# Middle school homework requires internet access. Uh, 'scuse me?



## Sugar Plum (Sep 4, 2013)

How in the world do these teachers think they can give the students homework assignments that require internet access at home? 

What if the kid doesn't have internet access, what if there _is_ access, but they don't have a device to use?? And, how can they expect the kid to make up a fictional FaceBook page (on paper) of some old dude, if the kid has never _seen_ a FaceBook page- because the kid doesn't have access to the internet- BECAUSE THE KID DOESN'T HAVE A DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS THE INTERNET!!!!! 

Jeez!! What the crap?! 

Ok, I get it. I mean, this _is_ the age of technology. Who _doesn't_ have a techie device, right? Even so, it doesn't justify having every homework assignment as something that requires the internet in order to complete it. 

My kid is only 11. She has not earned the right to have her own (insert high priced techie device here). I don't care if every other kid in class has one! Perhaps, that is the very reason those kids act the way they do, and get the poor grades they get. My kid is not entitled to a dern thing. She EARNS it. Every little thing she has, she has earned. 

And don't even get me started on the fact that none of the children have their own textbooks to bring home. A classroom set of books only?? Online textbooks to use at home?? If they absolutely _need_ an actual book to bring home, they have to stay after class at the end of the day to check it out. Are they serious?? What happens when they miss the bus home because they had to check out a book to use for homework? 

Sorry for the rant, y'all.....CLEARLY our school system has a problem.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 4, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> How in the world do these teachers think they can give the students homework assignments that require internet access at home?
> 
> What if the kid doesn't have internet access, what if there _is_ access, but they don't have a device to use?? And, how can they expect the kid to make up a fictional FaceBook page (on paper) of some old dude, if the kid has never _seen_ a FaceBook page- because the kid doesn't have access to the internet- BECAUSE THE KID DOESN'T HAVE A DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS THE INTERNET!!!!!
> 
> ...



My son went to online work two years ago in private school and we had to shell out a chunk for a laptop for that conversion. Now he is in public school and they gave them all IPads this summer and he HAS to have a connection to do most homework.

It is a reflection of the workplace, more than just the tech age we are in. If a kid is going to fit in a position of employment they better be more than competent on the keyboard. 

Same thing you will find when you start having to do all of the insane junk the government is now requiring of hospitals and nurses. Just when you think you're done with nursing school, as soon as you get placed with a hospital the first thing they'll do is send you for tech training on their particular software for reports, pharmaceuticals etc, etc, etc.


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## Jeff C. (Sep 4, 2013)

I remember going through that crap, but at least mine was in high school by then. It still ticked me off though.


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## hummdaddy (Sep 4, 2013)

looks like your going shopping


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## Sugar Plum (Sep 4, 2013)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> My son went to online work two years ago in private school and we had to shell out a chunk for a laptop for that conversion. Now he is in public school and they gave them all IPads this summer and he HAS to have a connection to do most homework.
> 
> It is a reflection of the workplace, more than just the tech age we are in. If a kid is going to fit in a position of employment they better be more than competent on the keyboard.
> 
> Same thing you will find when you start having to do all of the insane junk the government is now requiring of hospitals and nurses. Just when you think you're done with nursing school, as soon as you get placed with a hospital the first thing they'll do is send you for tech training on their particular software for reports, pharmaceuticals etc, etc, etc.




I can understand the need for getting them ready for it, but they've never sent home anything giving us a heads up, or asking us to purchase anything. It's just "hey, here's the homework. It requires the internet, again." 

I've given her my laptop to use for every assignment, so far, but they really need to formally address the issue if such a large percentage of work is going to be done like this. If I have to purchase a device, it may end up being a second hand desk-top. That's fine. I don't want them to keep assuming that every child has access to this stuff. 

Hayley told me that they all used school issued laptops for a large portion of the day. Great! I'm glad they have something to let the kids use. They weren't, however, given the time to complete even half of their assignment during the time they had access to the laptops. So, everything needs to be finished at home, using a specific website for school.

What if we didn't have any devices? Or internet access? I'd have to try and figure out how to tote all of the children to the local library, in order to finish the assignment. That's not very possible with two very young, VERY active toddlers. Especially since it's not very likely that I'll happen to have a few hundred dollars lying around for a computer.

Sorry....I'm totally ok with it. I just expect them to be professional about the issue and address it.


