Opinion: Cell phones are a good tool in the classroom
PHOTO Bree Soule
January 31, 2022
Phones in schools are becoming more and more popular. Students should be allowed to have their phones in class— but only when it doesn’t interrupt any learning.
An article on Home Dens stated, “When kids are on their phones for a long portion of the day, they don’t accomplish work and grades drop significantly,” an article on Home Dens stated. “When you take a glance at your phone, it ordinarily takes around five minutes to concentrate again on what you were previously doing.”
High school students should know when it’s appropriate to have their phones out and when to put the phones away. High schoolers are old enough to know when to pay attention, so if they miss something because a phone was a distraction then that is their own fault.
Phones are great tools and important to have for safety. More classrooms have begun using phones to help in the learning process, such as using phones for review or to research information on a project.
“Safety concerns are also given as reasons to let kids have phones at school,” an article on USA Today stated. “If there is a tragic incident or accident, having phones allows parents to get in touch with their children.”
If something were to happen and students had to evacuate the building, having a phone with them means students are able to communicate with their family that they are safe.
Although teachers may not like the idea of students having phones out in class, it can be hard to enforce the rule of no phones allowed.
“Enforcing a cell phone ban can be difficult and time-consuming,” an article on itstillworks said. “Most students are likely to carry the phone away in case of emergencies, and taking time to note every offense against the ban of phones can waste the time that teachers can be educating.”
Phones can be great resources if students and teachers know the limits of phone use in class. There are instances where phones shouldn’t be allowed such as taking tests, while instructions are being given and when lessons are being taught. Students should be allowed to have their phones in class during work time and when they are finished with their assignments and no more teaching is being done.
