Three cheers for phone free schools!
Happy Back-to-School!
Cheers to conquering the mound of Ticonderoga #2s, sneaker aisles, class lists, locker combos and Facebook posts. :) While I’m feeling allll the back-to-school jitters and rumblings with you, I’m also giddy over some of the awesome changes popping up in schools, as many leading districts are adopting and implementing phone-free policies this year.
As a parent, I’ve been begging for these changes in our classrooms for years. But before I launch into Simone-Biles-sized-victory-flips—I’m pausing to reflect on the courage and hard work these new policies will take to implement. While most teachers are in favor of phone-free learning environments, the reality is they will be on the frontlines of the students’ digital withdrawal. Remember the rumblings when the iPad ran out of juice on that roadtrip across western Kansas? It’s going to feel like that… times 30 kids per classroom.
The truth is, if these new policies are going to stick…schools are going to need parent support and help. Here are three practical ways we can say thank you to schools that are creating healthier digital environments for our kids.
xo, kb
Melissa Kinzer, a friend of mine who teaches Biology at Olathe East High school, recently shared a back-to-school request that I thought was brilliant!
We know we all survived high school without a smartphone (insert “back in my day” comment), but today’s students really don’t know how to occupy their downtime without it. Yes, they will be encouraged to have a book, but I’m looking to build my supply of games and activities for them when they do not have a book with them and they do not have other homework to work on. By having games as an option, they will increase their ability to communicate with each other, use strategic thinking, develop teamwork skills, focus and have genuine fun!
Don’t you love this idea? Even though I don’t have kids in Melissa’s school, I am going through my family’s games, puzzles and coloring books to see what we can contribute as a way to love on Melissa. If you have a teacher you love, consider asking what “downtime supplies” they could use for their classroom this year. Or maybe just drop a couple items off in your school’s teacher’s lounge with a post-it note that says “Free phone-free activities! Thank you, teachers!”
**Melissa recommends visiting a local thrift store where you stock up on games and activities inexpensively.
It’s no secret that we’ve become a generation of hypervigilant parents, believing the best way to protect our kids from predators, school shootings, and human trafficking is to stay tethered to them at all times. And so, when we hand kids their first device and send them into the world, we ask them to keep the devices close in case of an emergency. When they don’t respond to our texts quick enough? We panic, slap their wrists and lecture them with “what ifs.”
But friends, when it comes to creating healthier learning environments—we can either ask kids to be focused and engaged in their classrooms, or we can ask them to be on call for parents. We cannot ask for both.
If your kids are trained to respond to your texts quickly, these new phone policies might create pressure and confusion about what you expect from them. They need your permission to follow the school’s policy—even if it means unplugging from you during the school day. If you aren’t sure what that convo might look like, here is a place to start:
This last tip is simple, but easy to overlook: take every opportunity to say THANK YOU to your school administration and teachers for adopting healthy phone policies. Give schools a shout on social media. Write teachers personal thank you notes, acknowledging the hard changes they are facing. Send your administrators and board an email showing support. When there are bumps in the road and the policy isn’t being implemented perfectly—stay curious and kind as you engage. And when your child witnesses a peer acting out in anger or frustration—don’t judge. There’s a good chance that student is facing hard things for the first time, without a phone to escape or numb the pain.
Digital wellbeing is the most critical, complex issue facing the next generation. If schools are going to win this battle, they’re gonna need a sea of voices encouraging them to keep fighting for healthy learning environments…I pray I can be one of them.
SHARE THE LOVE
Want to help spread the word and support more teachers? Here’s an image to share on Pinterest, linking to this post… or simply copy and paste the URL address above into your Facebook feed and share it with friends. Thanks for helping me say THANK YOU to our schools!