we are upper middle class but only about 1/2 of the kids have some type of device they are allowed to bring to school.

Our school district is now providing IPADs to students in certain grades (gradually adding in more grades each year so eventually each student will have access to this program). My son is a freshman and we can rent one from the school for $40 a year and he gets to keep it over the summer and until he graduates if we choose. (I believe they also offered some assistance for those that could not afford to rent)

Prior to this they had the BYOD policy, but if you did not have a device there were computers/laptops available in the classroom.

Having the Ipad has made some assignments much easier. Just last week he had to turn in an assignment created in Movie Maker. The teachers computer couldn't access his for some reason. He was able to login to his You Tube account on the Ipad and show it that way. There are definitely benefits, but he also plays a lot of games on the device. The school only allows certain content on these and if you rent they are insured for loss or damage.

Personally, I'm a big believer in pencil and paper work. I think that,while devices are handy, they can keep kids from learning how to do the basics on their own.

It would be difficult to say more without knowing the subject your niece is taking which allows this use of devices. Math? The kids need to do this work on their own-- and to know how to do it on their own-- without a calculator. If they need to double-check their work,you work the answer backward through the problem. If it was a question of composition? It might be reasonable for the teacher to ensure that kids without devices might use the computers in the computer lab or media center (what we used to call the library) during that class time.

In regard to education equality-- that's a hard one for me. I could bemoan a situation like this in my son's school, where some kids families do have enough money for their kids to have a device to take to school. But there's a bigger picture out there, where kids are taking courses with 40 other kids, or not getting more than 15 mins of recess (daily) because the school's test scores are so low, or not getting 'specials' on a regular basis, like art and music. Some kids don't have a neighborhood school and have to bus more than a half-hour away. So, no, schools are NOT offering the same opportunities to everyone. That's an unfortunate reality of the world we live in, where the federal funding is hinged to test scores and many families have both parents working full time, so many latchkey kids don't get any help on their homework. (I was one of these kids, btw. It was extremely difficult when it came to subjects I was baffled on along with higher student numbers in the classroom.)

We are fortunate enough to live near a fairly affluent neighborhood; our school is one which does a lot of fundraising for our own school, and a good percentage of those funds go into the district 'pot', as it were. While our school is still tapping parents to donate funds (and items for an annual auction), I feel that we donate what we can and then have to let the chips fall where they may. (I should add that we are fortunate enough for me to be a SAHM and so I spend a lot of time volunteering at the school to offset what we can't donate financially. But for parents who have to show up for their jobs each day or they might lose pay or get fired-- I completely 'get' why they aren't able to do this. They have their own children to feed.) This is a problem parents alone cannot rectify. NCLB created a great opportunity for privatization of education and sucked the dollars out of the public school system. Because of this, some parents are taking on the responsibility of educating their children themselves, because what they have to offer their child is better than what the public sector can provide. Even with vouchers, not every child can afford to go to private schools nor can they all lottery into those schools. It's a sad state of affairs, technological inequality is one of the 'tip of the iceberg' indicators that something deeper needs to change.

ETA: something which I think bears mentioning-- It is incredibly important for us, as parents, NOT to give our kids something to moan about. Personally, if it were my kid needing some device for a class which was VITAL for him to succeed-- I would move heaven and earth to get it, even if it meant not taking a vacation or selling some of our other belongings or taking on babysitting for a while to save that money. We as parents have to teach our own kids not to focus on fair/unfair and, instead, to teach them how they CAN do things. There are work-arounds to most problems; they aren't easy or convenient and sometimes, they really go unrewarded. (For example, I wasn't able to go to college and had a lot of hindrances to this when I was younger, so when I decided to pursue early childhood ed, I read every book I could get my hands on, went to the workshops my county offered, shadowed teachers I admired-- I don't get a piece of paper which says I earned a degree for this work. It is for ME and my own edification.) We have to remember that when our kids don't 'have', it's important not to point out the disparity or complain about it, but to point them in the right direction so that they can achieve their goals. That is of far more value, in my opinion.

