Don’t teach your kids this stuff. Please?
August 26, 2009
485 Comments
dear parent
teacher
administrator
board member
don't teach your kids to read
for the Web
to scan
RSS
aggregate
synthesize
don't teach your kids to write
online
pen and paper aren't going anywhere
since when do kids need an audience?
no need to hyperlink
make videos
audio
Flash
no connecting, now
no social networking
or online chat
or comments
or PLNs
blogs and twitter?
how self-absorbed
what a bunch of crap
and definitely, absolutely, resolutely, no cell phones
block it all
lock it down
keep it out
it's evil, you know
there's bad stuff out there
gotta keep your children safe
don't you know collaboration is just another word for cheating?
don't you know how much junk is out there?
haven't you ever heard of sexting?
of cyberbullying?
a computer 24-7? no thanks
I don't want them
creating
sharing
thinking
learning
you know they're just going to look at porn
and hook up with predators
we can't trust them
don't do any of it, please
really
'cause I'm doing all of it with my kids
can't wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two
can you?
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Hello Dr. McLeod
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I believe your post is very interesting. I had to read it several times to fully understand everything you were trying to express in your post. I like the sarcasm in your post but I don’t necessarily agree with everything that you have written. I do understand your point that if parents, teachers, and administrators don’t get up to speed with the world and the changing technology, their children will lack the technological fundamentals and will be therefore behind. I on the other hand believe the children will find a way to stay current and the parents, teachers, and administrators will be behind. You can check out more of my thoughts on my blog.
Hello Dr. McLeod
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I find your points to be very true, but Unfortunately I can say i agree with everything that you are conveying. yes I believe that we should protect our youth from the dangers of the world but just like there are negative things there are positive things as well. But overall with the porn and predators hate to say it but there are some sick people out there.
Hello,
My name is Devon Weaver and I am currently enrolled in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I think that your blog post is very interesting. I do understand the point you are trying to make. I also believe that children should be technological literate as well. We should also teach our children the safety of the internet just like in the “real world”. There are defiantly good things and bad things about technology. Thank you for your interesting blog post.
Hello Dr. McLeod
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s class at the University of South Alabama. Your post was interesting and I enjoyed the way you approached the topic. There are things on the internet that kids should not view, however if kids are monitored properly than the computer can be very beneficial. Kids that are not allowed access to a computer will be behind in the future. Technology is rapidly growing and it is becoming necessary for students to be current with technology. If you would like to see more of my thoughts than feel free to visit my blog.
Whitney Watson
watsonwhitneyedm310.blogspot.com
class blog: edm310.blogspot.com
Hello all,
I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. Today I read Dr. Scott McLeod’s blog post Don’t Teach Your Kids this stuff. Please?. In it McLeod pokes fun at many of the stereotypical responses to technology. He speaks the truth with his sarcasm. So many people are afraid to embrace technology for so many different reasons. Yet, there is no reason to let ourselves fall behind in education. We must use every asset we possess to maintain our standing and begin to move away from the bottom of the barrel.
Hello,
My name is Amelia Bumpers and I am an EDM310 student at the University of South Alabama. I love your sarcasm in this post. I completely agree with the point you are trying to get across. Yes, there are negatives of the internet and other technology, but there are so many positives, too. We can teach and warn our kids of the risks of technology so they won’t get into trouble. But if we hinder them from using the internet, they will be so far behind when they get into the real world.
Thanks for the great read!
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. Your sarcasm in this post is confusing at first but I do understand the message you are conveying. If we do not teach our children the tools that are required to be even recommended for a career, not a job, a CAREER then we are putting them at a disadvantage. Like I have said before, technology and computers are not the end all be all in life. We still need the basic skills to function without the high-tech technology. Pen and paper are not going anywhere so we cannot forget about it.
Dr. McLeod,
I am a student at the University of South Alabama, enrolled in EDM 310. You definitely made me think about technology in education. I thought of an analogy related to this post.If a teacher took a class of students to the beach, everyday for 9 months, would she not let them into the water for fear of a shark or jellyfish? Everyday? Wouldn’t the students get tired of the sand? Technology in the classroom is like a vast ocean that must not be ignored or feared.You must keep perspective. Be reasonable and good things can happen.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. I liked how you approached the subject of children using technology (or not). As time goes on, our world is relying more and more on the use of technology. It would be a huge disservice to children today to hold them back from engaging in these tools. Their future relies upon it! And, sure, there are lots of bad things children could stumble upon via the internet. They have about an equal chance of finding those things in other forms of media that we’re bombarded with every day, too.
