Teacher’s Corner

The activity below can be used for writing about or discussing screen time.  

Children’s screen time should be limited. It takes time away from other important activity and is addictive. Share the recommendations below with your students.

Have students write or discuss the following questions.

1. How much time do you spend on  screens (phone, IPad, TV, computer?

2. Do you get most of your information and fun through screens?

3. How much time do you spend interacting directly with real people?

4. How hard would it be for you to stop spending as much time on screens?

Screen TIme Recommedations (from groups of doctors):

(Under 18 months): Limit screen time to video chatting with an adult, like a parent who is out of town.

Toddlers (18-24 months): If introducing screen time, choose high-quality, educational programming and co-view with a caregiver.

Preschoolers (2-5 years): Aim for no more than one hour of screen time per day, and consider co-viewing with a parent to enhance the experience.

School-aged children (5-12 years): Limit recreational screen time to two hours per day, not including schoolwork. Prioritize sleep (9-12 hours) and physical activity (more than one hour).

Teens (13+ years): While no specific time is set, encourage a healthy balance between screen time, physical activity, sleep, and other activities.

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.

1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:
   • Use the blog for discussion topics
   • Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.
2. For all courses, especially English Language Arts:

• Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:
• Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?
• Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?
• What would be your advice on this topic?
• What was left out of this article?
• If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?

Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?

• Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.
• Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.
• The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.