Around here the only requirements are for the calculators that run upwards of $150. Believe me, for those who have one, they hold onto them like gold because in the high school (grades 9-10), your calculater could quickly "get legs". Not so much in Senior high (grades 11-12)

Laptops were never a specified "requirement" through 10th grade but it was encouraged. If a student did not have access to a computer at home, they did have access to the computers in the library and in the classrooms at school. Our daughter had a basic laptop from middle school through 10th grade that was used heavily for school presentations, projects and homework.

When entering Grade 11, it was a hardship if you did not have a laptop. At this level, we upgraded our daughter's laptop to one that will get her through college. She is in her Freshman year in college and she uses the laptop daily for homework, presentations and projects. FYI, she also uses that $150 calculator as well.

Our school system does what it can to help those who cannot afford any type of device by having a limited number of different devices located at the school. The public library is another option. We have in several instances allowed someone to use our daughter's old laptop so they can get work completed as needed. This happens when daughter has befriended someone and there is a level of trust in the friendship.

The school system and public library can only do so much. It is unfortunate that some students do not have access to devices they need and those are typically the same students who come from the lower income families which also have other hardships. I've seen many teens working at an early age to be able to get the things they need for themselves educationally.

I'm not a big fan of technology in the classroom personally... we are upper middle class, could certainly afford for our 3 kids to have iPads/laptops/etc., but we don't. our school doesn't have a byod policy, but if they did, my 3 would be "kicking it old school" as you put it...

Really, it's not something to get worked up about. First of all, how old is your niece? In our school district, BYOD is for the high school only. My two oldest are sophomores. My son bought himself an iPad this year and brings it to school. He takes his notes on it. Honestly I don't think it's all that useful and his grades certainly haven't improved over it.

My daughter doesn't bring a device. She has no desire or need to. She's in all honors classes and gets along just fine with paper and pens.

We have a BYOD policy at my office too, where some tablets can be hooked into some our systems so that people can integrate tasks, documents, e-mail etc. while they're in a meeting without lugging a laptop and cord and having to find a data outlet to plug into. Very few people use it. It's just not that big a deal.

I think that BYOD policies for younger students are pointless and I would push back on a school that allowed for it. Elementary school students are far too young to be responsible for transporting and securing expensive devices like that and the risk for abusive or distracting use is just too high. There is no way I would let my younger kids bring an iPad or tablet or laptop to school.

I am in the if it is required then it should be provided if unaffordable camp. For instance, if a Keynote presentation is a requirement for the course then all students need to have readily available access to that software within the school (it shouldn't be assumed that access within the community will be available, such as at a library). If a teacher indicates that he will only be using an eBook and three specific apps to teach the class and everyone in the class is going to be required to have a tablet, then obviously a tablet needs to be provided just as a text book is normally provided.

If, on the other hand, it is purely optional for note taking and whatnot then there is no need to provide it at the school's expense.

In my local school district if a tablet/laptop were a required school supply then there would be funding available to provide said device to low income students just as other school supplies are provided to those who do not bring all the items on the list as requested. But it doesn't really apply here because the middle and high school students are provided with tablets and laptops and the elementary and preschool students have several iPads in each classroom which they share.

Is this a public or private school?

If the Devices are just for fun, I see no problem, If they are required, of course the school district should provide them, or the Private school should either require the parents to purchase them or rent them from the school.

This is like anything else that has come and gone through all of the years of teaching.

Yes the upper level math courses require the "Graphing Calculator," but the schools also have some that the students can check out. What really then costs money are the batteries. We donated tons of Batteries to the math dept at our daughter high school. We then donated her expensive calculator once we realized she would not need it in college.

Even to this day, the students turn in their essays etc.. Through their computers. Or with their printers, etc. with a thumb drive. If they do not own one at home, there are computers on campus that the students can use. Also all of our public Libraries have banks of computers around our city.

