I'm quite convinced that our school's parents would be the ones that would prevent its
implementation:
A school said its total ban on pupils using mobile phones has improved exam results and behaviour.
The ban, which has been running for a year, has “made a massive difference” said Ann Webb, headteacher at Ysgol John Bright, in Llandudno .
The strict rule applies at any time during the school day, even during breaks or at lunchtime. Staff are also asked not to use mobile phones in front of pupils.
Mrs Webb said pupils are now more sociable and concentrate better in lessons.
And she claimed that the ban, which was introduced in 2018, helped pupils get better GCSE and A level results this summer...
“To be fair once we’ve got this rule established it is just not an issue during the school day at all. You will not see a student with a mobile phone.
“I genuinely think the pupils have welcomed the break from social media and, because the situation is clear cut, everybody complies. It’s a black and white rule that’s applied consistently.”
Chair of governors Carla Forfar said: “It’s probably no accident that we’ve had some cracking results this summer, both at A level and GCSE.
Update, 9/29/19: California
has a law:
California public and charter schools can now ban students from using smartphones in class and at school, except under certain circumstances.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 272 in early July.
The new law asks all school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to come up with smartphone policies to limit or prohibit student use at school...
The bill’s author, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D- Torrance), said, “There is growing evidence that unrestricted use of smartphones by students in schools interferes with the educational mission of the school, lowers pupil performance, particularly among low-achieving pupils, promotes cyberbullying, and contributes to teenage anxiety, depression, and suicide. .”
Again, I'm convinced that the parents at my school would march with pitchforks if we tried to implement such a rule. Our district switches from traditional to integrated math and buys the worst possible textbooks, no problem. Take away someone's ability to text their kid during school, though....
I could pinpoint exactly when writing and reading abilities dropped in my school. Six years ago the district implemented a Bring Your Own Technology as a financial stopgap. They thought kids would use computers or tablets. Instead they used their phones. From that point we had to move to having content online, much of it watered down due to the limitations of the platform. Kids had their phones all the time. They spent the vast majority of time texting, watching videos or movies.It was so distracting that getting their attention was almost impossible. Some teachers banned phones in class, but got reprimanded.
ReplyDeleteI believe in my heart that we dropped the ball in regards to phone use in class. When they started showing up, I clamored for their ban, but was rebuffed. "Yay!" "Technology!" "Textbooks online!" "New Teaching Methods!"
ReplyDeleteYeah, and decreased test scores, increased discipline issues, decreased attention, and all that has already been stated.
But that horse left the barn a long time ago.