October 14, 2022
Vol. 106, Issue 3
Phone policy rewires classroom learning, minimizes distractions By Jessica Sehgal, Bridget Baker, Marin Ubersox, Paula Hlava, Zoe Kaufman, Sophie Milner-Gorvine, Kate Myers Executive Editor, In-Depth Editor, Assistant In-Depth Editor, Staff Writers
Over the past 15 years, theyʼve sparked controversy in classrooms, made board meetings into battlegrounds and permanently altered long-standing policies in schools worldwide. The pandemic only increased their hold on students, leading to more intense crackdowns than ever. What could possibly influence the education system in such a way? The answer is simple: cell phones. According to Common Sense Media, teen screen use increased 17 percent over the past two years. Now that in-person school is back in session, teachers and administrators are struggling more than ever to keep students off their phones in the classroom. “Phone addiction exists. It's a lot, because teachers are in the trenches with the students every day to continually reinforce that [idea of] ‘Let's just be together and be present as a community,ʼ” English teacher Liz Shulman explains. Many ETHS teachers share this feeling and concede that phones in the classroom are a notoriously difficult issue to tackle. “Last year, I tried to remind my kids to be mindful, to be present, to be in class, to stay engaged [and] don't rush the work, maybe go back to the work if it seemed like it was rushed through. It seemed like, [with] the phones, [it] was like, ‘Oh, as soon as I'm done, I can be on my phone,ʼ which I think harms the depth of writing, research and thinking that students can actually do. It never hurts to just sit and think a while sometimes,” says English teacher Sara Young. The years following the pandemic saw a large uptick in students' addiction to technology, specifically cell phones. Technology had been one of the only things that allowed people to connect with each other even when everyone was stuck at home, and many teachers have noticed the increase in technological use that students endured remotely has translated into the classroom setting.
“This generation is going to have a lot to reckon with, because I think this generation, more than any other, is digitally dependent, and what are the implications of that?
In-Depth continued on Page 12
- English teacher Liz Shulman
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Evanston Township High School | Evanston, Ill.