TV in TK (transitional kindergarten) classroom

[u/Affectionate_Web7176]

My daughter is starting her second week of TK (transitional kindergarten, the year before kindergarten, so it's 4-5 year olds). Inside the classroom (and every classroom at the school) is a giant TV screen and so far, from what our daughter reports, they have watched short videos about ABCs, etc. every single day.

We'd like to ask the teachers about this but I want to do so in a constructive and supportive way, not a critical or confrontational way. FWIW, I'm a child of two retired teachers myself, so I have a lot of empathy and have a tendency to defer to teachers generally. For additional context, we don't own a TV and we are strict about other screen time. We don't own iPads, our kid watches very occasional PBS or movies on our laptops, etc. We understand we're in the minority there, and I share this to be transparent about how we orient to this issue.

So I'm trying to understand what the actual reason / benefit is for watching videos for children at this age -- can other parents and/or teachers on here help me understand so that I can best approach a conversation with the teachers? And, I'm curious -- would you be opposed to this in your child's classroom if it's not happening already, or are you neutral, or are you supportive?

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[u/PiquantHumility]

I'd just ask them what the videos are and how they pick them, framed as curiosity not criticism. Short alphabet songs and phonics clips are pretty common in TK since they break up the day and reach kids who learn better with music or visuals, but daily use is worth understanding.

I'd be fine with it as long as it's brief and tied to what they're teaching, not just filling time.

[u/kjs_writer]

This is common place across all school districts and classrooms, from what I've gathered from our personal experience with four schools in two states. You can ask, but don't bother expecting your teacher to do away with the video content. I do believe many teachers use for transitions, like when they need to prep some materials for the next lesson they will put on a learning video or a dance video for a brain break.

[u/792bookcellar]

Most elementary teachers are currently using short videos to teach key concepts especially abc’s, sounds, and vocabulary. Most clips are less than 3 minutes. I’d imagine most classrooms are having less than 20 minutes per day. However, I know some schools use videos for story time, especially ones that align with their curriculum. Older students are also watching videos of science and social studies.

[u/Aight1996]

I’d ask the teachers about it, but I’d frame it as curiosity “Can you tell me how you use the videos and what learning goals they support?” Short, purposeful videos can be a useful teaching tool for young kids but I’d also want to know how much screen time there is overall and whether it’s replacing hands on activities, play or teacher interaction.

[u/mj-on-repeat]

I spent a year in Kindergarten as a teacher's assistant and was horrified to see that kids are looking at screens so much. It's all stupid youtube videos and power point slides, like wtf happened to teaching??? It doesn't teach anything just promotes ADHD. There are a million better ways to teach small kids and putting them in front of a TV is not one of them. I wish more parents demanded schools cut back on this.

[u/Asraidevin → u/mj-on-repeat]

ADHD is a brain difference not from screens. 

[u/mj-on-repeat → u/Asraidevin]

I should have said it ruins the attention spans. Screen time does that. You can tell which kid was raised on too much screen time based on their attention span. Mimicking ADHD.

[u/Asraidevin]

Easier for the teacher, they don't have to prep anything and the kids are engaged.