Digital Wellness: Empowering the ISP Community to Thrive Online and Offline
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our ISP Fund donors, ISP is able to deliver unique programmes and exceptional resources above and beyond what tuition can fund. One of these initiatives was the recent visit by technology expert, educator, and digital wellness specialist, Patrick Green. Patrick shared his knowledge and insights with ISP students, parents, and teachers during his visit in April 2023.
Patrick’s extensive knowledge on the topic of technology and education (he is a previous ISP teacher!), combined with his warm and humorous approach during the sessions, captivated the entire ISP community and brought lightness and optimism to a topic that can sometimes elicit worry for parents: Screentime.
“So much of the information out there in the media is fear-based and can lead to a real sense of hopelessness amongst parents. My hope is that parents walked away from my workshops feeling empowered to have conversations with their children about our online lives. Keeping the lines of communication open will create many opportunities for the mentoring and modeling that our young people need as they navigate today’s online/offline landscape.”
During his visit, Patrick led several sessions and workshops for parents, teachers and students, and has generously shared his resources and slides for parents. For more information, you can also visit his website, Winning Screentime.
Patrick’s sessions at ISP included:
- Student sessions across all three sections in classrooms and assemblies. Patrick’s dynamic sessions equipped our students with valuable tools and practical tips on making wise decisions online and cultivating a healthy relationship with digital media.
- ES, MS, and US Parent sessions “The Truth about Screentime.”
- 4-hour workshop “Plugged in Parenting: Empowering Children to Thrive Online and Offline” targeted for parents of Grades 5, 6, 7.
- Digital Wellness session for faculty.
Parent Sessions
Truth about Screentime
Patrick held two sessions of “Truth about Screentime” (ES & MS/US), with each session customized to the particular age range and needs.
- In this fun and fast-paced session, Patrick empowered parents to see Screentime as an opportunity to “Win” with their children. By exploring practical parenting strategies and mindsets for talking with children about their online behavior, Patrick demonstrated how families can approach screentime in a positive and healthy way.
- Truth about Screentime Resources
- Truth About Screentime Slides.
Plugged in Parenting: Empowering Middle School Students to Thrive Online and Offline
Interactive Workshop for Parents of Grades 5, 6, 7
This 4-hour targeted workshop provided parents with the knowledge and tools to confidently support and mentor their children toward healthy relationships with technology.
Through a combination of learning experiences, group discussions, and hands-on activities, parents learned practical tools and resources for raising digital natives who can confidently navigate the digital world while staying healthy and safe.
Patrick covered the following topics in this session:
- The risks and harms of excessive screen time and social media use for children.
- How to evaluate the appropriateness of media, apps, and games for children.
- Setting boundaries around device and app use using family-media agreements and digital tools.
- Strategies for having calm conversations about online life and dealing with digital drama.
- Reflecting on personal technology use and its impact on children’s attitudes and behaviors.
- Modeling healthy practices and habits and using digital tools to be more mindful of our screen use.
Student Sessions
Middle and Upper School Presentations
Patrick delivered a customized version of this session “Who Is Controlling Your Scrolling?” to all ISP students in Grades 6 to 11, tailoring the content to the specific ages of the students at the following assemblies:
- Middle School Digital Wellness Assembly for Grades 6, 7, 8
- Upper School Digital Wellness Assembly for Grades 9, 10, 11
At this presentation titled “Who Is Controlling Your Scrolling?” students examined ways that technology could be consuming their time and be distracting them from their goals. Patrick shared practical tools to help students counteract these effects and encouraged them to consider how they could use their devices more mindfully and effectively.
Grade 2 Discussion
Patrick made a special visit to the Grade 2 classroom to connect with our young learners and inspire them to become responsible digital citizens. He engaged the students in a fun and interactive discussion about screen time and shared tips on how to use technology in a healthy and positive way.
Faculty Session
Smartphone Relationship Reboot: Reduce Distractions and Increase Intentional Use of your Mobile Device
During this interactive session with faculty, Patrick provided practical advice on how to develop a healthier relationship with smartphones, making them “less attractive and less distractive.” Through his guidance, ISP faculty gained valuable insights and techniques for using their devices more effectively, empowering them to better manage their digital lives.
Patrick’s visit was both informative and inspiring, and it resonated with our entire community. His expertise and warm personality engaged students, teachers, and parents alike, and his practical advice for managing screen time and using technology mindfully was valuable to all.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2021/22
Thank you to the extraordinary generosity of our donors to the ISP Fund, who made it possible to bring Patrick Green to ISP.
ISP is a not-for-profit school. We count on the support and involvement of our community to strengthen our mission to Inspire, Engage, and Empower all learners to be Curious, Competent, Compassionate Changemakers.
For more information on the ISP Fund, please contact Monica Stanciu, Director of Advancement at mstanciu@isp.cz
Please consider making a gift to ISP Fund in 2022/23.
