Technological integration starts at an early age – very early.
We give our toddlers devices to counter boredom and to keep them entertained. The result is that many grow up to depend on electronics to communicate and interact socially, lacking the ability to foster deep relationships, self-regulate and problem solve.
How do we make sure that screens are enablers versus tools to avoid interaction and social connection?
At home:
At home, we integrate rules. Some people have no screens during family meals, others turn off electronics for the duration of Shabbat. Capping the amount of collective screen time a child has access to per day, is another solution.
We can also recognize that there is some positive screen time – like Skyping with grandparents – and encourage healthy usage of technology to build relationships and enhance access to people we see less frequently.
At school:
At Associated Hebrew Schools, like many other schools globally, we are turning to social and emotional learning programs as a core part of our education. The integration of technology remains important – but it is used within this broader context of learning.
For example, we use Google Earth to bring faraway places into our classroom as we did “visiting” the streets of Jerusalem on Yom Ha’atzmaut. We collaborate to build structures and practice fine motor skills, and then use iPads to guide robots through our constructions.
Technology, used correctly, is an enabler of curiosity. It helps us to explore in new ways, and build on purposeful, play-based education that uses various provocations to entice students to play.
A child saw a fire truck while in the schoolyard and asked about what he saw. We turned our drama centre into a fire station and talked about safety and how to be community helpers. In another instance, after a child asked why it was so rainy outside, the class looked at the water cycle, why rain comes from clouds and how clouds change shape. Art, literacy, science and technology are all used to explore these student-led inquiries.
At the preschool stage, we pay particular attention to developing a child’s ability to express feelings and develop a sense of empathy towards others. This includes learning to take turns, how to follow routines, and gain independence.
During a child’s first few years of life, the brain is developing faster than at any other time. Just as children learn the fundamentals for future math or language acquisition, they too must achieve emotional literacy. Mastering this in the early years – with the added support of technology – will set young students up for years of future success both academically and socially.
For more information on our preschool program and our teaching philosophy, please contact any of our principals. Limited spots are available for fall 2018 and inquiries are welcome for 2019.