Thanks for your post!
Hello Mr. McLeod,
I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the Univeristy of South Alabama. I loved your post. It’s not too often that you run across a post in this format or with this type of mind bending thoughts. You generally expect the bloggers themselves to be upfront about what they are feeling but your post is at the next level. It really has gotten people talking!
Technology or no Technology? I say YES to technology. One of the last lines you had written got me thinking…”can’t wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two…” Brilliant. People who are tech-savy now will only benefit from it in the future. Those who are stuck in a rut and are not willing to expand their knowledge will most definitely be at a disadvantage in my opinion. Embrace technology!
um…could someone please reassure me that the requirement for the class was to respond to this post as though one DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS SATIRE??? I’m beginning to fear for our future.
Hello Dr. McLeod, I am student of Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. I found your post enjoyable. I know most parents worry about what their children may see, but if they are watching it, it can be controlled. I love how you posted almost every excuse I have heard a parent say. By taking this class I have learned that I must learn to use technology. It is changing. I believe parents should teach their children as much as possible with computers. I also think parents should keep up to date on what they know as well. Teaching children about the computer and what goes on it can be a good thing. Monitoring can always be done. You have a very good point. Thank you for sharing your post. You can look at my thoughts anytime on my blog.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student of Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. I really enjoyed the point that you was making about on what not good for children. I personally have to agree with you to a certain extent. Technology can be harmful to our youth, however, it has it’s helpful ways as well. It is the advancement in education. Moreover, you have a very interesting point and thanks for sharing your post. Also, I would like to invite you to look at my thoughts any time on my blog.
Kenesha Brown
Hello,
My name is Latisha Williams. I am currently taking EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I somewhat agree with what your saying about how we should protect our children from technology but I must say the its not all bad, technology have both pros and cons. As parents and teachers we have to teach them how to use technology and be safe at the same time, just like the real world.
Hello,
I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I am currently enrolled on the EDM 310 class. I see where you are coming from with your post. I had to read it a couple of times to understand it. I agree with the message you are sending out but I am not sure I like the delivery of it. It’s hard to decipher the sarcasm over typing. Thank you for your post.
Hi Dr. McLeod,
I am currently a student at the University of South Alabama and I am taking the EDM 310 class. I see what you are saying. Finally. When I was trying to read that my eyes kept getting out of focus and made my head hurt. I think technology can overload us and be too much on us at a point. Technology can be very useful yes, but lets not let it run our lives. I do not think kids should just depend on technology when in the classroom. There are many ways to get across what you are trying to get them to learn. Technology is one…of many. I think humans rely too much on technology. I think we should know about technology and how to use it but lets not depend strictly on it. What if all of a sudden technology did not exist?? Think everyone could go about their lives? No, probably not and to me that is a problem.
Dr. McLeod, I am a student at the University of South Alabama, I am currently taking EDM310 with Dr. Strange. I think it would be accurate to sense a little sarcasm in this post. I know this is the realistic view of some people, however if taught properly technology can be very useful. I think we need to teach technology and use it in an educational way. It is our job to show children the correct way to navigate technology. The truth is that there is bad things on the internet, but it is no reason to keep children from taking full advantage of it. The park can be full of dangerous things, but you don’t see parents keeping their kids away from it. We need to teach right from wrong and develop wholesome understandings of technology.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am currently a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I thought you made some very interesting points, after reading it about five or six times and finally understanding it. It is true that we need to protect children from some things out in cyber space. And we probably are a bit too dependent on technology. However, we can’t stop kids from going online and possibly getting into some online trouble; parental blocks only shield them from what really happens out there. It is good we protect them, but we shouldn’t cover there eyes at every bad thing. As for the technology part, we need computers and phone. Maybe not as much as someone working at Apple or Microsoft, but they do come in handy for business and personal situations. How else are we going to progress into the future without any knowledge of the technology we can get our hands on today?
Mr. McLeod,
I am currently a student at the University of South Alabama and I am taking EDM310 class with Dr. Strange. I found your article to be very interesting. It made me really stop and think about technology in another way. All people ever talk about is the good or positive aspects of technology. You discussed some very valid points. Although I agree on some points I still believe that technology is becoming a part of everyday lives of people. I think technology is especially useful in the classroom.
Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I thought your article was fantastic. It is unfortunate that some educators are refusing to embrace the future. I think that the direction technology is moving in should be revolutionizing the way we teach and learn. I have a limitless supply of information at the tips of my fingers at all times. Thanks for the post.
Hi Mr. McLeod. My name is Isaac Evans and I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama.
I found your post to be an excellent satire on the number of excuses people seem to find to not be technology-saavy. Are there dangers? Sure! But are they for the most part avoidable? YES! We need to learn how to work around any negative parts of technology and use technology to benefit our students.
I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I found you post very interesting. You pointed out all of the excuses teachers and schools use to keep from teaching their students about technology. I do agree that some of their reasons are reasonable ones, like predators. With technology in schools though the pros definitely out weigh the cons. In order to give your students a upper hand you have to get them involved with technology.
Bonsoir Dr. McLeod,
I thought I’d be a little different with my “hello”. Anyway, I am an EDM 310 student at the University of South Alabama and I hope to someday be an elementary teacher. Your poem is interesting and very revealing. It shows the fear and anxiety of using the internet with children; yet it also shows the ignorance of adults who try to hide technology or who claim it is all evil. Obviously, technology has a dark side but it has a bright side too. I believe the bright side of technology outweighs the dark. Who could argue this when you have advances in medicine that cures and increases life spans, house hold items that improve everyday life, advanced communication devices that enable loved ones or businesses to have a conversation thousands of miles away, or even technologies that help a deaf or blind student understand and communicate with their fellow classmates and teacher. Thanks for your post.
Sincerely,
Mary
My Blog
Hello Dr McLeod
I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I was a bit uneasy about your poem. I understand that there are some people who take the internet and social media to a “Dark” place, but there are some situations where the internet use can help the future generation be successful in learning new and exciting things. As far as not being able to trust the children on the internet. It’s hard to keep up with children right under our nose. What we have to do is educate them to be honest trustworthy people and we/they will be just fine. That’s just my personal opinion.
Hi Dr. McLeod, I attend the University of South Alabama where I am currently enrolled in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. I liked what you put together here I think I understand where you are coming from. I know that one day when I have kids I want to protect them from everything possible and keep their innocence for as long as possible. I feel that using these technological tools though is a good thing for them. Yes, there will always be negative things out there, but we can’t use that as an excuse to hold them back. They will need to know how technology works and be up to date with as much as possible. I believe we can introduce these tools to them but set boundaries as well.
Dr. McLeod,
My name is Autumn Bowling and I am in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. Great blog post. I love it! When I was reading it first I thought you were being serious, but after reading it a few times I realized it was sarcasm. This a great argument many people not familiar with the internet have with technology being used in the classrooms. I agree with the last line “can’t wait to see who has a leg up in a decade or two.” Thank you for this post.
Hi, my name is Meredith and I’m a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. Do I sense sarcasm? What a clever way to get your point across! I thought that you were completely serious at first, but then I reread it. It’s hard to believe that there are people who really feel that way. I know that my parents were not very keen on me getting my first cell phone, but they grew into it eventually. My teachers in high school never taught using technology. It was always worksheets and textbooks. I look back and wish that they would have utilized the computer more. I feel like there is a lot of information just floating out there that I need to see! Thank you for this amazing post!
HI I am a student in edm310 at the University of South Alabama. Before taking this class I was one of these people. Guilty of saying some of these very statements you made. As a mother and an aspiring teacher I am glad my eyes have been open to this wonderful world of endless opportunity. I am glad that my own children and my future students will have the opportunity to live in a world with no boundaries. I think fear of what we don’t understand is what drives many to form these kinds of opinions. Sometimes what we have lack of knowledge and understanding about becomes taboo for us and we impose this on those around us.We should never stop being students to an ever changing world. You can check out the rest of my thoughts on this @ gilescassandraedm310.blogspot.com
Hi Dr. McLeod. I’m an EDM310 student at the University of South Alabama. Before beginning this class, I thought I was tech savvy and that I might just have the upper hand due to frequently using a computer. About two weeks in, I realized how wrong I was! I only know the bare minimum basics. I also realized how important this class is, and how important staying abreast of technology is, especially in classrooms. From a mother’s point of view, I realized that I am holding my child back! In the past, I only let her play games on my computer, because at 6 years old, I was afraid she might hit the wrong button and irreparably damage my computer. After viewing this blog post, children’s blog posts from around the world and podcasts from 1st grade classrooms, I understand now that my child (and future students) need to learn the basics at an early age so they can develop technologically. Fears such as online predators or porn can be dismissed by teaching your children to be safe online, teaching them to do the morally right thing when choices are presented and by spending quality time with them on the computer. Since starting this class, I have shown my daughter the work I have done, podcasts and blogs from other children and we have created a YouTube video together. I want her (and my students) to have a “leg up.” To accomplish this, it will take continuous learning and teaching on my part.
