Starting 21 July 2025
Welcome to this week's news, all summarised with amazing AI.
This week's stories look at how screens shape childhood, from smartphone timing to summer boredom, alongside the funding and training fights shaping teachers' classrooms.
👨👩👧 Parents News Summary
📵 When to Get a Smartphone?
New research links owning a smartphone before age 13 to worse mental health in early adulthood, especially for girls.
📱 Kids' Screen Time in Wales
One in five children in Wales use their phones and tablets for at least seven hours a day, according to a new survey.
🎮 Games for Mental Health
Designers made a game so kids can share tricky feelings. It helps young people talk about tough times like feeling sad or worried.
☀️ The Power of Boredom
More grown ups let kids have free, screen free time! Experts say being bored this summer helps kids be super creative and clever.
🌱 Screens, Boredom, and the Digital Childhood Debate
Don't give children under age 13 smartphones, new research saysNew research links owning a smartphone before age 13 to worse mental health outcomes in young adulthood, especially for girls.- A large study of young adults found that the earlier children get a smartphone, the worse their reported mental health tends to be later on.
- Girls who got smartphones by age five or six reported far higher rates of severe suicidal thoughts than those who waited until 13 or older.
Children in Wales using screens for more than seven hours a dayA survey by the children's commissioner for Wales finds one in five children spend at least seven hours a day on phones and tablets.- A new survey found one in five children in Wales spend at least seven hours a day on phones and tablets, with some reporting up to nine hours on weekends.
- New online safety rules requiring age verification are being enforced as concerns grow about how much time children spend online during school holidays.
Video game created to help young people's mental healthDesigners in Cornwall created a 'serious' video game, Ace of Hearts, to help young people talk about difficult experiences like bereavement and anxiety.- Teen girls in the survey reported more social media related issues than boys, and many admitted switching off built in time limit features.
- Designers in Cornwall built a 'serious' video game to help young people process bereavement, poverty, and other adverse experiences through play.
The Summer's Hottest Parenting Hack? BoredomMore parents are giving kids unstructured, screen free time this summer, and experts say the resulting boredom sparks creativity and resilience.- The game is part of a wider £35 million programme exploring young people's mental health using arts based methods, including gaming.
- A growing number of parents are intentionally letting kids get bored this summer instead of filling every hour with camps and activities.
First graders who use more educational media spend more time readingA new Ohio State study finds higher use of educational media is linked to more time spent reading and less overall screen time, not less reading.- Child psychologists say unstructured time has nearly disappeared over the past 30 years, replaced by constant stimulation and scheduled activities.
- Experts say allowing children to sit with boredom helps them build creativity, self direction, and resilience that overscheduling can crowd out.
🍎 Teachers News Summary
🤖 National AI Training Hub
A new 23 million dollar partnership will give over 400,000 K to 12 teachers free training for using AI safely!
💰 Federal Funding Released
Finally! Billions in federal K to 12 money released after delays, helping schools with staff and fun programs!
🍎 Growing New Teachers
A university teacher residency program is expanding to help address a city's high teacher shortage with newly certified educators.
💻 Funding, Training, and New Pathways Into Teaching
National AI training hub for educators to open, funded by OpenAI and MicrosoftA $23 million partnership between a major teachers union and tech companies will give more than 400,000 K-12 educators free training in AI.- A $23 million partnership between a major teachers union, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic will fund a national hub for AI training in New York.
- More than 400,000 K-12 educators will receive free workshops and hands-on training designed to close AI usage gaps between school districts.
Educators react to Trump administration unfreezing remaining federal fundsNEA responds after the release of billions of dollars in delayed federal K-12 funding that had left schools scrambling over summer staffing and programs.- The initiative aims to help teachers navigate AI wisely and ethically rather than simply reacting to its rapid spread in classrooms.
- The Trump administration released billions of dollars in delayed federal K-12 funding after weeks of uncertainty for schools nationwide.
Drexel to Expand Teacher Residency Model in Philadelphia with Support From William Penn FoundationA $600,000 grant will help Drexel's School of Education train and certify 25 new teachers over three years to address Philadelphia's teacher shortage.- School districts had warned the funding freeze threatened summer programs, staffing plans, and academic supports for the new school year.
- Union leaders said the delays undermined planning at a time when schools should have been focused on preparing students for success.
Combining a love of science with a passion for teachingIowa State's School of Education spotlights how a biology graduate builds real teaching skills, learning not just what to teach but how to teach.- Drexel University is expanding its teacher residency program with a $600,000 grant to help certify 25 new teachers over three years.
- The initiative targets Philadelphia, which has the highest teacher attrition rate of any county in Pennsylvania.
- Participants work in partner charter schools while earning Pre-K to 4 or special education certification through the residency model.
- Elsewhere, education students highlight how hands-on classroom experience and mentorship shape confident, well prepared new teachers.
✨ Extra Pearls
For Parents: Rethinking Screens and Free Time
- Delay a child's first smartphone as long as reasonably possible, and consider a basic phone as a first step
- Set aside a regular chunk of unstructured, screen free time each day and resist the urge to immediately fill it
- Talk openly with children about social media pressures, including how it can affect self image and mood
- Use games, books, or drawing together as a low pressure way to open conversations about big feelings
- Check in on built in screen time limits on apps, since many children quietly switch them off
For Teachers: Building AI Skills and Support
- Take advantage of free national or district AI training hubs as they roll out rather than waiting for mandates
- Push for clear, written classroom guidance on AI so expectations are transparent for students and families
- Stay informed about how federal or local funding changes might affect programs, staffing, and available resources
- Seek out mentorship or residency style support if you are new to teaching, since hands-on guidance builds confidence fast
- Share useful AI tools and training resources with colleagues to help close gaps across your school
Remember: Both children and teachers thrive when given the right balance of support, structure, and space to grow.
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