As of this school year, students are required by state law to keep phones away during lectures. Some teachers have been taking this new rule to an extreme, while some South teachers have decided to be more relaxed with phones. In the past years, teachers have been frustrated with constant defiance when it came to cell phones, which could be why this bill was created.
Many teachers, like math teacher Janis Berzins, find it disrespectful when anyone, student or not, is on their phone when their attention is needed. Berzins said “I think that when you’re talking to someone you should give them your attention…”
English teacher Maggie Guschwan took this point further, as she said it isn’t just disrespectful to the teacher but to the rest of the class, taking away from needed learning time. “I think it’s one thing if one person is making a choice and it only affects them, but since it affects my ability to teach it has far reaching consequences,” noted Guschwan.
Since the law was passed, Science teacher Shannon Wenning noticed an increase in class productivity, students now using class time to their advantage. “…I think overall they’ve done a really good job. I’ve had some students who instead of just getting out their phones and playing, [they] keep working on [their] assignments.”
Guschwan pointed out a fact that isn’t immediately apparent when discussing the effects phones have on classrooms, which is that cell phones aren’t just harmful to a student’s learning, but to a student’s social life. “I have noticed that when students are on their cell phones, they miss a lot of opportunities to connect with each other in class,” said Guschwan.
As Guschwan pointed out, interacting with fellow students is as integral to classroom learning as doing notes. Many teachers could attest that working together with the people around you is great for building teamwork skills, and more effective than sitting on your phone. Teamwork is a necessary asset inside and outside the classroom, and a skill that will be carried on to adulthood.
