As Tennessee limits screen time for young students, here’s how low-tech learning plays out in one school

Tennessee lawmakers recently passed legislation that limits the use of screen time, even on educational devices, for elementary students. One Nashville school has long practiced a minimal approach to technology, and its students insist they are more social and focused as a result.

School districts and legislators are reevaluating technology’s role in the classroom as some research suggests that too much screen time can hurt students’ focus and ability to retain information. Last year, Tennessee implemented a cellphone ban during classroom instruction time. Most recently, HB2393 requires schools serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade to develop a policy that limits the use of digital devices.

‘Grateful we don’t have that distraction’

Linden Waldorf School – a private school in Green Hills serving students in pre-K to eighth grade – prioritizes hands-on-learning, nature and emotional development.

Students write much of their work by hand and are not allowed to bring cellphones on campus. Many of them appreciate these restrictions – saying they’re more focused than their peers in schools that allow digital devices.

“A lot of times instead of paying attention, they play games on their computers and then they end up failing the class,” said a Linden seventh grader. “I’m actually kind of grateful that we don’t have that distraction so I can focus more on my actual schoolwork and my grades and stuff.” 

Backers of the bill insist that prolonged screen time can hinder young children’s focus, empathy and frustration tolerance. Research shows that the rise in smartphones can be linked to a decline in students’ math and reading scores over the last decade. The measure’s sponsor, Rep. Michelle Reneau, R – Signal Mountain, argues that digital learning is not always effective.

“Students consistently comprehend and retain more when learning from paper and direct instruction than from screens, especially when material is complex or foundational,” she said during an education sub-commitee legislative hearing in March.

Linden School staff agree with this sentiment – having students write their own textbooks based on the information they learn from their teachers.

Striking a digital balance

Advocates for low-tech learning argue that the benefits don’t end with improved academic performance. Less screen time, they say, creates better social skills.

An eighth grader at Linden who transferred there in the fifth grade said she’s better suited for an environment that doesn’t rely heavily on technology and that she struggled to connect with her classmates in her previous school.

“We did read, but we didn’t read quite as much, and the gift we would get for being a good class would be to play games on the iPad,” she said. “I think that wasn’t as helpful for me.”

The legislation originally pushed for a total ban of educational devices, like Chromebooks, for elementary students but drew pushback from some educators who noted the importance of devices, like digital whiteboards. The measure was amended to afford schools discretion in how they limit electronic devices for instructional use.

Linden staff know that their students will likely go on to high schools that rely more on technology, so, students begin minally using a Chromebook in the sixth grade so they can conduct research through library catalogues and other educational websites.

Still, Rachel Pachmayr, the school’s director of admissions, stresses that kids don’t need constant stimulation and their brains are better fueled by rest and play.

The new legislation goes into effect during the 2026-27 school year.