This has us questioning everything: Kids spend 113 minutes daily on TikTok in the U.S.
That's nearly two hours. Every. Single. Day.
Oh, and they open the TikTok app 20 times per day. Twenty separate decisions to choose TikTok over literally everything else on their phone. Including that assignment you spent three hours perfecting.
Now before you start drafting your "back in my day" speech, meet Sarah Vargas, our Senior Accreditation Manager. She's spent ten years watching this exact shift happen—first as a classroom teacher, then across four different EdTech companies. And she's got some thoughts about why your students pick endless scrolling over your carefully crafted lesson plans.
(It's not what you think.)
Today’s Deep Dive: Stop fighting TikTok. Start beating it.
Reading Rainbow: The end of teaching kids to use a mouse
From Our Desk: Our recent parodies and podcasts
Watch of the Week: Going goth (for school, obviously)
Show of Hands: Time vs. money vs. sanity
The 3 Questions That Win Back Student Attention
Look, nobody wants to admit this, but… your students aren't choosing TikTok because they have shorter attention spans. They're choosing it because it's actually good at holding their attention.
Our Senior Accreditation Manager at Subject, Sarah Vargas, is constantly thinking about this issue when talking to schools. When educators and school leaders think about how to compete with TikTok, it comes down to three questions educators must consider before curriculum changes, new processes, or tool implementation:
1. Would kids actually choose to watch this?
No, “because it’s required” is not a good enough answer. Seriously ask yourself: Would students voluntarily click play on your content the same way they choose TikTok videos? Think about turning individual lessons into episodes of a bigger story. Math becomes detective cases that require algebra to solve. Science turns into exploration adventures where students discover concepts through curiosity, not explanation.
2. Does this make the teacher's job easier?
Great content shouldn't turn you into tech support. Vargas has seen too many "engaging" platforms that look amazing in demos but create nightmares in real classrooms. The best educational content works seamlessly with what you're already doing—no new passwords, no hour-long tutorials, no troubleshooting when the principal walks in.
3. Can the principal show this works?
School leaders need more than engagement metrics. They need proof that compelling content actually improves learning outcomes. When you can show real data about student comprehension and completion rates, suddenly everyone's interested in supporting what you're doing.
Vargas puts it simply: new content, especially video courses, should be entertaining and short so “kids don’t get bored.” Students choose to learn, teachers feel supported, and administrators see results. That's better education, but also the kind of change that transforms entire schools.
And now, you know exactly where to start.
READ ALL OF VARGAS’S ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS IN OUR FULL PLAYBOOK →
Goodbye Mouse Lessons, Hello Digital Thinking
Digital fluency goes beyond teaching students how to use technology—it's about teaching them to think with it, solve novel problems, and choose the right tools for the job. According to EdTech, schools are shifting from teaching basic tech skills (like using a mouse) to focusing on what students can create and produce with technology, preparing them for a rapidly changing workforce.Everyone Learns Better Together
Nebraska has become a model for inclusive education, piloting statewide initiatives that keep children with disabilities learning alongside their peers in regular classrooms rather than separating them. The state's approach shows that when inclusion is done well—like keeping a 6-year-old with autism and his twin sister in the same classroom—all children benefit from integrated learning environments.Virtual "Engagement" That's Actually Just Distraction
Let’s call out the elephant in the virtual classroom: those clever memes and random polls aren't actually engaging anyone. Turns out, making people click buttons for 10 minutes doesn't equal learning (but you already know this!). Real engagement requires genuine cognitive effort, not digital busy work that makes facilitators feel better about dead air time.STEM Isn't Just for STEM Teachers Anymore
Edutopia breaks down how every teacher can sneak STEM skills into their classroom (without needing an engineering degree or fancy equipment). Spanish teachers are using AI to solve global challenges, art students are 3D modeling prototypes, and PE classes are analyzing sports physics with wearable devices. Because apparently the future job market doesn't care if you're a "STEM person"—everyone needs these skills now.
“Plug Walk” Parody - We turned our engineering office into a full-blown science lab and cooked up some serious EdTech heat!
On the Subject Podcast #57 - UCLA Lab School’s Ava Gilani Jacobs on Teaching Critical Media Literacy
On the Road EP. 2 - When George came to the U.S., he barely spoke English. As an immigrant navigating a new country, language, and education system... He faced overwhelming odds. Then everything changed at Chaffey Adult School.
Our pick of the week: Wednesday (Netflix)
Why we're obsessed: Season 2 just dropped and we’re hooked! The show’s blend of classic gothic themes with modern storytelling makes it the perfect bridge between traditional literature and student interests. It’s perfect for introducing the classroom to literary genres and authors (besides Edgar Allen Poe, of course) they might otherwise find intimidating!
Recommended lesson integrations:
How to build a mystery in creative writing — Teach students to drop clues without dropping the ball (unlike most mystery movies…*ahem* Will Ferrell’s Homes & Watson)
Introduction to Gothic literature — Finally, a way to introduce other authors than Edgar Allan Poe!
How to write character development through dialogue and action — Show, don't tell (yes, even when your characters are as dramatic as your teen emo days)
Exploration of “outcasts” and social commentary in American literature — Because every generation thinks they invented being misunderstood—even if it’s just shopping at Hot Topic
Essay writing prompts on analyzing themes of identity and belonging — Perfect for students who relate more to fictional characters than actual humans (and great chance for you to bring back that mysterious loner phase from high school)
We're just getting started, and we want to hear from you! What kind of things do you want to read about in an ed-focused newsletter?
Thank you for joining us for our first edition of On the Subject. We’ll see you again in a week, with more stories from the hallways.
The Subject Team
Want to learn more about our curriculum offerings? Contact us today.