Summer is drawing to a close, and soon thousands, even millions, of children will find themselves back in the classroom, just as generations of children did before them. For this particular generation, however, a new concern has arisen.
That's right, cell phones. Students reading texts instead of textbooks, and paying more attention to a liquid-crystal display and less attention to a flesh-and-blood teacher, thereby preventing them from getting a proper education. But all is not lost. Here in Ohio, the governor a few months ago surrounded himself with some smiling, well-groomed middle-school aged children (presumably the kind that do read textbooks and do pay attention to flesh-and-blood teachers) and signed into law a bipartisan bill requiring public schools across the state to implement cell phone policies rather than have digital chaos reign supreme. The reason I'm writing about this now instead of back in May when the bill was signed is because I'm suddenly seeing news stories from around the country about similar efforts to ban cell phones from school. I don't want to ignore a trend, and if such news stories continue, well, it could end up being a bigger trend than the advent of cell phones in the first place. Honestly, try as I might, this isn't something I can be too snarky about. After a couple of years of news stories about books banned from school, a prohibition on cell phones is a refreshing, as well as a much more justifiable, change of pace. Still, a note of caution. Once students find themselves deprived of their mobile devices...
...an older form of social media could make a comeback.
Can you imagine contemporary kids trying to write notes? #Szyluvsu ?
ReplyDeleteThey'd be poking the paper, Mitchell.
DeleteOh, your last line, LOL!
ReplyDeleteDebra, the more things change...
DeleteOur schools went back this week. They are talking about the mobile phone ban here too. I was also reading that the results were poor for the Exams in May in Scotland. Every year they seem to get worse. I left school in 1997 and most of us either went to University, College or did an Apprenticeship. I really think the standard of education over here has dropped, it is shocking really. My daughter is nearly 6 and has entered her 2nd year of Primary School (not sure what you call it there??) and I find I have to teach her the basics at home! I feel like her tutor. I don't mind really but they should be teaching her!
ReplyDeleteAnanka, I'm tempted to say your daughter is in the U.S. equivalent of second grade, except 6 seems kind of young. If the first year of Primary School is similar to what we here call kindergarten, then if would follow that our first grade is your daughter's second year. Or it could be that standards are just tougher in Scotland, and you just start readin', writin', and 'rithmetic earlier than we do.
DeleteThis is from our school district handbook...
ReplyDelete"Electronic Devices
Students must have electronic devices turned to silent mode and put away during school hours (7:30am-2:40pm) unless being used for instructional purposes under direct supervision. Any device that is capable of taking pictures or video is strictly forbidden in the restrooms or locker rooms. Use of cell phones, iPods, non-academic electronic devices or other similar items is not allowed without permission of the teacher or supervising adult. For safety reasons, students may use electronic devices with headphones/ear buds while traveling on the bus, but they may not use them in the hallways of the school building even when coming from the cafeteria at lunch where their use is
permitted. "
Check your spam for my comment.
ReplyDeleteMike, are you talking about the comment I just responded to?
DeleteOMG I remember this passing around notes. And playing tic tac toe on a notepad. Lol! Fun days.
ReplyDeleteFun as long as the teacher didn't catch on, Lux.
DeleteBanning cellphones makes sense!
ReplyDeleteMore sense than books, Ivana.
DeleteMore sense than banning books I mean.
DeleteI think phones are banned here from first school bell to the last. I know they are for junior students. I am not sure about say 15 plus. I think it is a good thing, but then I would hate to have my phone taken away from me.
ReplyDeleteI think it's probably a good thing, Andrew. I'm just trying to put it in perspective and remind people that there's a LOT of things that can cause distractions in the classroom.
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