This month, I had my students write what I called “Activist Poems.” We brainstormed a variety of social issues that affect both adults and children. The list had a variety of topics from smoking to terrorism to homelessness. My contribution to the list was screen-time. As I read all of my students’ poems, I found that one student, Oula, chose this topic to write about. All of my students’ poems were powerful, but I felt this one needed to be shared. Here is a 4th grader’s perspective on screen-time:
I am against kids having too much screen time
I wonder what makes tech so appealing
I hear beeps and blinks from a million iPads
I see parents neglecting their kids, telling them to watch TV.
I want people to socialize more, face to face, not through Facebook or Instagram
I am a rebel against your X-box and Wii.
I dream of children just going outside to play.
I feel that you should shut your laptop for just a little while.
I touch the minds of children zoned out through Madden Mobile, Halo, Minecraft, and YouTube.
I say that turning up your ear buds is tuning out your world.
I help kids see that a book page is better than a Kindle screen.
I am fighting toys and games against your device.