In Maryland, a chemistry teacher says students use gambling apps to place bets during the school day.

In California, a high school teacher complains that students watch Netflix on their phones during class. In Maryland, a chemistry teacher says students use gambling apps to place bets during the school day.

Around the country, educators say students routinely send Snapchat messages in class, listen to music and shop online, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning.

The hold that phones have on adolescents in America today is well-documented, but teachers say parents are often not aware to what extent students use them inside the classroom. And increasingly, educators and experts are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes.

  • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
    3·
    8 months ago

    In Germany, at least the school I went to, we’re allowed to have them on us, they have to stay in the pocket or bag and should at least be in do not disturb or silent mode.

    It’s a perfectly reasonable policy that many, if not most, US Schools either had or still have. The problem is that Students are increasingly refusing to comply with Social Order rules like this and Teachers increasingly don’t have the authority or ability to enforce them when they’re broken. The policy only works when the majority of people willingly comply, just like nearly all of the other rules / policies / laws that society creates.

    So what does a Teacher do when 15 of their 20 students have their phones out and are using them in class?

    • 2xsaiko@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      8 months ago

      Teachers increasingly don’t have the authority or ability to enforce them when they’re broken.

      Well, I feel like this is the main problem then. If teachers aren’t allowed to enforce any rules, what are we even talking about here. Especially kids will do anything they can get away with. (I certainly did my fair share of shenanigans too.)

      The policy only works when the majority of people willingly comply, just like nearly all of the other rules / policies / laws that society creates.

      So what does a Teacher do when 15 of their 20 students have their phones out and are using them in class?

      Really? I think this is very different since it’s in a controlled environment with a relatively small group of people. Or at least, it should be. The teacher should very reasonably be able to take all of those away. And if not, here they certainly had the ability to escalate.

      • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
        2·
        8 months ago

        The teacher should very reasonably be able to take all of those away.

        I agree that they should be, but increasingly they can’t. It’s being prevented by a bunch of entitled students and the dumb-ass parents that support them. Even in this Post here on Lemmy you can find people arguing that students should have on demand access to their smartphones.