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## Hooked On Quack (Sep 4, 2013)

Miggie, "they" didn't give them all Ipads, "we" did, but I understand your point.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 4, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> I can understand the need for getting them ready for it, but they've never sent home anything giving us a heads up, or asking us to purchase anything. It's just "hey, here's the homework. It requires the internet, again."
> 
> I've given her my laptop to use for every assignment, so far, but they really need to formally address the issue if such a large percentage of work is going to be done like this. If I have to purchase a device, it may end up being a second hand desk-top. That's fine. I don't want them to keep assuming that every child has access to this stuff.
> 
> ...


If they didn't address this during the parent orientation meeting prior to school beginning I believe I'd be having a chat with someone, up close and personal. 

Oh, and get used to sites, such as iLearn, Infinite Campus, RenWeb and Moodle.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 4, 2013)

Hooked On Quack said:


> Miggie, "they" didn't give them all Ipads, "we" did, but I understand your point.


I can live with "we" much better than what I had to live with two years ago, when it was a ton per year for tuition, and "ME" providing the computer.  As much as I stir in the Political Forum you boys know all too well that I understand this provision in the process. In the public school situation "They" is a collective of all tax payers. In the private school situation "We" = Me myself and I. I like "they" much better so far, even if the system is dumbed down quite a bit from what he was used to.


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## Jeff C. (Sep 4, 2013)

Hooked On Quack said:


> Miggie, "they" didn't give them all Ipads, "we" did, but I understand your point.



There it is!!!


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## SarahFair (Sep 4, 2013)

All that junk started when I was in HS..
We had to have it done online by a certain date and time. If you didnt have access to internet, they had alternative paper assignments. 
I dont know if that is still true or not..


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## rjcruiser (Sep 4, 2013)

If you don't like the way the .gov does it, you have two options: Private or do it yourself.

Personally, I prefer either of the two other options.


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## Backlasher82 (Sep 4, 2013)

The public library is always an option.


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## Miguel Cervantes (Sep 4, 2013)

Backlasher82 said:


> The public library is always an option.


In a perfect world it is, if her area has one convenient to her house. Add in having to work, get home and cook dinner, do laundry, etc. etc. etc. and all of the sudden that perfect world runs out of time to run up to the library to give the child any kind of quality time to do her homework each and every night.


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## dawg2 (Sep 4, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> How in the world do these teachers think they can give the students homework assignments that require internet access at home?
> 
> What if the kid doesn't have internet access, what if there _is_ access, but they don't have a device to use?? And, how can they expect the kid to make up a fictional FaceBook page (on paper) of some old dude, if the kid has never _seen_ a FaceBook page- because the kid doesn't have access to the internet- BECAUSE THE KID DOESN'T HAVE A DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS THE INTERNET!!!!!
> 
> ...


My kids started having to do their homework online back in 2nd grade.


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## oops1 (Sep 4, 2013)

Backlasher82 said:


> The public library is always an option.



This is what we had to do back in the day.. I agree .. It should have been relayed as a requirement .


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## The Original Rooster (Sep 4, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> I can understand the need for getting them ready for it, but they've never sent home anything giving us a heads up, or asking us to purchase anything. It's just "hey, here's the homework. It requires the internet, again."
> 
> I've given her my laptop to use for every assignment, so far, but they really need to formally address the issue if such a large percentage of work is going to be done like this. If I have to purchase a device, it may end up being a second hand desk-top. That's fine. I don't want them to keep assuming that every child has access to this stuff.
> 
> ...



Sugar Plum, is this in the Monroe county school system?


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## PappyHoel (Sep 4, 2013)

Did I read that correctly?  Their homework assignment is to create a Facebook acct?


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## The Longhunter (Sep 4, 2013)

I work in two school systems, and the teachers are not allowed to assign work that requires internet access, unless they make provision during class for the kids to use the school's computers.

Most teachers allow internet work as an option.  They even have the kids turn in their homework on the computer via email.

You should address the issue with a district level administrator.

The classroom set of books is pretty common.  In fact I would say it is the norm.  No question that it is not as satisfactory as each student having their own book, but in this case, I have to take up for the school board.  No one wants to raise, or pay for, school taxes, and that's what buys the books.


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## mattech (Sep 4, 2013)

My wife said Monroe county distrubuted 300 ipads for all the schools and the students can check them out. The wife and I were talking about this same thing, she is on your side, and I am to, somewhat. I look at it as in todays world of everything computer based I want my kids very fluent with all forms of technology. My 7yo son has to fix settings on my droid phone, and I have a degree in electronics.


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## Backlasher82 (Sep 4, 2013)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> In a perfect world it is, if her area has one convenient to her house. Add in having to work, get home and cook dinner, do laundry, etc. etc. etc. and all of the sudden that perfect world runs out of time to run up to the library to give the child any kind of quality time to do her homework each and every night.



