I unlock my classroom door each morning, and before I ever reach the board, I reach for a screen. I check messages that came in overnight, scan platform updates and read alerts that did not exist when I was a student. Families reach out late because school no longer ends when the building closes. Before a single child walks through the door, I have already entered multiple digital spaces. Teaching now begins inside systems that never pause, and that reality shapes everything that follows. It is vital to prioritize student well-being in this tech-powered education system.

Growing Up With Limits and Time

Growing up, school felt contained. Textbooks sat on desks and shelves. We carried them home and brought them back, day after day. I did not have a school email address. My parents did not have access to grades in real time. When the bell rang, learning paused, and childhood picked back up.

Information moved differently then, and so did time. We heard about parties through word of mouth. We learned about trends from magazines. We waited for dismissal, rushed home and turned on MTV or BET — because shows came on at a set time. If you missed it, you missed it. You sat through commercials because that was part of watching television.

There was no rewind or fast-forward. Waiting was built into life, and patience developed without anyone naming it.

My students do not experience time the way I did, showing the importance of prioritizing student well-being. Streaming platforms removed schedules and waiting altogether. Shows start instantly. Entire seasons appear at once. Information moves at the same speed. Answers arrive immediately. Feedback is constant.

Access is broader than anything I could have imagined as a student, and opportunity feels more accessible for children who were once locked out of spaces like this. When I stop and truly take that in, I feel awe and gratitude; truly, what a time to be alive.

At the same time, that speed has reshaped attention, patience and focus inside schools that were never designed for instant access.

Read the full article about prioritizing well-being in tech-powered education systems by Patrice Wade at EdSurge.