The kids need this practice because every University and College is going to assume you know how to use one. Heck our daughter used the online Books for college. Saved her a fortune.

In college you have to have a laptop. No other way around it.

Of course kids from lower income brackets don't have equal opportunity. This is a given, and it's one of the problems with a taxed based funding system for education. It's also a given because of other factors: prenatal care, education level of the mom, life opportunities --traveling, exposure to museums, etc.

But I've never heard of schools asking kids to bring devices to school without providing a cheap rental option. It troubles me that they aren't making it available by lease, or a discount bulk buy. I'd be speaking at a board meeting about this, for sure.

Not a question that I think has an absolute answer. I think the analogies of encyclopedia's and mechanical pencils are good ones. One point I would add is, as I look if the increasing bifurcation of classes in the US is forcing everyone to the lowest common denominator, I think the wealthy may pull their kids from public schools more than they already are. As a fortunate member of upper middle class, we can afford private and we may for our kids in the upper grades. Things like my kids not being able to BYOD bc some kids can't afford them would make me do so for sure and/or even sooner. And what's lost to our public school? We are big financial contributors right now. We can afford to give so we do while I know many families give nothing. As well, we have the time to volunteer. I see the children from the low income "bussed" crowd are the ones whose parents are never at school, never help with anything etc. They likely can't but if it wasn't for the upper income parents who can, our school would not offer NEARLY as much as it does. But I don't feel like carrying everyone forever or having my kids miss out on opportunities. So just a potential ramification if things are always "fair" and it keeps kids who could afford more from experiencing things. It may end up hurting the kids you're trying to protect...

IMO kids should have to work for their device. You didn't say how old your niece is, so I'm assuming she is in high school. Babysitting is an excellent way for kids to earn money. Tell her to get a job. The gratification of a kid buying something with their own money is worth it and they tend to take care of it better anyway.

I grew up extremely poor. In fact I lived in a form of foster care from 7th grade till high school. Anything that I wanted had to be purchased by me. I cleaned houses & I babysat and worked all school year and summers. It made me smart with money and I took care of everything I bought because I had skin in the game. There is no shame in working hard and there is no job beneath me.

Every kid needs to learn how to use current technology. Many high schools have core required computer classes that teach some really hard computer skills. If kids walk into a class like that without any experience, it's a killer class. Ten years from now we as parents won't recognize high school, quite frankly. How my 12th grader actually turns in his homework is beyond me. I don't even know how to check to see that he's done it...

All your criticism (and yeah, you are criticizing) is not going to slow the technological movement. Instead, manage your children's use at home and make sure that you know what they are doing. Have good kids' controls on your computer and keep it in the family room where everyone can see. Don't have TV's or computers in their bedrooms. Really hone in with your children what your tech rules are and the school's rules. Explain that not everyone will obey the rules, but that's no excuse for doing what they aren't allowed to do, just because another kid does it.

As far as socio-economics is concerned, that is why they urge kids to share with a kid who doesn't have one. Eventually, most schools will have iPads for each child because it will be built into the budget. No, it isn't going to be that way across the board for a long time. But eventually it will come. As technology gets cheaper and businesses need even high school grads to be skilled, the tech will filter into less affluent schools.

Our school division provided all middle school students with iPads this year. Elementary students are provided iPads for the classroom (1 for every four students to share) and high school students are allowed to use their own devices. This works well, because even if the high school student isn't from a well off household the student is able to get a job and buy their own device, a device that they will likely need regardless.

Yes, there will always be the haves and the have nots, but I see a "let them eat cake" attitude that doesn't address the problem.

There are kids that are very poor. The government steps in and provides things for the whole school, sometimes.

The upper incomes will always be able to buy things.

Then there is the middle to lower middle income who struggle with the extras.

Maybe there could be some kind of PTA fundraiser for that kind of tech. Or a community website where people could donate their old tech to benefit the students at school. Maybe instead of huge, ugly mums at homecoming, they donate the money for that for tech. Maybe the fund pays half and the student half.