I am Brooklyn, and I’m in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I love love love your use of sarcasm! Being a very sarcastic person myself, I found this very amusing. I know plenty of people who have said these very things before, my grandfather for one, but he now has a smartphone and a facebook account. People who feel this way and say these things are just scared of the technology and do not realize the benefits it has for children and adults alike. Thank you so much for this!
Mr. McLeod,
I am a student in EDM310 at USA. I find your blog post very interesting. I agree with you on many aspects and believe it’s good for kids to explore. I also disagree with you about a few things. I believe that younger children do need to be sheltered to a degree from the activity on the internet. I, myself, have four children and would never let them on YouTube right now, because they are still in the early years of elementary school. To an older student though, the use of YouTube for educational purposes is very useful. The way you laid out the blog post, however, I believe is very impressionable!
Hello Dr. Mcleod,
I am also a pre-service teacher studying at the University of South Alabama and currently enrolled in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and furthermore loved the satirical tone felt behind it. Without it I do not believe your message would have resonated among your audience in the same way. While I am an advocate for the use of technology in the classroom, I strongly believe this needs to be incorporated in moderation and not allow it to consume every aspect of teaching. The only problem is a lot of school administrators view the introduction of technology as a death sentence for any of the other traditional methods of instruction they hold on to so dearly.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your blog post. You are absolutely right to assume that the students given all of the tools that you urge parents, teachers, and administrators to ban, will ultimately have the upper hand. As technology evolves, so must education. Students of this generation and the generations to come will be faced with a multitude of new technology. Prohibiting young students from becoming familiar with technology at an early age would undoubtedly be more dangerous than the many potential hazards of the internet.
Sure, I agree with some of your arguments in this post, but you jumble so many different aspects of the computer that it essentially makes your case invalid. Writing online, learning to search the web, and scan are helpful tools that, yes, children should not be sheltered from. However, I see no reason why a ten or fifteen year old child should be allowed to advertise their lives on a social networking site or be exposed to cyberbullying, sexting, and porn. However, I respect your decision to let your children do as such.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student of EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I like the format of your post. This post is saying a lot, but its true. There are dangers out there online, but also in life itself. I say yes to technology and I believe the students are more up to date on the latest technology more than most of their parents and some teachers. New advances in technology are growing for the future the students now need to know how to use it.
Dr. McLeod,
My name is Jessica Walker and I am a student at the University of South Alabama and am enrolled in Dr. Strange’s edm 310 class. It is interesting how you chose to get your point across. I have heard parents and teachers say some of these very things before. I feel like if a teacher or parent hears something negative about technology on the news they are quick to get defensive. We as future teachers need to educate parents on just how educational technology can be.
Thank you Dr. McLeod for reminding us of how silly it really is for us to try and keep kids off of computers! It really is as silly as a turtle who wont stick his head out of his shell!
Kathy Zoghby
EDM310 USA student
Dr. McLeod,
Like a vast majority of those who have commented before me, I am also a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. For the most part, I am proud to attend USA, however after reading some of the comments left for your by my classmates it is almost a bit embarrassing. This being the case, I think it is all the more important to teach our kids exactly the types of things you are teaching, so that when they are in college they can actually comprehend intellectually stimulating articles, blog posts, etc.
Sure, there are dangers out in “cyberspace,” but there are dangers in “real life” as well and we manage to teach children to avoid danger and survive just fine. What’s the difference?
Dr. McLeod,
I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I like the way you presented your point of view on this subject in your post. Parents must educate their children to be aware of the “dangers” in life and on-line. They do not need to be sheltered. I have three children and one is a teenager. I have given him the tools he needs to know to be safe on-line and in life. They will come across things that will challenge their decisions but that’s how they learn. I don’t think moving forward with educating children regarding technology is wrong because of the potential dangers that they may be exposed to. They can’t live inside a bubble can they? Even if they did, the dangers are still going to be there for someone else. The children need positive guidance.
