Nicholas Ferroni pledges to reduce technology in high school classrooms

After 23 years in the classroom, Nicholas Ferroni decided to change course and caught the attention of millions. In an Instagram video that has been viewed more than 3 million times, the former actor and New Jersey high school teacher shared why he’s intentionally cutting back on technology this year and returning to his teaching practices before Google, laptops and constant clicking.

In the video, Ferroni explains his shift toward more paper, more eye contact, more conversation, and more hands-on learning, arguing that being faster and more efficient doesn’t always mean better developing students’ critical thinking, creativity, and connections. We caught up with Ferroni to find out how the experiment is going, what day-to-day “less tech” looks like, and what he’s learned so far. Here’s our Q&A with him.

By the way, you can follow Nicholas on Instagram.

Q: You have been teaching for 23 years. What made you rethink the way you teach technology this year?

Last year, I was actually looking for a change. I just think, I can’t do this anymore.

Over the summer, I reflected on what works best in the classroom. I feel like during the pandemic, a lot of teachers have pivoted to 100% online presentations and digital tools – we have to. But when we went back to in-person learning, we already had all these technology systems in place, so we stuck with them. Chromebook. presentation. Screen.

Honestly, I see a decline in students’ academics, critical thinking skills, social skills, and ability to adapt and resolve conflicts. It was then that I realized that I was a little too far away from my goal of being an effective teacher early in my career.

I really feel like I’m doing a disservice to my students by keeping them on Chromebooks. I love my job. I love my students. But I know it won’t do them any good.

When I first started teaching, I felt like I was a more effective teacher and my students benefited more from this style and approach. So I said, I have to get back to what works.

Q: What do you teach now?

I currently teach Honors U.S. History to 10th grade, Humanities to 11th and 12th grade, and a course called United States History. History of Popular Culture and Mass Media.

Q: I know you were an actor before teaching. How did that experience impact your approach to the classroom?

Yes, before teaching, I was an actor. I’m on soap. I kind of got into it and thought, I might as well pursue this. I quickly realized I wasn’t very good at it, but I kept getting hired.

After about a year, I realized this wasn’t making me happy. I always wanted to be a history teacher, so on the days when I wasn’t filming, I started subbing. When a position opened up at my old high school, I applied and became a permanent substitute, then moved to full-time.

I always say that every great teacher can be a great actor, but not every great actor can be a great teacher. Teaching is about performing and improvising every day—unless you’re doing six shows a day for an audience that doesn’t necessarily want to attend.

Q: When did you start to feel successful as a teacher?

My first four or five years were really hard. do you think it is dead poets society-They will remember your every word and then you will realize that content is the least important part of teaching.

Around year five, I started hitting my stride. This is what happened when I stopped lecturing and took more risks. I turned to experiential, activity-based learning. That’s when everything changed.

Q: What does “low tech” actually look like in your classroom?

I would be lying if I said there was no technology in my classroom. We still use it for research. But at least three or four days a week I put pen to paper. Hand to paper. Hands-on work.

Every other Friday we have a completely tech-free day. Students play board games, read, write, journal, draw or color. No work. No screen.

Q: What changes have you seen in students since changing this approach?

My child is more talkative. Be more engaged. Be more compassionate. They are using parts of their brain that they don’t normally use. Even my seniors – who usually go out – are involved. That’s huge.

Q: How do you talk to students about cell phone use and technology without making it a power struggle?

I don’t see it as discipline. I define it as caring. I talk to them about brain hacking—how companies design technology to keep them hooked. I talk about mental health. i tell them Why We are limiting cell phones and technology. I don’t want them to throw their phones on the floor, but I want them to understand what’s going on in their brains.

Sometimes just to show them it’s okay to disconnect. We’ll be fine.

Q: What advice would you give to teachers who want to try this but feel overwhelmed?

Start simple. Journal entries. Questions written on index cards on blackboard. Notebook in the classroom. Next year I will be purchasing notebooks for all of my students so we can journal regularly.

There is always a way to take something from Google Classroom and make it tangible – something they can write on, feel, see and touch.

Q: Any final words to educators watching all of this?

Don’t be afraid of failure. Try new things. Our best memories and best learning almost never happen in front of a screen. Presence remains the most powerful tool we have.

Watch our video where Nicholas Ferroni talks about this work.

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