Don't get all wound up.

All I said was the library is an option. Just wanted to let her know she has other options, she can decide if it's one she can live with.


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## sinclair1 (Sep 4, 2013)

As a school tax payer without kids, I say fooey.


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## hummdaddy (Sep 4, 2013)

dawg2 said:


> My kids started having to do their homework online back in 2nd grade.



we gave our son our old desk top to start using, when he was 1 1/2 years old....his 3ds xl is internet compatible now that he is 5 1/2...he has home work every night in kindergarten,but it hasn't started online yet...lots of learning programs online for kids coming up...


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## jonkayak (Sep 4, 2013)

sinclair1 said:


> As a school tax payer without kids, I say fooey.



X2 

I personally have no problem with the school system billing the parents. It might make the well fare/food stamp lifers think twice before having a litter.


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## calibob1 (Sep 4, 2013)

If they can put Moby Dick or Gone with the Wind on a CD why not a school book?


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## Crickett (Sep 4, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> How in the world do these teachers think they can give the students homework assignments that require internet access at home?
> 
> What if the kid doesn't have internet access, what if there _is_ access, but they don't have a device to use?? And, how can they expect the kid to make up a fictional FaceBook page (on paper) of some old dude, if the kid has never _seen_ a FaceBook page- because the kid doesn't have access to the internet- BECAUSE THE KID DOESN'T HAVE A DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS THE INTERNET!!!!!
> 
> ...



A fake FB page??? 

They tried to enforce the handheld devices in my daughter's 5th grade class last year. Most of the kids in her class had iPads b/c their parents had bought them one for Christmas. My daughter has a Kindle Fire that she paid for with her allowance money. I refused to let her take it to school so that some other kid could steal it from her. The school stated they would not be held responsible for lost or stolen devices. 


My sister went thru the same thing a few years ago with her daughter. They didn't have internet or a computer. The school told her to use the public library. Yeah like that's convenient!


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## Da Possum (Sep 4, 2013)

Dear lawd


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## Sugar Plum (Sep 4, 2013)

SarahFair said:


> All that junk started when I was in HS..
> We had to have it done online by a certain date and time. If you didnt have access to internet, they had alternative paper assignments.
> I dont know if that is still true or not..



So far, there are no alternative paper assignments.



RoosterTodd said:


> Sugar Plum, is this in the Monroe county school system?



Yes, it is. The middle school to be specific. Could be just her teachers, I haven't spoken to too many other parents yet.



PappyHoel said:


> Did I read that correctly?  Their homework assignment is to create a Facebook acct?



A Facebook account, on paper. It's supposed to be the basic profile section, like the "about me" section. 



The Longhunter said:


> I work in two school systems, and the teachers are not allowed to assign work that requires internet access, unless they make provision during class for the kids to use the school's computers.
> 
> Most teachers allow internet work as an option.  They even have the kids turn in their homework on the computer via email.
> 
> ...



The no books for home is a first for us, and we've been in this county for a few years now. They've always had books of their own during the school year, until now.



mattech said:


> My wife said Monroe county distrubuted 300 ipads for all the schools and the students can check them out. The wife and I were talking about this same thing, she is on your side, and I am to, somewhat. I look at it as in todays world of everything computer based I want my kids very fluent with all forms of technology. My 7yo son has to fix settings on my droid phone, and I have a degree in electronics.



I haven't heard anything about them. Today was the first time I ever heard about laptops for use in the classroom. My daughter told me tonight, that the teacher told them to bring their devices in tomorrow, so they could do more online work.



Crickett said:


> A fake FB page???
> 
> They tried to enforce the handheld devices in my daughter's 5th grade class last year. Most of the kids in her class had iPads b/c their parents had bought them one for Christmas. My daughter has a Kindle Fire that she paid for with her allowance money. I refused to let her take it to school so that some other kid could steal it from her. The school stated they would not be held responsible for lost or stolen devices.
> 
> ...



I want them to explain the correlation between Elie Weisel and FaceBook. It's nuts. 

And the library is across town from us. Not totally out of the question, but like Miguel pointed out, there is supper and tending to two other children too. They are much to young to try to contain in the library while homework is being completed. And with no family in the state to babysit, it's not likely that we'll be able to get there.


