Turn Off The Screen!

  Tomorrow is the kick off to my very first Brain-a-mania. I am very excited. One year ago I came to DBS for the first time to interview for the fourth grade position. On that day the school was a buzz with activity and excitement. My two student escorts told me all about this amazing event, Brain-a-mania that was to take place that very day.  So I've been waiting for this moment all year. 

  What I am most excited about is the possibility that for the next week my students and I will be making a great effort to really spend more of our free time away from a screen.  This will be just as hard for me (with my iphone, ipad, television, netflix, playstation, etc) as it will for my students.  We all will be committed to this effort.  Why you ask? Well, it is important! In fact, each year of my teaching I've seen more and more students who have less and less of an imagination. I ask them to play, to pretend, to imagine, and they are simply incapable.  That is scary.  I'd like to spend the next week making sure my class plays, uses their brains, spends time outside, moves around. 

  I'm hoping you will join me on this journey for the next seven days. Please encourage your child to limit their screen time for the next week, and help them to find other things to do.  A great way to kick off this week would be to join in on the activities tomorrow night at Brain-a-mania.  Remember it starts at 6:00!  I've heard of some pretty incredible things happening.  Another opportunity next week would be for your child to work on a cardboard arcade.  During class counsel this week, the entire school watched a video about a child who is truly using his imagination (see below, it is definitely worth the watch!). The kids were so excited when the challenge was posed for them to create their own cardboard arcade game.  They have this week to use their brains and their creativity to come up with a game made out of cardboard. They will then bring them into school and DBS will then have their very own cardboard arcade for students to play at.  Again, I highly encourage you to watch the following video. It will blow your mind, and probably make you smile as well. 

  So, I hope you will join us in turning off the screen this week. Let's hope it is an adventure for all DBS families.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U