I’m a Teacher and a Father—Here’s Why Cell Phones Should Be Ditched in the Classroom
A new survey suggests parents want cell phones with their kids at school—but out of reach.Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottWe know the data: kids’ cell phone use is at an all-time high. They are receiving, on average, more than 500 notifications a day. And there are only so many hours in a day. So that means 97% of kids are using their cell phones during school hours. The amount of time kids spend on their cell phones is absolutely affecting them—how they learn, how they think, how they behave.And yet, kids still need their phones. Parents are experiencing this conundrum of both wanting their children to have their phones on them during the school day but also recognizing it’s a detriment to their education.
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In a recent survey by the National Parents Union, parents agree that their kids should have their phones at school. In fact, 76% of parents of public school students say their children take their cell phones to school.While it's understandable for parents to want their children to have their phones at school, as a high school teacher I say it's all about balance.Why Parents Want Their Kids To Have Phones in SchoolsThe National Parents Union survey asked parents about the reasons why they believe their children should have their phones at school.Here's what they said:If there is an emergency at school - 78%To get in touch with your child or find out where they are - 58%To coordinate transportation - 48%To communicate with you about their mental health or other needs - 45%To communicate about appointments that they need to leave school for - 42%Let's start with that first reason. Unfortunately, we know that there are and will be emergencies. American schools today may feel unsafe to many. Parents should be concerned and are. Cell phones in schools may be a lifeline, like the most recent school shooting at a high school in Georgia, where students contacted family and friends to ensure their safety.Banning cell phones would eliminate this communicative safeguard. Yet, kids are more attached to their screens because of social media and not because of emergent situations.My high school students sometimes have to respond to a parent or employer, schedule an appointment, or there may be kids who need to self-regulate special health needs. While parents’ real concerns are not always about scheduling appointments, they do need to communicate with their children during the school day.Regulating Cell Phones in SchoolsOK, I get it. Kids can keep their cell phones with them during school hours. But who is expected to manage and regulate how and when kids use their cell phones? Whose responsibility is it really: parents, the school, or kids?Cell phone usage is cutting into instructional time, and 72% of educators say cell phone distraction is a major problem. The common denominator here is cell phones should not be used in the classroom.Surprisingly, kids know their cell phone usage is a problem. In a recent Pew study, 54% of teens acknowledged they spend too much time on their phones. Rarely will kids, especially teenagers, admit that we are right.But this time, we are right about the negative impacts of cell phones in schools. They know cell phone use in the classroom isn’t good for them, and they want us to, need us to, tell them to put their phones away—not face down, not in their pockets or their backpacks, but away, away.As a high school teacher in New Jersey, I experience the everyday challenges of trying to compete with my students’ cell phones, with their attention. Parents, you are very much in competition too. Listen, we are not winning here.We want to give our kids autonomy to self-regulate, but most adults can’t disconnect either. The difference, however, is that they have been given a tremendously powerful device, a tool of incomprehensible connectivity, and we expect them to disconnect themselves. They’re just kids, remember?
So, What's the Answer?Districts are implementing stricter cell phone policies. Some schools are banning them completely. Other schools require cell phones to be in lockers, in locked pouches, or to stay at home altogether.I suggest slightly less restrictive policies and procedures. Kids may very well need their phones. We need to do something, but we also need balance. If we compromise and give kids appropriate restrictions, they will buy in. They want to put their cell phones away too, though they might not admit it. At my high school, we are fitting classrooms with calculator-style caddies on the walls. Students put their cell phones in the caddy at the start of class and retrieve them at or toward the end of instruction time. Their cell phones are out of reach but in sight. This procedure both benefits the parents and their kids.If we don’t eliminate cell phones in the classroom entirely, we can still retrain kids on when to use cell phones appropriately.Let’s try:To keep their phones nearby, in sight, but out of reach.If they really need their phone, let them have it.Put your phone up/away too.Be consistent.If I had access to Myspace or AIM (yes, I’m a millennial) when I was in high school, I wouldn’t pay attention to my teachers either. It’s nothing personal (our kids still love us or love our class), but teachers and parents just can’t compete with cell phones, especially social media. Our best option is to put their cell phones away unless they need them—if they really need them.Let’s get real: there are few reasons why kids should keep their cell phones on them in the classroom. We know the research, and the data, and it all points to the same conclusion: ditch ‘em. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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