Screens Are Taking Over Classrooms. Sophie Winkleman Explains Why That Might Be a Big Problem For Our Kids
If you’ve ever looked around your classroom and thought “Wow, the kids are here, but their minds definitely aren’t”, then Sophie Winkleman’s ARC 2025 talk will hit home. She shared one of the clearest explanations of what screens are doing to students and why schools might need to rethink how much tech we’re using.
This isn’t about being anti-technology. It’s about asking a simple question.
Is all this screen time actually helping kids learn?
Or is it quietly making things harder for them, their teachers and their families?
Let’s break down what she shared and how it connects to what we’re trying to make possible with TuroBot.
A Bus Ride That Says A Lot About Our World
Winkleman starts with a story. She was on a busy London bus, standing over a young man and woman. They were sitting right next to each other, both on their phones. Nothing unusual.
But here’s the twist.
Both were on dating apps, scrolling through profiles of people who looked just like the person sitting right beside them.
They didn’t look up.
They didn’t talk.
They got off at the same stop and walked in opposite directions.
It’s funny, but also kind of sad. We live around people but don’t actually notice each other anymore. And if adults struggle like this, imagine how much harder it is for kids who are growing up in a world where screens are everywhere.
That moment sums up the whole issue. When our attention is constantly pulled away, real life starts to slip through the cracks.
What Screens Are Doing To Kids At School
Winkleman visits a lot of schools, and she noticed something that probably won’t surprise teachers.
Kids are distracted in class.
Kids are quiet in the playground.
Kids seem more anxious and irritable than ever.
She said it felt like children were becoming a “different species”. Honestly, most teachers would agree with that. Something has changed in the last decade, and screens are a big part of it.
She even joked that if she had a smartphone when she was in school, she never would’ve learned anything. She would have been glued to all the nonsense online. And she’s right. Who wouldn’t? We all know how addicting these apps are. Kids don’t stand a chance.
The Stats Are Actually Pretty Scary
Here are some of the numbers Winkleman shared. And yes, they’re real.
• Teen suicide rates have skyrocketed
• Eating disorder hospital admissions have gone up sixfold
• Self harm is up 500 percent in under a decade
• Short sightedness is exploding worldwide
• Kids aged 8 to 18 spend an average of seven and a half hours on screens every day, and that’s outside school
These aren’t small shifts. This is a whole generation dealing with problems that didn’t exist at this scale before smartphones. Kids are overstimulated, sleep deprived and constantly comparing themselves to other people online.
And when you add even more screen time during school hours, it only intensifies everything.
Is Classroom Tech Actually Helping? Evidence Says… Not Really
Now here’s the surprising part. For all the excitement about “21st century learning” and “digital classrooms”, the evidence just doesn’t back it up.
• Only 7 percent of edtech companies have ever done proper research trials
• OECD data shows that kids who use screens more often at school actually perform worse
• Sweden completely rolled back iPads in primary schools
• Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs all limited tech for their own kids
So if the people who build the tech don’t want their kids using it all day, why are schools being pushed to use even more of it?
Winkleman calls it what it is.
Big Tech dressed up in a school uniform.
Kids don’t learn better because something is digital. Most of the time, the tech just adds distractions and makes it harder for kids to focus. And teachers can feel it.
Why Low Tech Still Works Better
Let’s be honest. There is something powerful about keeping learning simple.
Paper
Pencils
Books
Handwriting
Real conversations
Real thinking
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s neuroscience. Studies show we learn more deeply when we read on paper and write by hand. There’s less cognitive load and more actual understanding.
When kids use screens too much, their brains get used to a certain level of stimulation. Everything else starts to feel boring, even though “boring” is actually where real learning happens.
A physical worksheet forces a kid to slow down a little. To think. To focus. And you can’t swipe away from a worksheet.
So Where Does TuroBot Fit Into All This?
If you’re a teacher, you probably agree with much of what Winkleman says. Screens are getting out of control, but lesson planning takes time, and worksheets take ages to create.
That’s exactly why we created TuroBot.
TuroBot gives teachers the ability to bring back low tech learning, without adding more workload. It lets you:
• Generate custom worksheets instantly
• Create printable PDFs your students can use right away
• Give kids screen free activities
• Reduce digital overload in your classroom
• Focus lessons on thinking, not tapping
Kids don’t touch a screen.
There’s no login for them.
You print and teach.
TuroBot is modern on your side, but traditional on the student side. It’s the balance that teachers have been needing for years.
A Future Where Classrooms Feel Human Again
Winkleman ends her talk by flipping the question completely.
Instead of trying to prove that screens are harmful, she asks something simpler.
Where is the proof that they are actually safe.
It’s a powerful question. And honestly, no one has a good answer yet.
What we do know is this. Kids focus better when things are simple. They learn better with books and paper. They behave better with fewer distractions. And they thrive in environments that feel grounded and human.
Teachers want that. Parents want that. And students definitely need that. TuroBot is here to support that shift.
Bring Calm, Focus And Real Learning Back Into Your Classroom
If you want tools that help your students step away from screens, TuroBot is the easiest place to start.
• Generate worksheets in seconds
• Print and teach
• No distractions for students
• No complicated systems for teachers
Try it free and see how much calmer your lessons feel.
👉 https://www.turobot.io
Sometimes the simplest tools really are the most powerful.
And if Sophie Winkleman is right, the next generation needs us to choose wisely.