"This project gave me a chance to work on the institutional and behavioral roots of the issue." "All three of these components must collaborate with each other, so that students get the sleep they need to be successful in school," says Garza, who remembers teaching days when his exciting and well-prepared lesson plans were no match for the fourth-graders who came to class exhausted. With city officials, they would create a public service campaign to raise awareness of the issue within the broader community. With schools, the idea was to form a partnership to help educate parents and students, as well as develop a sleep curriculum tailored toward each grade. They would promote consistent bedtime routines that include reading and keeping a sleep log. With families, they would provide basic information about the importance of sleep and recommendations for helping elementary-aged children sleep better, such as practicing relaxation techniques and removing "sleep stealers" from bedrooms - televisions, computers, and game systems. So Bower, along with Kennedy School students Cris Garza and Erin Wang, created a campaign using the slogan, "Snooze or Lose: It's 8 p.m.! Let's jump in bed with a book!" The plan included working with three groups: families, schools, and cities. Sleep deprivation can also lead to behavioral and emotional problems and, in some cases, health issues. Sleep-deprived students struggle to pay attention, focus, and be creative. Another study of fourth- and fifth-graders showed that after decreasing sleep by one hour a night from the recommended 10, test scores dropped. One study of elementary-aged students reported that three-quarters watch television as part of their bedtime routines. So they proposed a comprehensive yet straightforward campaign that encourages elementary students to turn off the televisions, put down the caffeinated sodas, and get to bed.Īs Bethanne Bower, Ed.M.'12, says, "Sleep deprivation is a problem everyone can relate to."įor students, it's especially problematic. And they knew that for anyone to be interested, their project had to address a real problem. When students in Lecturer Rick Weissbourd's January term module were asked to create an intervention for at-risk children, one team knew it had to be something that was doable - not just for themselves (J-term classes last just two weeks), but also for the already-burdened Boston Public Schools they were targeting. Their message to kids was clear: Get some sleep.
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