Smartphones in the Classroom

With school in full swing, you may have noticed an increase in phone usage during class time. Whether it’s students texting or scrolling through social media, smartphones have the potential to become a constant distraction in the classroom. As more and more schools across the country implement no-phone policies, you might wonder: do smartphones belong in your classrooms?

Smartphones Can Be Distractions …

Many principals and teaching staff believe that smartphones have their time and place. However, most of the time, that place is outside the classroom. When it comes to phones and new technology in general, a variety of concerns pop up. 

Specifically, smartphones nowadays have parents, teachers, and principals concerned with student privacy and mental health. These are valid concerns, especially when students use their phones to access information like never before. 

… Or Smartphones Can Be Educational Tools

As technology advances more and more, it’s important to understand that students now have a world of knowledge at their fingertips. Smartphones provide students with one of the most helpful educational tools they could have in the classroom. 

Whether students need a calculator or are simply looking for more information on different topics, a phone offers an easily accessible and helpful classroom tool that can provide enhanced educational content. Not to mention, some students utilize their smartphones to turn in homework both at school and at home. 

Create a Smartphone Policy that Fits Your School

Whether you believe that smartphones are better in or out of the classroom, it’s important to understand what policy will work best for students at your school. Take your time when establishing your phone policy and keep in mind whether students should never have phones in the classroom, or if they’d benefit from using them with teacher permission.