Lunch was just like any other day on Sept. 10 at Pioneer Middle School: Students enjoying healthy meals, visiting with their classmates, and having positive interactions with staff.
The one thing missing was technology—the ubiquitous personal devices like phones and tablets that students are not allowed to have in classrooms.
Principal Melissa Prorok said the school is experimenting with Tech-Free Tuesdays and Thursdays in which students and staff are asked to leave all electronic devices out of the cafetorium to encourage face-to-face conversations with friends.
Tuesdays are referred to Teacher Tuesdays, and Thursdays are Conversation Thursdays.
There is increasing research that shows that student over-attachment to technology can be detrimental to social skills and mental health. Cell phones and technology have been allowed at middle school lunches for several years, but in an effort to teach students how to socialize better with one another, the school initiated this new program.
Teachers stop in to converse with students, play a game with them or eat their lunch. On Thursdays, conversation talking points are posted on the projector and students talk about them.
On a recent Thursday, the conversation starters were "Would you rather have it rain nails or bowling balls? Why?" Also "What is something that made you laugh recently?"'
So far tech-free Tuesdays and Thursdays are off to a great start.