Hello Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post, I honestly love the way you approached the topic and situation. By using sarcasm and humor throughout your post I was able to look at the topic in many different ways. Although I had to read the post more than one time to fully grasp the message you were trying to convey I think I understand now. I also agree and feel that our youth should be involved in everything that technology has to offer. While doing so, I strongly feel that while exposing our children to these skills and tools we must also express the dangers and take safety precaution into account. Thank you for sharing your interesting post!
Hello Dr. Mcleod,
My name is Jason Jackson. I am a student of the University of South Alabama, and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 course. I agree with you on the point of children that get experience with computers now will be ahead of those that do not. I liked the uniqueness of this blog, not using any sentences, it was nice to see something different.
Hi Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I really liked this post and I have to say that honestly, I enjoyed your sarcasm. In my opinion, it was an excellent way to get your point across. I get so tired of hearing people who don’t understand technology bash it continuously. What do people not understand about the fact that technology can help kids explore and have experiences that otherwise they might never get to have? Of course, there are things on the Internet that children do not need to see but that is one negative to a hundred positives, just like with everything else in life. People are just afraid of the unknown and to a lot of people the “unknown” is the Internet. Thanks for sharing! I really enjoy reading your work!
Hi Dr. McLeod,
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I found your blog post to be very interesting. Your sarcasm made the post even better. I agree with you, I think that children who allowed to use computers are going to be so far ahead of children who are not. I find it really annoying when parents say the reason they do not let their children use computers is because there is bad stuff on the internet. Parents do not realize how much they are hindering their child from learning by not letting them use computers. Technology is a wonderful thing, and it is important that our kids are up to date on it. So, I say yes to technology. Thanks for sharing your post! I really enjoyed reading it!
Hey Dr. Mcleod,
Your post was fun to read. When I first started reading it I was wondering why a person whom didn’t like the internet was writing something on here but by the end I understood the sarcasm. I agree that the internet can be good and bad, as long as children are taught what to do and not to do it is okay. My son is only three and loves watching Thomas the train videos on youtube which tells me how fast children are learning now. I’m also going to monitor and teach him as he grows how to correctly use the internet. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
Dr. McLeod,
My name Alyssa Jackson, I am a student at EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post and along with several others I had to re-read it a few times to fully understand what was going on. This post has a very powerful message in it. Technology is starting to become very useful in a lot of different way,like in teaching. The internet is a good way to explore and learn new things. Thank you so much for the post.
Hello,
My name is Vicki Nelson and I am currently enrolled in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I think that your blog post is very interesting. I do understand your point of view that you are trying to make. I also believe that children should be technological literate. We should also teach our children to be safe on the internet just like in the “real world”. There are defiantly good things and bad things about technology. Thank you for your interesting blog post.
Hi! My name is Carrie Fairley and I am a student of EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I completely agree with the message that you are trying to send. This brings me to my idea on the situation, since our world is growing so quickly with technology I think that just as we have to learn english, history, math, science, they should also teach web safety. It should be mandatory for students this day and age to be educated as well on the technology, but how to be safe with it at the same time. Thank you for a very interesting post!
Mr. McLeod,
My name is Adrienne Babb and I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I thoroughly enjoyed this post because I am constantly having this conversation with my mom, I have a thirteen year old sister (who probably shouldn’t be trusted). Technology is scary and can be dangerous but it is also very beneficial and a major part of our lives. I think that if we educate our children on how to make responsible decisions and what to avoid on the internet, they will be better equipped to handle the world when they are on their own. In addition to teaching them what to avoid, it is equally important to teach them how to proficiently use modern technology.
Hey Dr. McLeod, I am in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I agree and disagree with your post. I think the internet and technology are important learning tools that no child should be without. However, I do think that parents, and teachers should be extra careful and monitor what their children are being exposed to.
Dr. McLeod,
I am an EDM310 student at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your post, and I must say that I got a kick out of your sarcasm. I believe that it is very important that students learn to use the internet and technology because it becomes very beneficial in our lifetime. I must say though that parents and teachers should pay close attention and monitor the computers that the children are using. I feel it is extremely important that the children know exactly what they are doing when they are connected to the internet, and they aren’t connecting to things they shouldn’t be.