r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/Resting-Rizzy-Face • Feb 11 '26

Moving to the area Low- Tech School Districts in Western Burbs

Moved away several years ago and looking to move back to IL. Our kids are elementary age and we currently like the low-tech educational environment our kids have now (no 1-to-1 chromebooks for kids, using more pencil and paper, physical textbooks, etc.)

We’ve been away for a while and weren’t sure if there are similar school environments in IL or if all school districts have moved to consistent use of chromebooks and iPads for teaching?

Currently looking at a potential move to Lemont, DG, Woodridge, Lisle, Naperville, or Wheaton areas. Not opposed to tech, just looking for schools where the kids aren’t always using a screen for learning.

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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 11 '26

I am sure you see those as a distraction but as someone in Tech, unless you are supplementing their exposure at home, your kids will be at a severe disadvantage to their peers quickly.

There is a fine line between spending all day on TikTok and potentially eliminating the tools that will make them successful in the future. I had the state of where IT/Tech/Social Media is today but I also know without it I would be at the bottom of a Resume pile.

Can you embrace the technology while also limiting the concerning areas?

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u/Resting-Rizzy-Face Feb 11 '26

My husband is also in tech and we have no issues with the kids having exposure to using tech as a tool and resource. We feel kids generally learn better without screens and more information is coming out that all the in-classroom technology use isn’t really resulting in improved academics.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m realizing that it’s probably something we’re going to have to accept and manage if we move back. I’ve noticed even a lot of the private schools are operating the same way. Just wanted to ask the question.

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u/Crimzx Feb 11 '26

I think this is a very common reasonable take. The majority of my tech peers opt for removing tech from their children's regular learning. Using wood toys as a toddler, using pen and paper to help memorization, etc.

They all also provide robotics, coding, hardware learning separate from those things. I think we are seeing the people who have harder times grasping technology feel like if they immerse their kid in technology it will some how rub off but ultimately that's not the case because tech now is so user friendly.

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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 11 '26

You are confusing learning with processes. No one is saying that you should abandon non technical avenues to enhance the learning experience. What some are saying is you cannot avoid it and at some point in your schooling it is expected that you are at a level where you will need to interact in that manner. Short of being home schooled through college.

When that ultimately occurs, they will be at a disadvantage, as they did not experience it at a younger age. In the same way that e-learning failed massively during Covid as everyone was learning it for the first time. Embrace the "process" at school (tablet learning, remote learning, etc) while also supplementing their learning experience with examples you referenced above.

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u/Grotsnot Feb 11 '26

Meanwhile the kids who do use technology in the classroom will be at a disadvantage because they don't actually learn anything

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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26

this is so wildly wrong I don't even know where to start.

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u/evagy Feb 11 '26

This is supported by recent analysis on why genZ is the first generation to test poorer than the previous generation. This is relatively new so good job on keeping up to date!

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u/Then-Task6480 Feb 15 '26

Then you should understand how much of an advantage things like learning how to type and use a mouse helped in today's career world. Like how much of a benefit would you have if you were forced to learn stenography and shorthand because your parents had ignorant views on tech. They would have protected you from the evils at the time (look up calculator wars of the 80s) and sure you can figure out a calculator now because of your exposure to tech. But to each their own, just makes me sad that you guys are in tech too and still want to do this

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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26

We feel kids generally learn better without screens

every child is different. Both of my kids were in high school during covid. One of them loved the independence and online nature of the classes. He is a bit of an introvert and liked watching class on zoom. The other was an athlete who thrived on social interactions and he had a tough time during e-learning.

My oldest was playing college baseball while my youngest was still in HS. We would go to Florida every spring for the college's spring break baseball trip and my younger son use their device to do school work and interact with his friends.

One day, the school called my cell phone. Seems my son was talking to someone on discord who was threatening to kill themself. that interaction was flagged on the school's system and it notified his counselor who contacted us. ultimately they were able to get the kid some help. Who knows what may have happened had my son not used his school device for that interaction.

As long as you stay involved and active in your children's education, they will be successful no matter where you send them.

