Why Take a Tech Sabbath

We all know tech addicts: the teenager or adult who won't stop texting, even at the Thanksgiving table; the child who knows more TV show quotes or popular tweets than book titles; or the child who is unable to appropriately socialize because they lack consistent face-to-face interaction. So like most technology teachers, I spend the first days of school training students to redirect their focus from iPads and MacBooks toward human speakers. Students learn to control technology and their addictive impulses before technology controls our classroom. The same can be done in our communities. 

This holiday season, relatively affordable mobile devices or handheld computers are being marketed to every demographic — adults, teenagers, toddlers, and babies. What better time than now to begin regular tech sabbaths? Try a NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon to unite family members for just a few minutes a night. 

"Put Down the Remote"

In an interview with MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, John Engel, cousin of slain 6-year-old Olivia Rose Engel said, "Why are you watching us? Put down the remote and go and kiss your 6-year-old. And if your child is 20, tell them you love them." 

Try it. For every minute that your students tune out electronics and tune in loved ones, ask them to collect a penny or a coin. Before Valentine's Day, your students will have a substantive amount of money for any Newtown, Connectut, relief fund, including the Connecticut PTSA's Coins for Sandy Hook initiative. 

Get your students started by dropping a few coins in their collection tins.

Step 1: Inform school families and staff about your NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon. Encourage fellow staffers to tune out electronics (even Facebook) and tune in to loved ones to benefit Sandy Hook families. 

Step 2.  Have students collect canisters with plastic lids to hold donations. Cut a slit in the center of each canister lid. Print out, decorate, and glue "NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon labels for Sandy Hook" to your canisters.  

Step 3.  By February 14, send your contributions to 

           Connecticut PTSA's Sandy Hook Fund*

           60 Connolly Parkway

           Building 12

           Suite 103

           Hamden, CT 06514 

Making Kids Feel Powerful in a Seemingly Powerless Situation

Besides having students count up those tech-sabbath coins and talking, laughing, or eating with loved ones they can . . . 

1. Create a "Winter Wonderland" for the students of Sandy Hook in their new school. Mail your most festive, one-of-a-kind snowflakes to the Connecticut PTSA at the address above. Snowflakes must be sent in before Saturday, January 12, 2013. For inspiration, check out Genia Connell's post with instructions for three-dimensional paper snowflakes.

*For questions about "Snowflakes for Sandy Hook," "Coins for Sandy Hook," or ongoing fundraising efforts, you can email the Connecticut PTSA at sandyhook@ctpta.org. To donate online, visit www.ctpta.org.

2.  Write letters (old-school or electronic) to elected officials regarding gun laws. (Check out DoSomething.org for action tips, to write a letter to local or government officials, or to raise awareness with a pledge wall.)

3. Create and/or sign petitions for better gun laws at Change.org. (Compare and contrast gun laws in other countries  and include findings from the investigation in your petition or letters to officials.)

4. Create thank you cards for family, friends, or community members that make students feel safe or loved. 

Remind NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon participants to take a few minutes a day to tune out electronics and tune in to someone they cherish. Willing to try a NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon as part of a class or schoolwide New Year's resolution? Comment below or email me at Christy@bronxcommunity.org for labels and flyers and to connect with other NO-tech-/LOW-tech-a-thon participants. Special thanks to educators Martha Andrews and Bari Alyse Rudin for their inspiration.

For help discussing traumatic events with students, check out Scholastic's message to teachers from CEO Richard Robinson and a post from Top Teaching's Danielle Mahoney.