This week we're covering chapter 11 from The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, "What Schools Can Do Now." In this chapter, Haidt outlines actionable steps schools can take to address the mental health crisis among youth caused by the shift to a phone-based childhood. He strongly advocates for phone-free schools, recommending the use of phone lockers to eliminate distractions and foster face-to-face social engagement, which is critical for developing communication skills. Haidt also emphasizes increasing opportunities for free, unsupervised play, suggesting longer recesses and "play clubs" with mixed-age groups to promote resilience and social skills. These reforms aim to counteract the negative effects of excessive screen time, such as attention fragmentation and social deprivation, which impair students’ mental health and learning. By creating environments that prioritize real-world interaction, schools can help restore a healthier, play-based childhood.

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