6 August 2026

Kia ora koutou

I was curious but not necessarily surprised to read that Sweden has recently done a U-turn on technology in their schools. Sweden, who was once the forerunner. Switching off: Sweden says back-to-basics schooling works on paper

This has tended to be the trend in many schools that I know of anecdotally, including ourselves. When we redeveloped the Strategic Plan last year it came through loud and clear from our community that as much as we can, let's keep these six years of primary schooling as hands on as possible. These years are precious and only come around once. They are often termed the golden years of childhood - a time for hands-on discovery, imaginative play, making mistakes, and learning how to think through problems sometimes for the very first time.

Technology has a place, certainly and that’s why we have considered use in Phase 2 of the Curriculum - in the Senior School. I say considered use because we want to use technology in a way that enhances rather than replaces or when there are specific needs that require technological support/s. It has its place, for sure. 

We do not use technology in our junior school and this is very deliberate. Being physically active, building skills, exploring nature, 'risky play’, collaboration, involving humour and nonsense, sensory play, imaginary worlds, art, music, performing, making and doing - all of ‘THAT sort of stuff!’ is what drives a lot of priorities. 

Neuroscientists describe Dopamine as the neurotransmitter of anticipation, motivation, curiosity, and reward. It is what drives humans to explore, learn, and master new skills. When children use screens, they get "fast dopamine" - passive, instant, high-intensity spikes that require zero physical or mental effort. In the real world, young children experience "slow dopamine" - earned, effort-based hits that build patience, resilience, and genuine joy. This is what we are focused on - and what essentially your feedback was too. 

Everywhere I look it seems to be such a hot topic. From the headline “Are we creating a nation of dunces?” to “Frequent screen time in classrooms linked to lower literacy and maths scores, study warns”  to “High rates of digital distraction: 80% of Kiwi students report tech off-task during lessons.” 

The recent headlines centre around AI and the latest ERO Review Findings. “Most teachers say AI is weakening critical thinking as New Zealand schools go without rules".

Recently, the Education Review Office (ERO) released a national report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in New Zealand schools. You may want a read: Alarming ERO report reveals most teachers fear AI is eroding critical thinking - NZ Herald.

We want our children to stay children for as long as possible. That means protecting their natural curiosity, encouraging them to stretch their own imaginations, and helping them build confidence in their own minds before handing them shortcuts. The chance to build deep creativity and real-world problem-solving skills happens right now.

Somehow we need to find the way to best support our children to stay curious, hands on and grounded during this precious window of time while still preparing them for the high probability of a tech filled future.

Here’s to finding ways to experience slow dopamine this weekend!

Ngā mihi nui