介绍:
BK: A recent report shows that in China a primary school has sent out a homework assignment – stop using computers and cellphones for a month. The students really worry if they can actually complete this homework. And so this is actually happening now just before the winter holiday, and not just one month during the school year, it’s one month during your winter break, so it’s a little difficult for some of those students it appears.
WY: So now some primary school students in China are supposed to be enjoying their winter holiday. But some students in the city of Chongqing seem to be having a hard time figuring out how to finish their homework. This second grade primary school students were asked to pick out one card out of a set of poker, which can decide their winter holiday homework assignment. And the eight year old girl Zhao Yimei’s one of the students who picked out the card of staying away from all digital gadgets for a month. And then the little girl burst into tears. And this assignment also suggests students can replace internet surfing and computer games with reading books or talking with classmates, et cetra.
BK: What a concept.
WY: And the mother says that I would like to try finish this homework together with you, so in that case, I will stop using my cellphones and digital gadgets for a month to accompany you.
BK: That is supportive parenting there. It’s not like you get home and the parent is either – they’re saying haha, you have to do this [WY: And now you’re doomed] and I’m going to do my stuff. They’re, they’re doing it with them, which is good, you know. It’s good for parents to be supportive of homework in general, but especially for something like this.
WY: And also the school has explained why they want to carry out this kind of assignment. Some of the teachers survey out of 1,100 students in the school, and they figure out about 95% of all these primary school students are playing computer games or reality TV games at home. Also, they will take their cellphones with them to go to the classroom, so in that case, some of the teachers come up with this kind of new experimental trial basis to let the students stop using the cellphone for a month and also trying to read more books or just invent some new hobbies, communicate more with your family members.
BK: And that’s not just a Chinese thing, it’s not just an American thing – I think they have it in the UK and most of the developed world, and other places too.
NL: Yeah, I think it’s definitely something that’s as you said, in all of the developed world but, I mean the question is, does an eight year old really need a smartphone? What are these eight year olds doing with the smartphones…?
WY: Sometimes the reason they explain is that I need to receive this call from my mom and to make sure that I’m safe.
BK: Calls and texts, and they do have phones like that, but beyond that, it doesn’t seem as necessary.
NL: I was going to say, maybe you need a computer for some of your homework assignments, but also for keeping in touch with other people, that’s just the way people do things nowadays.
WY: And also sometimes this class assignment is for each student to carry out a speech for something and also by using PowerPoint, which is PPT. So that is done by your computers, laptops; so in that case, students need to learn something of the computers. [BK: Right] And also, some of the online comments - someone named zuo ye meng said: Every day my wife has repeatedly told our son to stop play computer games, but still it doesn’t work. But this time, the teacher has told him only once - it worked. Brilliant!
NL: And someone else called JinQing1990 said: Most adults have the need of using digital gadgets. But kids really don’t.
WY: And Rijibao said: Cells and computers, they all have advantages and disadvantages. Why on Earth do they need to come up with this kind of homework?
NL: And finally someone called Yi Chen said: I feel like I’m missing out if I don’t use my cell phone. If I only go online after a month, I won’t even be able to understand what people are talking about online.
