Georgia elementary school tests out technology-free days
Tech-free school days at north Georgia school
Jack P. Nix Elementary in White County is taking it back to an earlier time with its technology-free school days this year.
CLEVELAND, Ga. - Technology in the classroom has certainly grown over the last several years. While it plays an important role, one metro Atlanta elementary school is trying to bring back the early days with technology-free school days.
For four days this school year, students at Jack P. Nix Elementary School are packing away their laptops and tablets and relying on good old-fashioned paper and pens.
The backstory:
"Our counselor started the idea at the end of last year, to have four tech-free days this year, and we just thought it was a great idea," Robin Chisolm said.
Chisolm teaches first grade. Over the 25 years she's been at the school, she's seen technology change quite a bit in the classroom.
"When I first came to Jack P Nix back in 1999, we didn't use that much technology, maybe like a filmstrip. And it kind of stayed that way for a while, and then technology kind of took off," she said.
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While technology can be hugely beneficial for students, school counselor Erica Owens has also seen some challenges with the abundance of tech.
"Every day as a school counselor with students ages 5 to 11 - every day I come to work, and I talk with kids in different walks of life, and different seasons, but somehow we always come back to technology," Owens said.
That's why she came up with the idea of unplugging for four school days over the year.
"I'm really proud of all of our staff for jumping on and bringing awareness to this topic. It's something that adults struggle with too, being addicted to devices and finding a balance. They rolled with it and did a really great job," Owens said.
What they're saying:
Principal Laura Hall said it was a great way to engage students differently.
"We are so blessed at our school to have amazing technology and we have so many resources that make things easier, more accessible, more exciting for students, But we really just wanted to take a step back and see what are some things that we can do that are hands-on for the kids that they can break away from technology for just a little while and really just try something new," Hall said.
Chisolm said it was a fun challenge for the teachers, and the kids loved it.
"The kids were just so amazed and so excited, and they wanted to do it more often. So it made me realize they need this, they need to be off technology more and working with each other more and interacting with each other," Chisolm said.
What's next:
While they're not turning off the technology entirely, they say it's good practice to find more balance with it in the classroom, and outside of it too.
"I think that's the ultimate goal. We just want to be present, we want to be in the moment, and we want to equip everyone to be the best they can be," Hall said.
There are two more no-technology days planned for the school year at Jack P. Nix Elementary. They say the students loved the activities the teachers planned so much, that they've been incorporating some of the lessons into the classroom regularly.
The Source: FOX 5's Lindsay Tuman reported this story from Jack P. Nix Elementary School in Cleveland, Georgia.