Managing a School iPad
Welcome to a new school year with your school iPad! Having a school iPad presents an opportunity for parents to proactively coach their child to use a digital device as a tool to support learning while minimizing distractions and conflict.
Start by asking your child to give you a tour of their school iPad. If you lean in and get curious, you can set parameters in a tech positive way. Your child may surprise you at how tech savvy they are - even if this is a new device to them. Take this as an opportunity for them to show off their skills and knowledge. Let them teach you!
You can use these questions to guide your tour:
What apps are accessible?
School-related apps likely come preloaded on the device along with a catalog of optional apps that a student may later download. Keep an eye out for additional apps that may require proactive conversations - e.g., can your child access YouTube? Social media? Internet-based video games? Online shopping? (Make a note of questions that come up for you. Any concerns about what's accessible should be directed to the school's tech department or classroom teacher.)
How are you using it for classes?
Dive into a few apps/platforms and have your child walk you through how they work for a particular class. What are they excited about? Do they have any questions?
Do you have a school email?
Have your child show you their email account and how they can communicate with their teachers.
How do you get your homework assignments and grades?
Is it Canvas, Google Classroom or some other platform? Have them show you so you know they understand how this works. If they don't, encourage them to ask their teachers the next day at school and report back to you!Initiate conversations about healthy tech use, and try to frame these conversations as “your family as a team vs. sticky tech design,” instead of pitting parent vs. child.
Let’s talk iPad specifics:
Ask for your child’s school iPad password. As the parent/caregiver, you should have access to the school iPad anytime. Save the iPad password somewhere handy.
Review and adjust notification settings (instructions here). Teach your child to tailor their notifications so they only receive those they really need and actually will read. This is an important skill in the digital age!
Clarify when and where your child can use the school iPad. Ideal practice is to use the iPad in a common area rather than in their bedroom, but this isn't always feasible. Another approach is to start usage in a common area until you feel your child is ready to use it unsupervised. If used in a bedroom, consider a door-open policy.
Set an overnight charging routine outside the bedroom. We strongly recommend that your child charge their school iPad (and any other personal devices, especially phones!) overnight in a location outside their bedroom so devices can’t disrupt their sleep. Having digital devices put away overnight is arguably the most important step you can take to protect your child’s wellbeing. Setting up a charging station and a separate alarm clock are helpful steps. Many families have their middle schoolers stow all digital devices by 8pm or 9pm.
Encourage use of the iPad’s attached keyboard (if applicable) to avoid hunt-and-peck typing habits.
Praise good sitting posture and consider the ergonomics of a student’s iPad setup when possible.
Turn on Apple "Screen Time" (instructions here). The iPad has a “Screen Time” tool (found under “Settings”) which should be turned on to track use and to establish any time limits if overuse is a suspected issue. Occasionally review your child's Screen Time data with them, praising good habits and troubleshooting any issues.
Review your school’s Tech Policy with your child, especially any agreements about student conduct. This is a good opportunity to underscore your expectations that they only use the school iPad for educational purposes. Common pitfalls we have seen are kids playing unblocked internet games, searching the internet using incognito mode, and sneaking access to YouTube.
As issues come up, try asking questions from an inquisitive (not emotional) perspective, channeling your “coaching” role. Remember that healthy tech use is a SKILL that needs to be taught and practiced - you are your child's coach and mentor at home. Expect some learning pains and course-corrections as you guide your child towards healthy tech use.
Is your child a student at Mill Valley Middle School?
If so, visit this page to help manage the school-specific devices or click here for a handout to print and share.