I am a retired middle school teacher. Many schools, at least when I taught, started and ended the day with a homeroom. To simplify holding phones during the school day, this is what I’m thinking might work. Each student could have a pouch of some sort ( draw string bag) with his/ her name on it. Bring the phone to homeroom in the morning , put it on the desk enclosed in its identifying bag, teacher picks the phones up, puts them in a locked cabinet, file box of some sort, or whatever. During homeroom at the end of the day, the teacher passes out the phones. It’s quick and easy to do this, with the phone in a bag with the student’s name on it. If the student has to leave early because of a sporting event , etc. he / she should leave the phone at home that day. ( or in student’s locked car if a high school student) The teacher should not be bothered to find the phone early for the student.
I think it is vitally important that students do NOT have phones at all during the school day. For the parent who feels they need to have access to their student during the school day, call the central office like parents did in the past. The same for a student, go to the central office if a call needs to be made to the parent. Somehow before cell phones we all managed to get through the school day. It’s a burden on teachers and detracts from learning if each classroom has to have different cell phone rules. Teachers should not have to deal with cell phones in their classrooms with some being the “bad guy” who makes students put phones away and some teachers are the “good guys” being lax about cell phones. Those are just a few thoughts.
I am a college professor, and this is a real battle. I said in a half joking way the other day to a colleague that I could stand in front of my class and stop talking and stand in silence for five minutes and eventually someone might look up. Yesterday in class when we were having a discussion and viewing video clips studying directors’ and actors’ different approaches to performing Hamlet, before class got started, I asked for students to close their laptops and turn their phones facedown or put them away. I believe engagement overall shot up, however, there were the students who just couldn’t help themselves sneaking looks on their phones. Last fall, I taught a special “no-tech/low-tech” honors early American literature class that had the policy of no laptops, no phones, no tablets, no smart watches and all books were read as actual hardcopy books. 95% of all writing happened in class and no e-books were used. I was surprised how little pushback there was from students. I also think it’s interesting that the majority of the class were dual enrolled high school-college students.
Several told me at some point that they were so grateful to have a place where they could come and not have to worry about their phones and what was happening on them. I’m teaching the class again in the fall. I’ll be interested to see what this student population will be like compared to last year’s cohort.
Phone distraction is a big problem in universities as well. Campuses are silent in between classes. It’s a weird time and students often ask questions about what was just said in class by me or a peer because they weren’t paying attention. They were looking down at their phones or their laptops. They truly believe they can do three or four things at once because that’s how they live their lives and write their papers and study for tests. Most students don’t understand that it is actually truly beneficial to have focus on one thing in class, or while reading a book, or working on an essay in a distraction-free zone.
What else can bed-ridden people with chronic severe pain do besides opioids? It is an honest question. I'm not sure what the purpose of your post is, for all I know i agree with you. Simply inquiring.
We are instituting a district wide, bell to bell Yondr policy for phones, watches, earbuds, and smart glasses in our 30 schools, beginning in 2025-2026. We have done considerable advance engagement. Our student senate has come out in support. We are also prohibiting the use of personal laptops and tablets. You are welcome to connect with us to see how it is going. Brad Stam, Chief Academic and Innovation Officer, Santa Clara Unified. bstam@scusd.net
We implemented an 8am-3:30pm NO phones for any reason (even class instruction/use) at the end of the 23-24 school year. Off, away, not visible (a turned-off phone in the back pocket is also confiscated for parent pick-up). IT HAS BEEN A SCHOOL CHANGER!
We know this because we observe, and have to deal with :), old-school problems: loud hallways, holes in walls, romantic relationships developing, loud talking and laughing in between classes, games (made-up, board, acting, etc) "logging" the hallways, and far more teacher-student-student F2F interactions.
Although we have had a cell-phone policy for years, a clear-cut bell-to-bell NO circumstances has been the only one enforceable.
As a public school educator, I am so thankful for this conversation and the research. The high school I work at finally implemented a cell phone policy that is actually enforced. The change saved my career.
This tries to solve the issue way to late. When we see kids 5, 6 years old being handed some device with a colorful addictive game just so that the parents don’t have to deal face to face with their kid… That’s where the issue starts. I know it’s hard because “everyone has a phone” and “they see it everywhere now”. Doesn’t mean we should aim for a different culture regarding our devices!
