Ban Cellphones in Classrooms: A Recipe for School Success
A Shift in Policy
Recently, I attended the wedding of a friend who just happens to be a Chicago Public Schools teacher. Many of the guests were teachers from areas nearby, so we did what teachers always do when our spheres collide: We talked school. Usually, discussions about the first few weeks of classes are a mix of excitement about a new school year kicking off, drizzled with twinges of sadness about the end of summer. But the teachers I spoke with were smiling from ear to ear about a policy many schools have initiated on student cellphones.
The Problem with Cellphones in Classrooms
My friend, who teaches at a charter high school in Chicago, said her school’s policy requires students to place cellphones in their lockers so that they are out of sight and use for the entire school day. Another friend who teaches at a suburban public high school said her school’s policy allows students to have cell phones during passing periods but requires them to put phones in “phone homes” during class. I chimed in on both conversations, speaking fondly of the suburban public high school where I work, East Leyden High School in Franklin Park. Our policy mirrors that at my suburban friend’s school: Students have to put phones in holders during class, but can use them during passing periods and at lunchtime.
The Benefits of a No-Phone Policy
These conversations, and others I’ve had with my East Leyden colleagues, express enthusiasm about the policy changes. We have a hope that is very different from the general hope we educators have about the start of school: the hope that our students will actually be engaged, fully listening and participating in our lessons. The shift has been empowering for me. When I began my teaching career in 2004 at Corliss High School on Chicago’s Far South Side, smartphones weren’t around. Flip phones, like Razrs, were all the rage, but they weren’t that much of a distraction in classrooms.
A Dramatic Shift for Better Learning
As a school librarian who often teaches lessons to students, the change has been dramatic. This year, students make eye contact with me when they speak, since their phones are out of reach. They participate more in lessons, and their personalities shine through right away. And there is no conflict from me, the adult, asking them to put their phone away and take their earbuds out, as I had in past years. The success is because the policy is schoolwide. For years at East Leyden, our policy was one of teacher discretion, similar to many other high schools. Some teachers allowed phones in class, others did not, which created conflict.
Conclusion
If you are a school district, or have a child in a school district that hasn’t yet switched to a schoolwide no-phone policy, I highly encourage you to do so, or to ask your child’s district to do so. Learning improves, engagement improves and teaching improves when everyone “buys in” — and phones are not at the forefront of students’ minds.
FAQs
Q: What are the benefits of a no-phone policy in classrooms?
A: A no-phone policy can improve student engagement, participation, and learning outcomes.
Q: How can schools implement a no-phone policy?
A: Schools can implement a no-phone policy by requiring students to place their phones in lockers or phone holders during class, or by allowing phones only during passing periods and lunchtime.
Q: What are the challenges of implementing a no-phone policy?
A: One challenge is that some students may resist the policy and try to find ways to use their phones during class. Teachers and administrators must be consistent and clear in enforcing the policy.
Q: How can parents support a no-phone policy in schools?
A: Parents can support a no-phone policy by discussing the importance of focus and engagement in school with their children, and by encouraging their children to follow the school’s policy.
