School phone bans are all the rage right now with more than 20 states and several countries adding new policies. I don’t hold out a lot of hope that banning cell phones will magically fix everything – but I can understand the concerns behind the bans. I’m just wary of putting all of our eggs into a Yondr pouch, especially if it lets lets us feel like we are off the hook and can forget about teaching kids HOW to use tech–or cultivating school environments where students can thrive.
While I get how hard it is for teachers to compete with TikTok when trying to share crucial information – and how phone bans might offer some relief – many teachers and students have also pointed out that enforcing these bans can be just as disruptive as the phones themselves. And as with many other issues, schools are in a better position to make decisions for themselves with their own data.
It’s also difficult to see the upsides of a phone ban without a comprehensive tech policy. If the goal is “focus” and nothing else is done to make school more engaging, will students simply switch to going off task other devices, like texting or gaming on school Chromebooks?
Despite all the effort it takes to enforce bans, some studies show that the bans do little or nothing to help student’s mental health or academic performance. On the other hand, there are other studies that do indicate some positive effects on academic acheivement but no one has shown that simply banning phones alone transforms learning in a BIG way.
For a true transformation, we need to look for more holistic approaches that empower kids to engage with their own learning, as the authors of the excellent new book, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better argue.
Disengaged Teen authors Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson discuss how tech can exacerbate – but is not the source of – disengagement.
“It’s definitely not all technology. The disengagement crisis has been there for at least the last two decades before cell phones were invented. But tech, social media, particularly mobile phones, exacerbate disengagement if used poorly and if not regulated in a young person’s life.”
-Rebecca Winthrop on the Getting Smart Podcast
If you are looking to change the conversation at your school or in your home about learning and engagement, their book is a must-read.
Another important consideration when it comes to phone bans is the impact on students with accessibility needs. In many ways, phones can be accessibility devices, and disability advocates are concerned that a blanket ban could be disproportionately harmful for students who are using the device for accessibility support or medical needs. This article explores those concerns in one large school district in LA with stories about students who use phones to access their hearing devices, for example.
Given all this information, you may be wondering what we can do to help our kids if bans aren’t a panacea. One compelling experiment shows that when students CHOOSE to put away phones to talk with friends at lunch they feel good about the outcome. If we could take the time to really understand our adolescents, we can see how creating space for pro-social behavior might work better than simply penalizing students for using phones.
I’d love to see schools focusing on ways to encourage positive outcomes – students concentrating in class, connecting with peers, etc. I believe this will be a more effective strategy than blanket bans, especially if enforcing bans is punitive and risks stigmatizing students with disabilities.
Let’s start asking questions like, Are all of the spaces safe at all times? What are the other supports available? Is school a welcoming and supportive environment? Is a counselor available? Is the curriculum meaningful and engaging? These are questions schools need to answer to determine whether or not phones are banned.
In the meantime, though, here’s my answer to some questions parents and teachers have been asking:
How can we prepare for bans?
While many parents I talk to are enthusiastic about reducing cell phone use in school, teachers tell me parents are texting their kids on phones and watches during the school day. If you live in New York, Ohio, Illinois, Arizona or one of the many other states that plans to ban phone use during the school day next year, now is a good time to practice strategies for being in touch less frequently.
If your child texts you once or twice a week saying, “Please remind me to bring my uniform tomorrow,” or similar requests to support their organization and planning, this summer is an ideal time to make sure they download a good notes app onto their school device, or practice carrying a small notebook or paper calendar to jot down reminders. Summer can be a great time to practice using a digital calendar. This will also reduce some of the mental load from parents, which is always good!
On a pragmatic level, schools will also need to plan alternatives to using QR codes and asking students to take pictures of information written on a whiteboard. Kids who use their phones to show their ID every morning may need to carry one of those ID packets (I wore one around my neck in college) and schools should be prepared to offer replacement cards more frequently. Since many teachers know kids are all carrying pocket cameras, sometimes they will tell students to just take a picture of the diagram on the board. However, if phones are going away in the classroom, teachers may need to transition to sharing documents with students via email or a course website.
Students may need to get more accustomed to taking notes by hand and copying diagrams from lectures and slides presented in class.
Hopefully schools can lean into supporting the habits and behaviors that promote thriving and engagement and not over-focus on simply policing phone use.
Mentoring sets kids up for success better than monitoring.
I’d love to hear about how your experiences with phone policies–feel free to reach out.