I think that if the school is encouraging the use of these things, then they should be providing them for the students. That is what happens at the school my kids go to.

My kids schools (elementary and jr high) prohibit personal devices in class. Some of the classes do use devices, but they are provided by the school.

Starting in 9th grade, any child that wants/needs one is provided a laptop. It can be taken home, but it belongs to the school.

The devices were acquired via private grants and/or fundraising, not through tax money.

IF the school's curriculum/assignments/homework/projects are tech based and requires a certain platform to do it (ie: an iPad, or Mac computer w/Mac software, etc.) and this is the only way, to complete the school's class work and homework... then, that means, the kids who are using paper and pencil, will not be able to do, the school work, as it is formatted and assigned.
And that is then a contradiction, in curriculum and in the school's current mode of teaching.

Hi, MOM:

Sorry to tell you this, but this is the way our government has become.
Forcing people to have equal things versus equal rights.
You are being forced into the collective mindset, not exercising your unalienable rights.
Please educate yourself and others about how to take back our government. check the web: www.TNCSG.org
Get involved with your school board meetings.
Get involved with the Common Core group up there where you live.
Our country is sliding towards the collective and the media is not interested in self-government.

Good luck.
D.

Join the PTA and see where the other are with this. I'd be on your side. No need for this technological push.

My brother just had his first and I urged him To buy an IOS device. I'm very glad that I have some and my kids are acustomed to it.
Now that I read your post-I'm very glad the kids school doesn't have a BYOD policy (mine are all in elementary). Yikes!
My kids have friends that have their own devices and my kids asked for them for Christmas. No way. Ours are shared bc my kids are still at the age where screen time needs to be limited.
If they were in HS and needed it-or would benefit from it, I would make it happen.

My son is in middle school (6th Grade) and they can BYOD on certain days. The teacher will let the parents know in advance these days and the kids can BYOD. If they don't have their own device they can partner with another student. Or the teacher will teach two ways, one to the BYOD and another for an un-byod. They had such a day yesterday and he said all the kids had devices. But to be honest, my son brought my phone in to school with him. He has a regular phone that he's had since he was 8 since we don't have a home phone. According to him most kids have smart phones. I don't see the need for him to have his own yet when he's able to take mine or my husbands and I don't really want him taking the family IPad to school. Technology is the future. We need to teach the kids how to use it. The school does ask in the beginning of school what devices the kids have access to at home and fortunately we have all they asked about. I didn't have my own computer in college in the early 90's so I had to use the computer lab like some other students. Many of my friends had their own computers in their dorm rooms I didn't. I still was able to learn. My son has not one textbook everything is online. If they can't study at home online than they can use the school computers or library computers. A lot of homework and assignments are done on the device and then e-mailed to the teacher or uploaded to their website. There will always be a way if you want it. It's up to each child to do that. Unfortunately, some of the kids in school with devices don't use them for what they are intended. And for what its worth we're lower middle class for where we live and my kid doesn't have as much as a lot of what the other kids have but there will always be have's and have not's. I

I say devices in the classroom only if the schools provide them. Several districts around here are issuing MACs on day one of HS. Great if done that way.

My kids had the option of BYOD previously and never did b/c it was at their own "risk". if anything happened to their iPads, they were out of luck. This year, the school issued iPad minis to every student 7-12th grades. They have to stay on school premises unless you pay the $40 insurance fee and then they can bring them home. The school had many options for paying the fee (it was not reduced for anyone). You could pay it in one shot, pay $5/month, pay half in September and January (you get the idea). Some of their text books are on their iPads and they have the software on them to do presentations, email assignments, look up assignments, download them, etc. They still have notebooks and some of their textbooks.
Its been a learning curve for everyone. They are in 12th & 10th grades. They've had to learn new programs, how to transfer photos from one device to another and they've had to earn privileges. Junior high students lost the "app store" and all games. They could earn it back by getting on the Honor Roll.
It's been a great tool IMO, but it doesn't solely replace paper and pen.