Love and Learning

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One of our favorite choices this year in our kindergarten classrooms was to remove iPads and chromebooks from our daily learning. 🤍

Technology has no place in kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8). Research shows that learning through books, writing with pencil and paper, and engaging in dialogue with real people builds the strongest foundation for education. These traditional methods provide not only cognitive benefits but also emotional and practical skills that prepare children for lifelong learning.

One striking example comes from the Waldorf School of the Peninsula in Silicon Valley, a prestigious private school attended by the children of technology executives. Despite its location in the heart of the tech industry, the school has zero technology in grades K-8.

On its website, the school states: “Brain research tells us that media exposure can result in changes in the actual nerve network in the brain, which affects such things as eye tracking (a necessary skill for successful reading), neurotransmitter levels, and how readily students receive the imaginative pictures that are foundational for learning.”

This approach reflects a deliberate choice: to prioritize human interaction, creativity, and deep learning over early exposure to screens. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, less technology can mean more growth.

Sources:
Waldorf School of the Peninsula. "Educational Philosophy." 2023.
Armstrong, Thomas. The Best Schools: How Human Development Research Should Inform Educational Practice. ASCD, 2006.

When we partner together; we’re doing what’s best for kids. 🤍

It’s not the teacher’s job to raise your kids.

Teachers are there to educate,
to spark curiosity, to guide, to teach lessons that build the foundation for their future.

But teaching manners?
Respect?
Boundaries?
Basic kindness?
That’s on YOU.

Don’t send your child to school expecting their teacher to undo years of what you didn’t teach at home.
Don’t blame the classroom when the problem started in the living room.

Parents raise kids.
Teachers teach subjects.
When both roles are respected, kids thrive.

So step up at home.
Because raising your child is YOUR job, not theirs.

©️Caty Sanders

https://youtube.com/shorts/KNkQOl-cgg4?si=1sD6A19Mr1NFxFo4

Screen time damage for kids 👈 | Dr. Becky Kennedy

If you haven’t checked out “wait until 8th” here is your chance! Some great resources available and an easy to sign pledge to connect with like minded families in your area!

https://www.waituntil8th.org/

Actionable steps: More real world relationships, more real world PLAY, and more real world responsibilities around the house! And certainly… LESS screen time experiences for little ones.

For more information, read “The Anxious Generation”. ❤️

Ed tech is not revolutionizing student learning—it may in fact be hijacking it.

Somewhere along the way, schools were sold the dream that the next gadget, platform, or dashboard would “revolutionize learning.” But instead of transformation, we got highly distractible kids (and adults!), technical glitches, too many logins/PINs to remember, and WAAAAAY more screen time than anyone needs.

Teachers are overwhelmed juggling 10 different platforms. Kids are zoning out behind Chromebooks. And we’re calling it innovation?

We didn’t need more tools. We needed more connection—with students, with each other, with actual time to teach and learn.

It’s time to ask: Who really benefits from all this tech in our classrooms? Because it’s looking less like students… and more like the big companies cashing in on our urgency.

Let’s rethink what real progress looks like in education. Maybe it’s less about screens—and more about people. ❤️

We definitely cannot blame anyone when it comes to these questionable resources. We didn’t know then what we know now. Just like our students, teachers and school leaders are learning, too. Now, we make changes and improve our practice!

If you are a curious parent or an educator who has lived this journey, take a listen. This is such an important topic.

EP327 Screens, schools, and the future of childhood: a candid dialogue with Jonathan Haidt Podcast Episode · Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers · 06/15/2025 · 59m

It’s the middle of July. Your little one is supposed to start kindergarten in September, but are they actually ready?! This decision can be really tough for many families. One thing we have learned over the course of our teaching profession is that waiting is not something parents regret, but starting them too early can be. Here are some key factors to think about if you are debating the decision:

🧠 1. Developmental Readiness

Children who are just turning 5 (especially summer birthdays) may struggle with attention, impulse control, or emotional regulation compared to peers who are 6.

Kindergarten today is more academic than it was in our day, and some young kiddos may not be ready to sit, focus, or follow multi-step directions for long stretches. Playtime is limited, as is rest time, in many kinder classrooms across the nation.

📚 2. Kindergarten Rigor is INTENSE

Many schools now expect kids to:
*Start reading and recognizing words
*Write multiple complete sentences
*Work independently during lessons
*Count and write high numbers, as well as add and subtract algorithms

A child who isn’t developmentally ready may struggle early, which can affect confidence and motivation for years to come.

👫 3. Social and Emotional Maturity

Older kindergarteners are more likely to:
*Cooperate and share with peers
*Handle conflict without meltdowns or physical impulses (i.e. hitting, kicking)
*Feel confident socializing with peers and adults at school

Younger kindergartners may be overwhelmed or feel left out socially, especially if their classmates are nearly a year older.

🏃 4. Long-Term Advantages

Research suggests that kids who are older when they start school…
*Have fewer discipline problems
*Are more likely to be leaders in group activities
*May do better academically in the early years

⏳ 5. Time can be a wonderful gift!

A year can make a huge difference at this age, especially in the following areas:
*Fine motor development (cutting, writing, buttoning, zipping)
*Language skills
*Attention and focus
*Emotional regulation (aka tantrums and/or tears)
*Confidence in trying new things

In 12 short months, these skills can mean the difference between thriving and surviving in school.

While all this is important to consider, waiting isn’t ALWAYS necessary. We have seen many kinders succeed despite being young. Your child might do just fine if they are:

*Emotionally mature
*Curious and eager to learn
*Able to manage classroom routines, transitions, and can follow multiple step directions independently

For more info, check out this article from the Atlantic we previously posted. “Red-shirting” your child definitely takes thoughtful consideration…

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/10/boys-delayed-entry-school-start-redshirting/671238/

Here is another article from Parents with a helpful overview of skills taught in most schools. Note that some districts are more rigorous than others….

https://www.parents.com/kids/education/elementary-school/your-kid-will-learn-in-kindergarten/