5 Ways Teens Can Learn to Balance Screen Time and Learning

In recent years, screen time for children and teens has become a hot topic. Nearly everyone, even a significant number of teens, agree that teenagers spend too much time on their devices. Considering the fact that less than 4 years ago, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, screened devices were the primary tools for just about every aspect of life, it’s no surprise that teens have continued to depend on this technology. However, excessive screen time can cause teens to become insecure, anxious and even unable to sleep properly. All of these can distract your teen from their education during a pivotal time. Read on to learn about some ways your teen can work toward achieving a better balance between screen time and learning.  

Set Realistic Screen Time Limits

The first step to establishing a plan for screen time is deciding on rules for daily usage. Work with your teen to figure out what limits make sense and how they can stick to their goals. If your teen struggles to get away from their phone, self care apps like Finch or screen time specific apps can help them stay on track. As long as your teen understands that they’re working toward better balance for themselves and aren’t being punished, whatever tool they use to achieve screen time balance is fine.  

Schedule Focus Time and Break Times

Coming home from school and seeing a pile of homework that needs to be done can be intimidating. Work with your teen to create a schedule for homework and studying, ensuring that it includes a break every 30 minutes or so. Consider setting timers to ensure that your teen takes breaks and gets back on track each time. Some teens and adults find listening to pomodoro playlists, which play calming music and set off an alarm during each break, helps them stay focused. 

Use Screens as a Tool for Learning

Screen time isn’t all bad. Your teen can use their screen time to help them study and learn. There are plenty of educational apps and websites that can help when they’re struggling to grasp a subject. Computers and mobile devices can also be used for research, though your teen may need help figuring out how to differentiate reliable and unreliable sources of information. 

Make Time for Other Hobbies and Interests

Part of balancing screen time and school work is taking time away from both. Rest and relaxation are as important as getting work done. Teens can take time away from screens and work through extracurricular activities like sports and school clubs. Picking up new hobbies, like sewing, reading or writing by hand, that involve taking time away from screens, can be another great outlet. 

Focus More on the Real World

The internet connects us in so many ways, but one thing it can’t give us is in-person connection. Screens can also take us away from the world around us. Encourage your teen to plan outings with their friends that don’t involve screens. Find time to get the family together for screen-free weekends. Focusing on the real world will help your teen become more connected to what’s in front of them. It will also help build up in-person communication skills, a valuable tool that can be lost to our mobile devices. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we know that screens are necessary for modern life and believe that screen time balance is essential to teens’ wellbeing. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Empowering Spiritual Leaders: a Look into NTCA's Campus Ministries Team

North Tampa Christian Academy provides a multitude of opportunities for students looking for ways to grow in their faith. The school’s UNCOMMON faith development program offers support for families, faculty, staff and students through celebration, discipleship and service. For those looking to take their faith formation one step further, there’s the Campus Ministries Team.

How the Campus Ministries Team Works

The Campus Ministries Team, led by Pr. David Craig, plays a vital role in shaping the spiritual atmosphere on campus, empowering students to become spiritual leaders. Members are selected based on their desire to impact the school in a positive way and their willingness to grow spiritually. Specific responsibilities include leading praise teams, organizing events, planning outreach programs, and more. These students spend their time on the team developing leadership skills and putting their faith into practice.

“Students benefit in a special way because they are able to collaborate with a small team to achieve a specific goal that will impact our school and others for the better,” the pastor said. “We plan together, we grow together, we learn together, we pray together, we dream together, we fail together, and we succeed together as a community of spiritual leaders on campus.”

Community Engagement and Outreach

NTCA students are no strangers to being active in the community. Through project-based class assignments, every student on campus has the opportunity to serve others. The Campus Ministries Team takes community engagement even further through special events, outreach programs, and mission trips. The team strives to build bridges that foster growth and collaboration within the community.

Training and Leadership Development

Members of the Campus Ministries Team develop leadership skills, public speaking abilities, and mentorship. They learn how to cast a vision, organize events, and lead small groups, all of which contribute to their overall growth and development as spiritual leaders. While they have a plethora of opportunities now, even more will be coming in the not so distant future. 

Future Plans for the Campus Ministries Team

“Some future plans and goals our team has include a school mission trip next year that will give our students a realization of how blessed we are and how we have the opportunity to bless others,” Pr. Craig said. “Also in the plans are spiritual retreats, small group opportunities, as well as community outreach opportunities.“

The Campus Ministries Team at NTCA plays a crucial role in empowering students to become spiritual leaders within their school and community. Through collaboration, mentorship, and active engagement, members of the team are able to grow spiritually and make a difference in the lives of others. 

Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation.Contact us today to learn more.

Talking to Your Teen About Safe Driving

Getting on the road for the first time can be a freeing experience, but it also needs to be a safe one. When your teen gets their driver’s license, the first thing that comes to mind is their newfound freedom. They may be nervous to get out there and drive, but overall, it’s a positive experience. Now is an important time for you to talk to your teen about the importance of safe driving and the potential dangers they’ll find on the road ahead. 

