Pet Peeve

I L.O.V.E technology! Everyone I know knows that about me. However, I have a little gripe.

My daughter's teachers have been assigning more and more computer based assignments - blog responses, online quizzes, online reviews, online book reports, online study programs - all of which have due dates; therefore, they are required.

Every week I check my daughter's assignments, and I find some teacher has assigned one more. I recently was unplugged due to connectivity issues and a dead computer. How then is a child who doesn't have a computer supposed to complete these assignments? There are computers at school, but a student has to stay after or come before school to get this done. My daughter rides a bus to school out of necessity. She does not arrive much before school starts and also has after school committments, so she can't go to the computer lab.

As a teacher, I work really hard to provide my students with in-class time to access computers rather than require their parents to provide computer time. If the assignment is that important, then I need to give students the necessary resources.

I find it ridiculous the requirements my daughter's teachers are placing on her. Who is the teacher? Me? The internet? If we could learn everything from the internet, what would we need teachers for.

Comments

Julie Tucker-Wolek said…
amen!!!! i totally hate that adam has "internet" based assignments!!!! I live in a poorer (mostly non-english speaking...) neighborhood and most of the families don't have internet (or cars to take them to a library that does have it available....) and with adam's adhd.... i have had the WORST time trying to teach him how to use a computer the right way.... (shut down, open a new window......etc)....anywho....thanks for posting this.... u rock! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
January 9, 2010 at 5:04 PM
miruspeg said…
I absolutely agree with this peeve!!
The teachers have not taken into consideration the difficulty kids have who do not have access to home computers.
And you are right, are the teachers trying to do themselves out of a job by resourcing the internet so much.

Peeve on Annemarie, there must be many other teachers like yourself out there who are able to think outside the square!

OH and thankyou for your kind thoughts on my 'calling all angels' post....you are a treasure.

Hugs
Peggy xxxx
January 9, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Roban said…
I agree! I wish my students could use computers more for "some" of their projects, but many of them don't have Internet access at home or ink to print with. I keep that in mind and NEVER give assignments that require computer use at home. More than half of mine probably wouldn't have access (although many don't like to admit it).
January 9, 2010 at 11:05 PM
Anonymous said…
It's no different in Europe... I totally agree with you AnneMarie!
January 11, 2010 at 1:49 PM
Anonymous said…
Dear Annemarie.
You are so right about it.
Modern technology is great but somethimes scary.

I still want to say ( maybe a bit late ) but have a great and healthy 2010. I want to thank you for all your sweet comment at my blog. I hope you keepon doing taht because a love all your comment.

Hugs,
Annemarie
January 12, 2010 at 11:51 AM
Debbie said…
I could not agree with you more. I don't like the computer assignments or the group projects. Both of them seem to cause more anguish for the parent than they do teach.
January 16, 2010 at 3:23 PM
MJ said…
I know with university courses, having online assignments permits the computer to mark the assignment.

Call me old fashioned, but the focus of education should be the 3 Rs.

Now that you've griped, I feel able to gripe about my little Gr 1 (K) who has 20 - 30 minutes of French Immersion reading homework every evening except weekends. It is certainly teaching both of us discipline!
January 17, 2010 at 7:29 PM
MrsPeel said…
dito.

there is also the fact that kids these days dont read, and I blame the net for that.
Sarita has a lot of work done in the computer, but her concentration is only half way, because at home there is nothing to stop her going into FB or Twitter or what have you if she wants, whilst she does homework...
bad educational systems are what bring the caos in this world of ours :(

Huggzzzz
January 27, 2010 at 7:04 PM
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