The Lion, The Witch and The Laptop

 

What do you guys think about the exclusive use of computers in elementary grades?

Would you consider refusing to accept your child’s school computer next year?

I’d like to, but I wish it didn’t have to be an all or nothing deal. I like computers. I’m on one now, and often, but I wish kids were using more tactile learning (and I don’t mean their fingers touching the keyboard), at school.

I adored books as a child. I remember, and still LOVE the smell of a book’s pages, the feel of the paper (I always loved the glossy ones with colorful illustrations, the best), and burying my face into them, escaping my world for a while, and entering a new one. I can’t tell you how fervently I hoped that I would finally come across the right wardrobe to transport me to Narnia. I checked in every single one I came across.

I can still remember walking into the little, brown Bessie K Russell library on North Parkway (yes, I’m oldish), and walking out, biceps trembling, with a stack of books, that came up to my chin.

To me, there’s no cleaner, fresher, intoxicating smell, than a library.

We are discovering, now with more and more studies showing, that children learn better and perform better on tests, when using paper and pencil, rather than computers.

I love technology, and of course, use it every day, but I’m sad for my kids that they may not experience the joys of learning from a paper book at school…the joys of covering your books in brown craft paper or newspaper comics, (ok, yes! I know! I already admitted I’m oldish!) and just writing and doodling with a pencil! Remember drawing moustaches on the characters in your English book? (I’m sorry, Ms. Denson)

Do you think our kids love the smell of their plastic computers when they open them?

How do you all remember your books?

Do you think our children are experiencing the magic we did?  They deserve to.