And, just so we're clear, it's not the online homework I have a problem with, I'm okay with it. It's the lack of addressing the need to have something available for her to use all the time, to access the internet. It was just thrown at us. There has been no mention of renting/contracting a laptop/iPad or anything. The online assignments just started coming and coming. I don't mind her using the internet, I just don't agree with the way they've gone about it. It should have been presented before school started so families could plan on any extra expenses they might incur.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 4, 2013)

That ain't right!

That is loser teacher's!


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## oldfella1962 (Sep 4, 2013)

I don't like it either, but it's a fact of life. More and more schools and employers consider constant access to the internet mandatory.


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## Doc_5729 (Sep 4, 2013)

Nope, it's not the just the teachers, just the Middle schools and it sounds like Monroe County is behind the times. My 8 year old Grand daughter has been in "smart classrooms" since she started school and can probably navigate an iPad or PC better than most adults. (not to mention iPhones and Droids mattech)

No take home books, everything was digital. Assignments online, reports online, grades and progress online.

Like Miguel said, it's keeping up with the times and TRYING to catch up with the rest of the world. We are considered a very low rated third world country when it comes to education.

But we can thank the gooberment for the dumbing down that has occurred before the digital age began. Maybe, just maybe, we can regain our edge in the near future.


and FWIW, the majority of teachers have fought this too. It means many many hours of continuing education for them learning how to use the technology so they can teach it.


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## huntfish (Sep 6, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> And don't even get me started on the fact that none of the children have their own textbooks to bring home. A classroom set of books only?? Online textbooks to use at home?? If they absolutely _need_ an actual book to bring home, they have to stay after class at the end of the day to check it out. Are they serious?? What happens when they miss the bus home because they had to check out a book to use for homework?
> 
> Sorry for the rant, y'all.....CLEARLY our school system has a problem.



And make sure you check what they are learning.   Last year, I was looking over my son's test about the US Constitution.   I noticed correct answers marked wrong so I questioned the teacher about it.   He told me that my son's answers were not correct because it wasn't what he taught them in class.        Next stop was the principal's office who was just blanked face when I asked what was the correct way to teach the US Consitution;   What was actually written or someone's interpretation?   Needless to say, the grade was changed.

The teacher?   Now teaching in China on a US Grant.


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## Crickett (Sep 6, 2013)

huntfish said:


> And make sure you check what they are learning.   Last year, I was looking over my son's test about the US Constitution.   I noticed correct answers marked wrong so I questioned the teacher about it.   He told me that my son's answers were not correct because it wasn't what he taught them in class.        Next stop was the principal's office who was just blanked face when I asked what was the correct way to teach the US Consitution;   What was actually written or someone's interpretation?   Needless to say, the grade was changed.
> 
> The teacher?   Now teaching in China on a US Grant.



We are homeschooling this year but currently we are using the same curriculum that is being taught in public schools & when we got our materials in the mail I looked thru my son's 2nd grade history book & not one single unit is on US history everything is on foreign history. 
We are changing curriculums anyways due to the fact I do not like how much time is spent on the computer & how little time is spent hands on & in books. We were told only 20%-30% would be online so far EVERYTHING has been online.


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## humdandy (Sep 6, 2013)

Have you discussed this with the teacher?  It might be something they are mandated to do through their curriculum.

BTW, technology is being driven the corporations and $$$$$.

Federal government is spending a bunch of money on computers and placing them in the school, forcing teachers to use them in their classroom.


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## golffreak (Sep 6, 2013)

My daughter is in 6th grade this year and we had to purchase an IPad for her e books. It made my wallet and her backpack much lighter.

Gone are the days of 2-3" textbooks and a notebook for each of them.


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## hummdaddy (Sep 6, 2013)

gone are the days of the stone tablet,and in with the electronic tablets....


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## humdandy (Sep 6, 2013)

golffreak said:


> My daughter is in 6th grade this year and we had to purchase an IPad for her e books. It made my wallet and her backpack much lighter.
> 
> Gone are the days of 2-3" textbooks and a notebook for each of them.



A friend of mine is a co-author of a school book, he said in the near future all books will be on the ipad.  No more books for kids anymore.


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## Seth carter (Sep 6, 2013)

schools here in metter are like that we cant take books home cause people tear them up and most hw is online and if you dont have internet access your usauly told to deal with it


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## Seth carter (Sep 6, 2013)

and this is 11th grade people still tear the books up so we cant use them


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## Da Possum (Sep 6, 2013)

Hey!  It Quacks son!  How ya doin'?


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## . (Sep 6, 2013)

Seth carter said:


> schools here in metter are like that we cant take books home cause people tear them up and most hw is online and if you dont have internet access your usauly told to deal with it



They should at least let some of you take the grammar book home.


