For four days, middle school students from Sommières, usually hyperconnected, accompanied by three donkeys and supervised by two teachers, took part in a hike, without cell phones, in the Cévennes.
This is the worry of all parents. How to get their kids, “addicts” to mobile phones, social networks (TikTok and others), and network games to stop.
In Sommières, two teachers from the Gaston-Doumergue college – Wadi Benjou, technology teacher and Muriel Auguste, Spanish teacher, contacted parents of students and convinced twelve middle school students, in 4th and 5th grade (children considered to be hyperconnected ), to participate in a disconnection stay in the Cévennes national park.
“When students spend a lot of time on TikTok and on screens, confides Wadi Benjou, with the effect of dopamine, their abilities to be curious and attentive are diminished. And in class, their concentration level fluctuates too much. Especially at the end of the day. This has consequences on learning and their schooling. This is why we offered them this disconnected stay.”
Do without the phone and be in action
For both teachers, “the goal is to make these students understand that they can do without a cell phone as long as they are in action. We can then imagine other things and share them with our classmates.”
The departure was set for Monday June 3 in Aumessas. Cell phones therefore remained at home. On the program, hikes every day, evenings under the Cévennes sky, a little music, nights in tents, discussions, silence, laughter, respect for others, discoveries…. The small troop covered more than 40 km and crossed a few elevation changes, the first of which was rather tough.
The three donkeys and their guide
The stay – without screens, without phones – was called Ado Donkeys and there is a reason. During these four days and three nights, these teenagers and their two teachers were accompanied by the donkeys of Paul Remission, a guide “fabulous,” according to the teenagers and teachers we met on the way home this Thursday. “The donkey is an animal in which we can have total confidence, comments Paul Discount. He’s a confidant. A being of incredible gentleness who gives you a very positive image of yourself.”.
“I feel more peaceful”
“I am happy, shouts, Enzo, crossed this Thursday, late afternoon, on the way back. The teenager escorts the donkey, Pascaline, who is carrying part of the bivouac. “I have been with him for three days” “I feel more peaceful” comments a teenage girl. ” “Yes, it was nice”, confides Manon. “It’s actually a good experience. confides a student to our colleague from Via Occitanie. It changes habits of being outdoors.” “It made us aware of ecology, and then it made us love nature more“, continues a student. “This stay is a real victory, notes Muriel, Spanish teacher. They learned that there are other ways to feel good… We also wanted to improve listening, to bring back the human touch, the connection between teenagers and us adults. What we can do in classes of 30 students.”
The other digital project of Gaston-Doumergue college
“Be careful, I have nothing against digital technology and social networks”, insists Wadi Benjou, technology teacher and digital referent at the college. “When the student becomes a slave to his cell phone, screens yes, it’s a problem. But the cell phone can be used as a constructive tool. This is what we offered to the students who went on a trip to Salamanca in Spain, a few months ago we, in a way, hijacked the object to make it a tool and offered these middle school students to do reports, but with their mobile phone. They edited the videos and wrote them. texts in Spanish. The mobile phone is then constructive and positive.”
“I made new friends”, says a 4th grade student. His mother came to Aumessas to pick up the boy and is participating in the carpool set up for his stay by the parents of the students. “My son is very often on network video games, mom worries. His work and learning can be sloppy. He does his exercises very quickly, then goes to online video games. We tried to deny him this access when he was in fifth grade. He became even more withdrawn. I tell him: you have friends outside. Why don’t you invite them home?'”
The purpose of this stay which ended this week does not stop at the Cévennes. For the two teachers who carried out this project, the idea is to help these teenagers to organize themselves subsequently, to set up regular disconnection times for their school work and to regain a taste for reality.
