SPEAK Events for Parent Education
CAIS is a member of Speakers for Parent Educators and Knowledge (SPEAK), a coalition of San Francisco K-8 schools that have joined together to enhance parent education. The group’s goal is to enrich the education and learning experience of our families, our children and our communities.
SPEAK Presentation from March 24, 2021
Screens During COVID-19:
A Balanced Approach to Kids’ Technology Use
Additional Resources
1) Relevant articles, reports, and write-ups about Screen Time and mental health for parents who like to read and learn more:
- Reader Come Home book by Maryanne Wolf: Informative book that considers our capacity for critical thinking, empathy, and reflection as we become increasingly dependent on digital technologies
- Discussing digital technology overuse in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: On the importance of considering Affective Neuroscience Theory
- The effects of social deprivation on adolescent development and mental health
- A nice write-up of Michael Rich’s work and Center related to screentime and the child’s brain
- March 2021 Report from Common Sense Media and Hopelab sharing research on teens, tech, and mental health: Coping with COVID-19: How Young People Use Digital Media to Manage Mental Health
2) Family Wellness Guide: Science-based advice on how to keep your family digitally healthy
3) Parents can ask Michael a question through his “Ask the Mediatrician“ mechanism
4) Two recent blog posts by Dr. Ramo related to teens (note, not younger kids) and screen time:
- 5 Ways Social Media Helps Depressed Teens Cope
- Is Playing Violent Video Games Related to Teens’ Mental Health?
5) Center for Humane Technology
6) The Family Online Safety Institute: Tips on how to talk with children about online safety, how to set rules for screen time, etc.
7) Wait Until 8th: Resource to help you launch a pledge in your community to wait until 8th grade to give your child a smartphone
8) Common Sense Media: Age recommendations for movies / games / books
9) Child Mind Institute: Resource for children’s mental health information for teachers and parents
10) The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix: Documentary that explores the dangerous human impact of social networking
Past Speakers
CAIS Parent Representatives
Michelle Kemper Verplaetse and Stephanie Reynaga serve as CAIS parent representatives for the group.
SPEAK pools resources among CAIS and other member schools. Its volunteer board members (typically 2 per school) plan, organize and hold exciting and timely parent education events. Usually this is a talk given by an expert in the field who has recently published a relevant book. Sometimes, it’s a panel discussion around a topic of interest or a screening of a relevant film.
All SPEAK events are free for CAIS parents.