Start with the Basics

First, talk to your teen about traffic laws and regulations. They needed to take their driving tests to get a driver’s license, but as a teen, they likely paid just enough attention to the information to pass. Discuss speed limits, traffic signs and how the right of way works in different situations. Remind them to always wear their seatbelt and to give driving their full attention every time they get on the road. 

Discuss the Dangers of Distracted Driving

While we often attribute distracted driving to cell phones, it’s nothing new. People eat while driving, blast music or get distracted by sights on the road. However, with mobile phones that allow people to text, talk on the phone, play games, use social media and more, there’s much more risk of driving distracted without realizing it. Talk to your teen about why eating or using their phone while driving can be dangerous. It only takes about 3 seconds of distraction to end up in a serious accident. 

Talk About Drug and Alcohol Use

No parent wants to think their teen is the one using drugs and drinking alcohol. However, that makes talking about it all the more important. Most teens will hide the fact that they drink or use drugs, or they’ll be pressured into it and feel guilty. Talk to your teen about the potential consequences of driving under the influence. Impaired judgment and slow reaction times can lead to life-altering accidents. Offer them a ride if they’re ever out and feel uncomfortable driving themselves. 

Provide Tips for Safe Driving

There’s more to safe driving than obeying traffic laws. While you’re out on the road with your teen, talk about defensive driving techniques, like maintaining a safe distance and anticipating hazards. Encourage your teen to get regular maintenance on their vehicle like oil changes and routine service, and help them schedule service visits if needed. Then, go back to the basics: remind them that they need to wear their seatbelt, stop at stop signs, slow down at speed bumps and look out for pedestrians. 

By learning how to navigate the road safely, your teen will be more empowered to enjoy the freedom of driving. At North Tampa Christian Academy, we encourage parents to be involved in this learning process. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Why Students Should Be at the Center of Their Learning

The purpose of education is to help each student be successful in life, learning things they need to know about the world around them. However, not every student develops in the same way while going to school. Some students need more than what’s contained in the walls of a conventional classroom. This is where student-centered learning becomes optimal.  

A New Way for Students to Learn

Traditionally, classroom learning has been centered around teachers. Students learn what the teachers are told to teach. Student-centered learning differs in that it allows students to be involved in their own educational experiences. Teachers and students work together to create the learning paths, leading to a more collaborative environment and more meaningful learning for the students. 

Why Student Centered Learning Works

Putting students at the center of their learning has many benefits for everyone involved. Children who feel involved in the learning process become more engaged in what they’re learning and motivated to succeed. They take more ownership of their work and responsibility for their learning. Through this increased focus, critical thinking and problem-solving skills naturally improve. Learning becomes an adventure, one that students continue to enjoy beyond their time in school. 

Collaboration in the Classroom 

One of the main benefits of student-centered learning is the room it leaves for collaboration between peers. Students have more opportunities to put their heads together, whether it’s for everyday assignments or projects that take them beyond the classroom. Through this collaboration, they learn how to work with others to achieve common goals. They learn soft skills such as communication and listening that are more important than ever in today’s interconnected world. 

Developing Skills for the Modern World

In today’s world, some of the most important skills you can have come from collaborating with others. Knowing how to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts and adapt to change matters more now than ever before. The more children learn to work with others at a young age, the better prepared they will be for life after school. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we know all about the power of putting students at the center of their learning. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Balancing Academics and Athletics: Tips for Parents of Young Athletes

You want your child to be successful in all aspects of life, but that can be challenging. Student athletes need to spend a significant amount of time on athletics and a lot of time studying to thrive in both areas. Chances are, your student athlete will need help finding a balance between the two main aspects of their lives while still having time for friends and family. That’s where you come in. Here are some ways you can help your child achieve a balance between school and sports. 

Develop Time Management Skills

All students can benefit from learning time management skills, but it’s especially important for those who need to balance their academic lessons with extracurricular activities. Your student athlete may become overwhelmed when it’s the peak of the sports season and they see their homework piling up. Work with them to create a schedule that gives them plenty of time for schoolwork, sports practice and rest. 

Help Them Set Academic Goals

Student athletes often become so focused on their athletic goals that the academic ones fall by the wayside. Work with your child to set academic goals so they can stay on track in school. Encourage them to set goals that are realistic to reach but challenging enough that they need to work to attain them. This is an important part of creating balance.

Foster Open Communication

When your child needs someone to talk to, it’s important for them to know that you’re there. Balancing schedules between school and extracurricular activities can be overwhelming. It can be even more difficult to admit that they’ve taken on too much and need to take a break. Keeping the lines of communication open will give your child comfort when they need to go to you as a resource. 

Set Aside Time for Rest

Everyone needs to rest and recover, and when you have a busy schedule, rest can be hard to come by. Schedule time for rest so that your child can go back to giving it their all in the classroom and on the field. This may mean stopping them when they insist they just need one more hour of practice or one more hour to study. 

Celebrate All Accomplishments

Your ambitious child may struggle to see their smaller wins while working toward the big ones. Make sure to celebrate all of their accomplishments, from acing a difficult test to helping the team score points during a game. Keep them motivated throughout the season, and be there for them when things don’t go their way. It’s important for your child to know that they have your support, no matter how the season’s going.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we believe parents play a major role in helping student athletes succeed. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.