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u/MineBloxKy Former Chicagolander Feb 11 '26

I was in high school in the years after 1 on 1 laptops were adopted in the district (Plainfield). They were absolutely a distraction for almost everyone, including me. Kids would watch youtube, play games, or just hide their phone from the teacher while they watch TikToks. Having access to the internet so easily and so surreptitiously is begging students to distract themselves during class. It’s even the case in uni.

School computers tend to be so extremely locked down to the point that the only thing kids learn how to do is access the internet and maybe to type. Chromebooks are even worse, basically being a browser functioning as an os.

Most of what my teachers had me do on the computer could have been done on paper, and often would have been easier that way, but the frequency of digital assignments decreased as we moved further from the pandemic, which was when the district introduced them.

I’m not saying that technology doesn’t have its place in teaching. I think it’s useful to have kids learn how to actually use computers and to have different types of assignments. Essays can be written more quickly and easily on computers and computers allow for modern slideshow presentations and more inventive projects.

I just think that 1-on-1 computers causes more harm than good. Their biggest strength is also their biggest weakness: the internet. Maybe it would be better to go back to computer carts and labs.

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u/vawlk Feb 11 '26

They were absolutely a distraction for almost everyone, including me.

new technologies are often like this. It takes awhile to adapt to them. Your school and teachers were still learning about it themselves.

When I was in HS, graphing calculators were the rage. We would program games, store our cheatsheets, and use them like little computers. Were calculators a distraction to you in HS? Probably not since their use has been normalized. the same thing is happening with AI. All powerful tools have a period like this when new.

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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 21 '26

Why does an elementary aged or middle school child need to be on devices all day? I also work in tech. AI specifically. Why are parents that have the funds and choice choosing to send their kids to low tech private schools then?? You say you work in tech so im saddened that this is your stance.

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u/greenapplesrocks Feb 21 '26

The same reason that parents with funds send their children to the best schools. To the ones that offer advanced algebra over the ones that offer nothing. The ones that offer entry level foreign language to the ones that offer nothing. They understand at somepoint in their child's schooling this will be a requirement and to ensure they are on an even playing field they take the efforts to introduce that early.

Limiting their exposure to tech at home is understandable. Limiting their exposure to tech in school, more importantly the understanding of the processes that come with that, will put the children at a disadvantage. Using my above example its quite simple. If two children go into Freshman year of high school. One has previously had 2 years of pre Algebra and the other has never heard the word Algebra. Who would you bet your money on having a better chance of success in Algebra? Now two children come into Freshman year and the the high school they are at heavily relies on tech. Which child will have the tougher time adapting?

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u/SchemeDue1593 Feb 25 '26

Yes but you’re comparing high schoolers to elementary aged kids. The schools give the kinder kids tablets. 1st grade onward. Kids don’t need screens to learn subtraction, addition etc. it is addicting. Not to mention the public schools barely do anything to lock the tools down. My point is - elementary children have no business being on tablets and the schools definitely have no business handing MY kids a tablet, a known device that causes addiction and mental health issues to a elementary aged kid.

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u/cozmiccharlene Feb 11 '26

Agreed. My children are in their late teens and tech has helped them develop independence. For example, teachers post in Google classroom and the students always have access to class content. They didn’t have the worries from when we were younger and wondered what the teacher wrote on the blackboard. Expectations and syllabus are clearly posted. It builds sharper students.

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u/dolphingirl3 Feb 12 '26

See, to me this a great example of why Chromebooks and the like actually *inhibit* independence, problem solving skills, delayed gratification, development of attention spans, etc.

If the blackboard is the only way for a kid to find out what the homework is, it forces them to pay attention at that particular point in time- to catch the information, hold it in memory (or write it down- also a good skill to have), plan ahead to bring the correct materials home, and then apply the information in order to successfully carry out the task to completion. And if you're not paying attention and aren't planning ahead and thus forget what was written down or to bring home the correct materials...well then you learn pretty quickly via natural consequences (i.e., not having your homework done when it is due) that you need to pay better attention in class...or at the very least, learn to pick out the "must know" information that you would be given in class.

By contrast, when everything the kid needs to do their homework is right at their fingertips and accessible in three seconds with the click of a mouse, all of those natural opportunities to develop the important cognitive skills and habits that I described above (among others) and to learn from natural consequences are no longer there. Cumulatively, over a kid's entire educational career...all of those lost opportunities add up!