Letter: Kids without tech left behind
Regents Chemistry teacher Martin Palermo teaches students Kiana Stella (11th), left, and Madeline Laso (10th), right, during class at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach. (June 7, 2012) Photo by Steve Pfost Credit: Steve Pfost
Lesson flipping is a teaching technique that is finding much acceptance in Long Island schools ["LI teachers flip for new tool," News, July 1]. There is one major problem: The method assumes that students have either a home computer or smartphone.
The student without these devices has to use a DVD (assuming they have a home DVD player) or wait to use a classroom computer off hours.
I feel that this policy might allow these students to become victims of bullying, harassment or ridicule. It seems to me that if a school is going to allow flipping -- that is, having students watch videos of lessons before coming to class -- all students should have the same technological tools available to them. It's called leveling the playing field.
Woodrow J. Elmore, Bay Shore
Editor's note: The writer is an associate professor of education at Touro College.
