Navigating Student Cell Phone Usage At School

Navigating Student Cell Phone Usage At School. In the current times, most if not all students have access to a cell phone, and this affects their classroom experience. Teachers and parents struggle with the distraction that cell phones cause their students. On one hand teachers and parents want their students to learn how to manage their cell phone time on their own. But students can get easily distracted by their cell phones, and this is detrimental to both the students and the teacher. It also wastes valuable class time. In order to reap the benefits of cell phones and reduce the negative side effects, teachers and parents must set reasonable and enforceable strategies for their student’s cell phone usage.

One of the main reasons that schools allow students to have their cell phones is for safety. They are a great tool for students in an emergency. But phones are also a valuable tool for students in the classroom. Cell phones have access to the internet and the almost unlimited well of information within it. If a student does not understand a word or concept, they can look it up and fill in the gaps of their knowledge. It also has a calculator for quick math calculations and spell check. Phones also allow students to communicate with each other. This fosters connections and can allow students to help each other in their specific area of strength and get help in their weaker subjects.

Cell phones are one of the main distractions from learning in the classroom. Studies have found that multitasking, such as going to multiple screens, impares a student’s ability to learn effectively. Students also fall prey to other distractions, such as Netflix. Students who are actively engaged in their cell phone and not their learning are put at a disadvantage.

Teachers have differing solutions to cell phone usage in the classroom. Some teachers require that students put their phone in a pocket in the back of class to physically separate them from their phones. Some students might appreciate the time they are away from their phone. Other teachers have different approaches such as shutting phones off and putting them away to keep students from constantly checking them.

Parents should ask their students to shut their phone off or put it on airplane mode to keep their students from constantly checking them while they are doing homework. The most important part of this is clear communication. Teachers and parents should clearly state expectations about cell phones in the classroom so that students understand what is expected from them and why.

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