Keeping phones from disrupting school
Your One Step this week:
✓ Remind your child not to use their phone, smartwatch, or earbuds during classes at school.
We have been hearing a lot from school leaders about how disruptive our kids’ personal devices are to the learning environment at school. Did you know that most local elementary and middle schools have some variation of an “off and away” policy during the school day? This means students are expected to turn off and put away their phones and other personal devices during school hours. Even so, not all students abide by this policy.
High schools tend to approach this issue a bit differently; many allow students to use their phones between classes, during lunch, and occasionally during class to support learning (e.g., to access a poll or a particular educational app). But no teacher wants our children to be sneaking phone time during instructional time. To address this issue, some high school classrooms have a wall caddy to stow phones as needed. Regardless, many high school educators are dissatisfied with the “slippery slope” of phone use that distracts from the learning environment.
Please support your child’s learning environment by taking the steps below to reinforce healthy tech habits at school!
What parents can do
✓ Know your school’s phone policy. Have a conversation with your child about when it is vs. isn’t appropriate to use their phone at school. Advise them that they may see classmates break the rules, but that doesn't mean it is OK.
Mill Valley Middle School
Cell Phones and Electronic Devices Policy
Cell phones are to be turned off and kept in backpacks at all times during the school day. Headphones and/or wireless earbuds are not allowed unless being used under teacher supervision with the MVSD iPads. Also, parents are advised not to call/text their child during the day on their phone. If parents need to get a message to their child, they can leave it with the front desk.
"The tsunami of phone usage has drowned the learning environment in distractions."
- Brad Wray, veteran high school teacher
✓ To gain some empathy for teachers, read this blog from a high school teacher who left teaching because of his frustrating experience managing phones in his classroom. Share this perspective with your middle or high school child.
✓ Reinforce "off and away" during class time. Explore with your child how the use of phones, smartwatches, or earbuds in school affect everyone, not just the person using them. Keep in mind that you can review their Screen Time data and ask them about any phone use logged during school hours. [On iPhones: Settings > Screen Time]
✓ If your child has an Apple watch, find easy instructions to set up “Schooltime” so their watch doesn’t interrupt the school day. Their teachers will be grateful!