I can't imagine that this needs to be a national law rather than a school or district policy, but I like the intent:
Cell phones, tablets and smartwatches will be largely banned from classrooms in the Netherlands from January 1, 2024, the Dutch government said on Tuesday, in a bid to limit distractions during lessons.
Devices will only be allowed if they are specifically needed, for instance during lessons on digital skills, for medical reasons or for people with disabilities.
“Even though mobile phones are intertwined with our lives, they do not belong in the classroom,” education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said in a statement.
I know there are teachers who spend class time on their phones, but I am not one of them. In fact, when I get to school, I put my phone and other belongings in a locked cupboard and they stay there until school is out. In that way, I set the example for what I expect of students.
IMO, school districts are not serious about increasing proficiency rates until they completely ban cell phones from the campus (students AND teachers). It is easy to implement, will be more effective than many of the multi-million dollar education reforms, yet, it requires just a LITTLE bit of courage from the local school board.
ReplyDeleteIf, they are serious about clean campuses, they will ban cell phones during work hours from classified staff. Many times, I returned from coaching a basketball game to find the night custodian sitting in my classroom on his/her phone.
Netherlands has fewer people than New York, so maybe in their system it makes sense for it to be a national law.
ReplyDeleteIn the US, we will never ban phones with a national or state law because of school shootings. My district had an alert system that could be used in emergencies. We probably shouldn't ban phones for teachers. I used my phone for Zipgrade and taking photos of lab setups. I didn't use it for personal calls at school, but some teachers do and it looks bad.
In a Physics class, students used their phones often. They used apps to measure ramp incline, compass headings, sound level and as a stop watch. It wasn't unusual for one student to take data, and the other group members record the data with a photograph.
My rule was that I didn't want to see their phones in my classroom without express permission. Even when they understood the policy, I had to address a phone issue about five times per day.
What if the legislature passed a law saying that the district and district personnel weren't liable for anything that happened to a student's phone that was brought to school. That way, each school could handle phones any way they want.
I like the idea of confiscating a student's phone, dropping it into a mailing envelope, and sending it to the student's home. Being without it for a couple of days would be devastating.
My Principal Friendly is quite happy with students using their phones during lunch and study halls. Sure, it's bad for the student in several ways, but it does keep them quiet and docile.
I can't find a strong justification for not allowing students to use their phones during lunch, but I don't want to see them in class.
ReplyDelete