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## Da Possum (Sep 6, 2013)

iflyfish said:


> They should at least let some of you take the grammar book home.


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## Dub (Sep 6, 2013)

dawg2 said:


> My kids started having to do their homework online back in 2nd grade.





Yup.  Similar story here.  We did have a heads up on orientation night.


No complaints from me.  I want my son as prepared as possible for college.


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## sinclair1 (Sep 6, 2013)

Dub said:


> Yup.  Similar story here.  We did have a heads up on orientation night.
> 
> 
> No complaints from me.  I want my son as prepared as possible for college.



No doubt, my computer fixererupper is 12


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## Doc_5729 (Sep 7, 2013)

Dub said:


> Yup.  Similar story here.  We did have a heads up on orientation night.
> 
> 
> No complaints from me.  I want my son as prepared as possible for college.



 Dub, and I felt the same about my daughters. When it came to education, it was what ever they needed when they needed it.


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## . (Sep 7, 2013)

I've been looking at the Microsoft Surface for my kid to carry back and forth to school since they can bring their own devices.  Big price spread between the Surface RT and the Pro.  Anyone else looked at or have one of these?


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## shakey gizzard (Sep 7, 2013)

I never done no innerweb learn'n! Look ats me now! Tanks GON!


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## pnome (Sep 7, 2013)

I think kids should have (monitored) access to the internet and a capable device as soon as it can be afforded.   And I'm not against subsidies to poor folks to get their kids devices.

Yeah, sure, we didn't have that as kids and we got along just fine.  But you're not trying to prepare a child for your past, you're trying to prepare them for their future.  And unless the zombie apocalypse happens, their future is going to be connected to the internet.

Relevant and interesting:
http://www.dvice.com/archives/2012/10/ethiopian_kids.php


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## Sugar Plum (Sep 7, 2013)

Doc_5729 said:


> Dub, and I felt the same about my daughters. When it came to education, it was what ever they needed when they needed it.



We've already started looking for a desk top, clearly, she's going to need it. I do intend to talk with the teachers to find out why there was no discussion about this ahead of time. That was the true issue here. The assumption that everyone had the gadgets, so the homework was all assigned online.

Thanks for the debate folks.


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## Patriot44 (Sep 7, 2013)

I attended an Academy in the mid 90's that was all PC based.  DO IT.  All of your kids' friends will call him/her "Boss" in the future.


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## The mtn man (Sep 8, 2013)

This year our NC public school district will issue every student from 3rd grade to 12th grade an Ipad, to take home and do all there work on, the entire school campas is covered with wyfy, my wife is a 3rd grade teacher, they are expecting a nightmare with the batteries being dead, because classroom work will be via Ipad and teachers smartboard.no more chalk boards or whiteboards,or text books, their gone.


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## PappyHoel (Sep 8, 2013)

Patriot44 said:


> I attended an Academy in the mid 90's that was all PC based.  DO IT.  All of your kids' friends will call him/her "Boss" in the future.



I got my first desktop in 1986.  It was a "leading edge" IBM clone.  My dad bought it and said here go make this thing work.  I used to play games that had 15 (5 1/4) disks, you would have to swap disks every few min.


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## hummdaddy (Sep 8, 2013)

Sugar Plum said:


> We've already started looking for a desk top, clearly, she's going to need it. I do intend to talk with the teachers to find out why there was no discussion about this ahead of time. That was the true issue here. The assumption that everyone had the gadgets, so the homework was all assigned online.
> 
> Thanks for the debate folks.




tigerdirect.com has some refurbished desktops and new for good prices


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## YankeeRedneck (Sep 9, 2013)

Doc_5729 said:


> Nope, it's not the just the teachers, just the Middle schools and it sounds like Monroe County is behind the times. My 8 year old Grand daughter has been in "smart classrooms" since she started school and can probably navigate an iPad or PC better than most adults. (not to mention iPhones and Droids mattech)
> 
> No take home books, everything was digital. Assignments online, reports online, grades and progress online.
> 
> ...


 This last quote is very true! This is coming from your adminstators NOT your teachers.It is a pain in the butt for them.They are being replaced by a computer.


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## oldfella1962 (Sep 9, 2013)

YankeeRedneck said:


> This last quote is very true! This is coming from your adminstators NOT your teachers.It is a pain in the butt for them.They are being replaced by a computer.



But can you program a computer to "cook the books" when it comes down to standardized testing like the fine upstanding administrators got busted for TWICE (so far) in Atlanta?


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## Jeff C. (Sep 9, 2013)

Computers are taking over the world!!!


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