Henry Family Blog

I am totally appalled by what I read in the Parade magazine today.  An article titled, What kids really need by Greg Fagan.  Greg gives pointers to parents about what electronic gadgets their children need, and explains how teachers feel about certain technology.  I am a teacher, and I really don’t know what Mr. Fagan is referring to.  He states, “teachers now expect most grade-schoolers to have access to the internet (at home).”  Well, I can tell you that the majority, over 90% of the students I have taught, do not have internet access at home.  As a teacher, and a parent, I never rely on the internet.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe the internet is a great resource, but I also realize that a huge population of the families in the United States are without it.  Maybe Mr. Fagan can visit some Title 1 schools in the future and write about how students learn without use of the internet.  Some of you might ask, “don’t you have internet for your students at school?”  Well, I usually have three computers in the class, and maybe one of them will have an internet connection.  It is hard to have 25 students use one computer.

Next, Mr. Fagan discusses cell phones.  Apparently, 80% of youth in the United States have cell phones.  He agrees that they should not be used in school, but eludes to the fact that it is good that children have cell phones so parents can keep tabs on their kids.  I am not old, but how did we survive without cell phones when I was a kid?  I really don’t know, it is amazing.

Here comes the part of the article that really got me worked up.  Mr. Fagan says that there are all kinds of fun gadgets for your kids after they have learned to prioritize their schoolwork.  What??  Here are a few quotes from Mr. Fagan, “video games can provide cognitive benefits, especially for complex problem solving skills” and “Portable music players can help kids develop an appreciation for music,” and last but not least, “audio-books and podcasts can provide intellectual stimulus too.”  I am sorry, I try not to be opinionated when I write these posts, but what a bunch of rubbish.  Gosh, I wonder what things Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Immanuel Velikovsky could have accomplished it they could have improved themselves with video games.  And god forbid a child actually read a book, listening to the audio-book would be so much better.  I am not even going to discuss the appreciation of music statement.  Maybe what kids really need is to get outside and interact with other kids, climb some trees, play king of the mountain, and maybe, just maybe, read an actual book that they enjoy on a rainy day.

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