We just wrapped up our standardized "testing season." For the last two weeks, I did my best to keep my classroom screen free because I wanted them to save screen time for the hours of testing. We worked on a creative project, wrote some fun stories, and played word games.
Friday, the final day of testing, I only had my afternoon classes because of the testing schedule. I decided to give them free time, which they know I do not do very often. I was catching up on my to-do list after missing almost two weeks of school due to the passing of my mother, and my only requirement was that the noise level had to be tolerable.
Fifth period, I looked around and couldn't believe what I saw. Every single student had chosen to NOT be on their computers. Instead, they were playing games and having fun with each other. Some sat around one desk while others sat on the floor. It was glorious.
This made me wonder what if we gave students more opportunities to be screen free. Would they choose no screens on their own? Would not being on computers help them focus when they do have to use them?
This experience has certainly given me something to think about...and to smile about.
a space for me and other teacher-writers to share our stories.
That would make an interesting inquiry research project. Why did they choose games over screen time? I would like to hear their responses. arjeha
ReplyDeleteLove that you're sharing a moment of screen-freeness. There's not much of that these days. I'm sorry about your mom-- no matter how ready we are, we're not ready.
ReplyDeleteHi Leigh Anne-I'm sorry to hear about your mom passing and send my condolences. Mom's are so special. I am doubly thrilled to read your story about the kids choosing games, activities, and socializing over screen time. Isn't that awesome? And yes, definitely worth exploring a bit more for the future. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Leigh Anne, what fun to have your students engaged in games and face-to-face and socialization. It's a total delight when it happens. Glorious indeed and definitely something to smile about!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your mother's death. It's a challenging time. Blessings as you navigate these days of grief.
From my point of view it would not be beneficial, if students nowadays are having a free time in order to think about kinda and kinda thinks, despite that they're having a fun, but it depends, time by time if the program of a tutoring is aint beneficial for time, it also depends on tutorism, and on concentration, once you have them in front of your schedule, the freedom also can be in that, after some time their community can come together and they'd like to get engaged in them, I've got my own experience in that from Chinese's point of view, but it is also an opposite, through the life either through the environment their moods and reflections on others are tended to get changed, while they know each other, in the programs have to be something that would reflect on them, as students, aint life environment carriers, because of status of being a student, while you are in that sphere freedom with no reason for commmunication without a progra special in vain, its a waist of a time.
ReplyDeleteIn japan for example for students it does exists sleeping time for relaxation, during the lesson, for freedom being they're having a mental games, which is reflecting on brain development, in India it is one and the same like in european schools but with the difference that theirs is competition between each other, thus they do not abuse free time activities just for simple communications and engagement in each other.
By the way thank you for the nice topic, also remembered about my own one, experience and students, so lets be in touch through this blog and I would like to share with a different things in future, and my blog mostly is about love and poems, but stories as well, always feel free to have a very warm welcome to read and share these writing, will be happy to check Your experiences and points of view as well, attaching the link
https://lifeoflifesblog.blogspot.com/?m=1&zx=63f1dc67d68458d6