Main Line Classical Academy

A classroom is more than a place where information is delivered. It is a community.

In Part 5 of our Responsible Technology Use series, Dr. Asya Sigelman explains one of the simplest reasons we limit unnecessary screens: we want students to see one another.

At MLCA, that means students discuss books face-to-face, work through difficult math problems together, ask and answer questions aloud, write and annotate by hand, and learn from teachers who are fully present in the room.

These experiences matter. Learning is not only about receiving information. It is also about listening carefully, explaining an idea, disagreeing thoughtfully, asking a better question, and responding to the person across the table.

Technology has an important place at MLCA when it genuinely enhances learning—in robotics, programming, engineering, and other purposeful uses. But it is not the default medium through which our students encounter their teachers, their classmates, or the world.

Sometimes the most intentional use of technology is knowing when it is not needed.

What happens when everything around us gets faster and shorter?

In Part 5 of our Intentional Technology series, Dr. Asya Sigelman reflects on something she has noticed in her years as a college professor: students are finding it increasingly difficult to slow down, sustain their attention, and devote themselves to work that takes time.

At MLCA, we believe the habits that make deep learning possible begin much earlier—but that does not mean asking young children to work like college students. Quite the opposite.

Children need time to read deeply, work through challenging problems, practice an instrument, memorize a poem, listen carefully, and follow an idea wherever it leads. They also need time for imaginative play, friendship, exploration, and being outdoors. We don’t see these things as competing with one another. Together, they are part of a rich childhood and a serious education.

Our classrooms are intentionally low-tech because we want children to engage directly with their teachers, their classmates, their books, their work, and the world around them. Technology has an important place in education. We simply don’t believe it needs to fill every space.

We want our students to grow up knowing how to slow down, pay attention, and give worthwhile things the time they deserve.

What if children experienced mathematics the way mathematicians do?

Great mathematicians have described mathematics as beautiful, elegant, deep, exciting, and joyful. At Main Line Classical Academy, we strive to cultivate that same love of mathematics in every child.

Our students learn to look for patterns, find order, simplify, and generalize. They begin with concrete experiences, gradually moving toward abstract thinking as they develop confidence and understanding. Along the way, they learn that mathematics is not simply about finding the right answer—it is about learning how to think.

For centuries, mathematics stood at the heart of a classical education. As part of the quadrivium—the four mathematical arts—it was understood not merely as a useful skill, but as a discipline that forms the mind.

We believe that vision is just as relevant today. When children learn to think clearly, reason carefully, and delight in discovery, they gain far more than mathematical ability—they develop habits of mind that will serve them for a lifetime.

Technology has an important place in education—but it should never replace the conversations, relationships, and face-to-face moments that help children grow.

In this clip, Dr. Asya Sigelman explains why the real question isn’t simply books versus screens. It’s whether screens are replacing the human interactions that shape attention, communication, and character.

At Main Line Classical Academy, we put this philosophy into practice. We don’t use 1:1 student devices or smart boards as the foundation of classroom instruction. Instead, students spend most of their day reading, writing by hand, discussing ideas, solving problems together, and engaging directly with their teachers and classmates. Technology is used intentionally—whether for programming and robotics or the occasional lesson where a video meaningfully enhances learning—but it is never the primary medium through which children learn.

New here? This is Part 4 of our Intentional Technology series. You’ll find the previous episodes saved in our Intentional Technology Highlight.

Part 3 in our summer series on responsible technology use at MLCA. Why do we use pencils and paper over screens in the classroom? Take a listen!

Intentional Technology Use • Part 3

At Main Line Classical Academy, technology is used intentionally—not by default.

Whenever possible, our students learn from real books, write with pen and paper, and develop ideas by hand before moving to a keyboard.

Research in neurology and psychology continues to show that writing by hand helps children absorb, organize, and retain information more effectively than typing alone.

Technology has an important place in education. But first, we cultivate the habits of attention, memory, and deep thinking that last a lifetime.