Yes, I remember sitting at a table of first grade parents with everyone lamenting how hard it was to get their kids off their iPads, the temper tantrums or frustrations... When it came around the circle to me, I mentioned that my daughter doesn't have an iPad so it wasn't an issue. Crickets after that...
Education like politics has become a please-everyone endeavor. All constituencies get a say in what happens and what happens is usually unhelpful and meaningless. The premise is simple: Schools are educational institutions where qualified administrators and teachers promote, protect, and advance educational excellence. Technology in general and smart phones in particular have trampled this premise. Any attempt to curb the trample or stop it meets the varied demands of involved constituencies.
Policy needs to be professionally focused and not held hostage by inexperienced parties. This is to say that school personnel should set technology rules that best advance education excellence. What we have now is a policy hodgepodge that’s undermining education and promoting students who are alienated not just from their teachers and other students but from themselves too.
Not only do schools need to implement comprehensive policies addressing smart phones and other personal devices but tech companies need regulations restricting their algorithms and AI tools from wreaking havoc on all of us, not just kids.
I don't like a sweeping "no phones" in the class. My grandaughter (age 13 at the time) was in a situation where an alarm went out that there was a shooter in the building. She hid in a closet and was able, with tears, to call her parents. Luckily, it turned out to not be a shooter, but she had had the trauma, and being able to talk to her parents helped. Perhaps some phones should be available for this sort of use; maybe kids who do not abuse their phones during class.
This is not what I want happening in my classroom if there is an active shooter. There are reports of the shooter being alerted to where students are hiding in the classroom due to phone screens lit up/phone notifications going off. I want my students focused on the instructions being given by the teacher and to stay silent. They are all going to need to process trauma after the fact, but in the moment they need to stay present and attentive to instructions given.
I work in Kindergarten and 1st grade as a Para. A couple of my students in Kinder have cell phones and they keep them in their backpack in the coat room. I get why parents send them with phones, however…
I am a retired middle school teacher. Many schools, at least when I taught, started and ended the day with a homeroom. To simplify holding phones during the school day, this is what I’m thinking might work. Each student could have a pouch of some sort ( draw string bag) with his/ her name on it. Bring the phone to homeroom in the morning , put it on the desk enclosed in its identifying bag, teacher picks the phones up, puts them in a locked cabinet, file box of some sort, or whatever. During homeroom at the end of the day, the teacher passes out the phones. It’s quick and easy to do this, with the phone in a bag with the student’s name on it. If the student has to leave early because of a sporting event , etc. he / she should leave the phone at home that day. ( or in student’s locked car if a high school student) The teacher should not be bothered to find the phone early for the student.
I think it is vitally important that students do NOT have phones at all during the school day. For the parent who feels they need to have access to their student during the school day, call the central office like parents did in the past. The same for a student, go to the central office if a call needs to be made to the parent. Somehow before cell phones we all managed to get through the school day. It’s a burden on teachers and detracts from learning if each classroom has to have different cell phone rules. Teachers should not have to deal with cell phones in their classrooms with some being the “bad guy” who makes students put phones away and some teachers are the “good guys” being lax about cell phones. Those are just a few thoughts.
I am a college professor, and this is a real battle. I said in a half joking way the other day to a colleague that I could stand in front of my class and stop talking and stand in silence for five minutes and eventually someone might look up. Yesterday in class when we were having a discussion and viewing video clips studying directors’ and actors’ different approaches to performing Hamlet, before class got started, I asked for students to close their laptops and turn their phones facedown or put them away. I believe engagement overall shot up, however, there were the students who just couldn’t help themselves sneaking looks on their phones. Last fall, I taught a special “no-tech/low-tech” honors early American literature class that had the policy of no laptops, no phones, no tablets, no smart watches and all books were read as actual hardcopy books. 95% of all writing happened in class and no e-books were used. I was surprised how little pushback there was from students. I also think it’s interesting that the majority of the class were dual enrolled high school-college students.
Several told me at some point that they were so grateful to have a place where they could come and not have to worry about their phones and what was happening on them. I’m teaching the class again in the fall. I’ll be interested to see what this student population will be like compared to last year’s cohort.
Phone distraction is a big problem in universities as well. Campuses are silent in between classes. It’s a weird time and students often ask questions about what was just said in class by me or a peer because they weren’t paying attention. They were looking down at their phones or their laptops. They truly believe they can do three or four things at once because that’s how they live their lives and write their papers and study for tests. Most students don’t understand that it is actually truly beneficial to have focus on one thing in class, or while reading a book, or working on an essay in a distraction-free zone.
AD:"...educators can access ... evidence-based ... emotional well-being."
No metrics found in survey... so where?
It seems like they want parameters, which makes sense.
What else can bed-ridden people with chronic severe pain do besides opioids? It is an honest question. I'm not sure what the purpose of your post is, for all I know i agree with you. Simply inquiring.
Mass murderer?? What--who?
And why would anyone want to depend on the government for anything instead of depending on themselves and being self-sufficient?
We are instituting a district wide, bell to bell Yondr policy for phones, watches, earbuds, and smart glasses in our 30 schools, beginning in 2025-2026. We have done considerable advance engagement. Our student senate has come out in support. We are also prohibiting the use of personal laptops and tablets. You are welcome to connect with us to see how it is going. Brad Stam, Chief Academic and Innovation Officer, Santa Clara Unified. bstam@scusd.net
This is fantastic!
https://www.santaclarausd.org/families/phone-free-schools#:~:text=Elementary%20grade%20students%20are%20encouraged,and%20receive%20a%20Yondr%20pouch.
We implemented an 8am-3:30pm NO phones for any reason (even class instruction/use) at the end of the 23-24 school year. Off, away, not visible (a turned-off phone in the back pocket is also confiscated for parent pick-up). IT HAS BEEN A SCHOOL CHANGER!
We know this because we observe, and have to deal with :), old-school problems: loud hallways, holes in walls, romantic relationships developing, loud talking and laughing in between classes, games (made-up, board, acting, etc) "logging" the hallways, and far more teacher-student-student F2F interactions.
Although we have had a cell-phone policy for years, a clear-cut bell-to-bell NO circumstances has been the only one enforceable.
Where is your school? As a parent, I'm looking for a HS like this to send my children to.
As a public school educator, I am so thankful for this conversation and the research. The high school I work at finally implemented a cell phone policy that is actually enforced. The change saved my career.
Where is your HS?
This tries to solve the issue way to late. When we see kids 5, 6 years old being handed some device with a colorful addictive game just so that the parents don’t have to deal face to face with their kid… That’s where the issue starts. I know it’s hard because “everyone has a phone” and “they see it everywhere now”. Doesn’t mean we should aim for a different culture regarding our devices!
Yes, I remember sitting at a table of first grade parents with everyone lamenting how hard it was to get their kids off their iPads, the temper tantrums or frustrations... When it came around the circle to me, I mentioned that my daughter doesn't have an iPad so it wasn't an issue. Crickets after that...
Do you want educators at private schools to fill out the survey or will that mess up your data?
Asking for a friend.
Education like politics has become a please-everyone endeavor. All constituencies get a say in what happens and what happens is usually unhelpful and meaningless. The premise is simple: Schools are educational institutions where qualified administrators and teachers promote, protect, and advance educational excellence. Technology in general and smart phones in particular have trampled this premise. Any attempt to curb the trample or stop it meets the varied demands of involved constituencies.
Policy needs to be professionally focused and not held hostage by inexperienced parties. This is to say that school personnel should set technology rules that best advance education excellence. What we have now is a policy hodgepodge that’s undermining education and promoting students who are alienated not just from their teachers and other students but from themselves too.
Not only do schools need to implement comprehensive policies addressing smart phones and other personal devices but tech companies need regulations restricting their algorithms and AI tools from wreaking havoc on all of us, not just kids.
If the FCC simply lifted the cellular blocker prohibition for public school classrooms, everything else would be academic.
I don't like a sweeping "no phones" in the class. My grandaughter (age 13 at the time) was in a situation where an alarm went out that there was a shooter in the building. She hid in a closet and was able, with tears, to call her parents. Luckily, it turned out to not be a shooter, but she had had the trauma, and being able to talk to her parents helped. Perhaps some phones should be available for this sort of use; maybe kids who do not abuse their phones during class.
This is not what I want happening in my classroom if there is an active shooter. There are reports of the shooter being alerted to where students are hiding in the classroom due to phone screens lit up/phone notifications going off. I want my students focused on the instructions being given by the teacher and to stay silent. They are all going to need to process trauma after the fact, but in the moment they need to stay present and attentive to instructions given.
It's never too late
😊
I work in Kindergarten and 1st grade as a Para. A couple of my students in Kinder have cell phones and they keep them in their backpack in the coat room. I get why parents send them with phones, however…