To think personal smartphones have no place in the classroom?

[Lookingforastronauts]

After trying to find DS new schools mobile phone policy, and failing after 20 mins searching online. Am I being unreasonable to think that mobile phones should be off and out of sight, or collected in a box at the start of a lesson (I suppose infection control prevents this atm)

DS complained about being bored in class because everyone had been asked to login to Google Classroom on their smart phone. He said he was bored and embarrassed because he didn't have one and had nothing to do.

Surely if this is part of lesson delivery the school should provide them?

They're sticklers for uniform, surely these rules should apply to phones as well?

It feels discriminatory to me.

My kids are in sixth form, but lower down the school there was a strict no phones policy - turned off and not visible throughout the school day (confiscated if caught using one).

Teaching did not revolve around using phones in the lower school (yrs 7, 8 & 9). Older years are allowed phones only in the classroom when the teacher explicitly told them to do so.

The school uses Google classroom too, but only for homework I believe. And there are computers available at school for kids to use, before and after the school day (or during "free periods" in sixth form).

@Lookingforastronauts

That's great QueenofLouisiana, why don't the schools provide them then? Why should these benefits only be accessible to those who have these devices. Where does it leave those who don't.

How about asking the school how they can support your ds because he doesn't have a smart phone rather than moaning they are using 21st century?

From your posts it seems you haven't even asked school if they have an iPad or something for loan to access google classroom?

Same as pp's DDs secondary school uses them in lessons only when the teacher says otherwise they have to be out of sight. It has worked really well and I actually think it makes kids use them better as it's not all about SM then they can see and experience the other advantages of a smartphone. It's odd as all they seem to know about is SM, YouTube, tiktok type sites when they start but then it becomes Google Scholars, a way of journaling, sharing resources. By year 7 they all had one, DD was grounded and hers removed for 2 weeks she shared with someone else who sent her everything to her email address. This seemed to happen often (that individual kids would have them removed for a few weeks) and it didn't seem to cause any issues for the teachers.

This is the now and future, not teaching kids how to use phones effectively will be left behind very soon.

@amicissimma

"Ridiculous, slate and chalk and an abacus, rushing into this pen and paper modern technology nonsense, no good will come of it mark my words"

When I was working with (primary) children who were struggling with maths, and for whom the normal approach wasn't working, I brought in my Ikea abacus. Able to see the beads fill a line, so having to move one across from the next line down, helped several to 'get' how adding on after nine involves adding one more to the 10s.

We learn differently and the old ways worked for some, don't knock them.

Fully agree, nothing wrong with using "old" methods in certain circumstances. But you don't carry on using the abacus when that child was doing their GCSE's did you? In your example, there was a time and a place for a different method. Then you move on.

Whilst I'm very keen on tech, I'm also keen on learning the basics rather than relying on it. I.e. I'm fully in favour of learning times tables and prime numbers. Some would say you don't need to learn it these days because you can use your phone. But, without a sound knowledge learned the old fashioned way, you'd not have a hope in hell's chance of re-arranging and solving equations. So there IS a need, but that need is for later education, not the workplace. Anyone who's job involves equations etc will be using apps or software. Of course, for very specific jobs, like writing apps or software to solve equations, you have to know how to do it manually!

@Lookingforastronauts

That's great QueenofLouisiana, why don't the schools provide them then? Why should these benefits only be accessible to those who have these devices. Where does it leave those who don't.

Have you asked your school about how they are going to support pupils without phones? I can guarantee that they will have planned for that and made arrangements.

When our school brought in their "bring your own device policy", they had an entire webpage dedicated to explaining tech requirements, suitability, etc and a section about how the schools "friends of" charity would provide one on long term loan for any pupil on PP who didn't have a suitable device. They also said that the charity were providing "random" devices, i.e. different makes and models, so there'd be no stigma and other pupils wouldn't know which devices were the school's.

As a teacher I think personal phones out of sight and turned off is the best approach, unless the child has been given permission to do something specific (eg record part of their musical performance to listen to later/take photo of project work).

No lesson should be dependent on a child having a smart phone and I also think it's a grey area expecting students to share personal device in order to access a lesson.
I'd not be impressed of DC were told to share their personal device and I'd be complaining to the school if they were pushed to.

If the school wants to give students the option to use their phone and they have enough school devices then that's one thing, but one of my reservations about live video lessons in lockdown was the haves/have nots and sometimes some teachers' attitude to technology use plays too much to the haves with very little consideration to the have nots (either because parents can't afford the latest phone, or because they've decided not to allow their child a smartphone which is their decision as a parent and shouldn't impacts on their child's education).

My son uses his phone to take pictures of work, they use their mobiles for this online maths thing they do, for art. Has a pic of his timetable on there as he always loses it.

My sons had to share his £1000 phone with others who dont have one for this game they play in their form groups.

Why would you send a £1k phone into school???

My kids had/have a brick for school.

Because thats his phone and I can afford it

Why would I send him with a brick to get laughed at

Why did your son "have" to share, ILF87?

Pretty much all the kids in secondary here have smart phones. I mean you can get cheapo ones for even £50 that are touch screen and can download app if you have buy android. Wouldn’t be the best in the world but should load google class room. We used it as a prove you won’t break it before we got the boy a iPhone for year 7.

@ILoveFood87

Why would I send him with a brick to get laughed at

My kids haven't been laughed at. They have 'proper' stuff for not at school. My kids honestly never had any issue with it.

@ILoveFood87

Because thats his phone and I can afford it

you're so cool

@OneForMeToo

Pretty much all the kids in secondary here have smart phones. I mean you can get cheapo ones for even £50 that are touch screen and can download app if you have buy android. Wouldn’t be the best in the world but should load google class room. We used it as a prove you won’t break it before we got the boy a iPhone for year 7.

You can get second hand phones from Ebay for very little money. Yes, they are usually a few years old and not the most up to date models, but most will be perfectly suitable for the pretty simple apps etc used by the school, taking photos etc., and email etc.

If you're worried about porn, etc., just don't put a sim card in - they can connect to the school wifi or your home wifi, both of which can be set to block porn and other damaging websites.

I really fail to see why some people put so much energy into being negative and finding reasons why something can't be done, when it would often be simpler just to do it!

Some seriously strange views here today!

I'm a secondary school teacher about to start my 27th year of teaching. My school has a "phone switched off in bag during the day" policy and it largely works BUT we also have teachers' discretion, meaning that I can ask students to use them if they have them. Last year I taught a class on Monday of week 1 then Friday of week 2. In an hour long Music lesson, they would do some practical work but needed a way of recording it so they could build on it next lesson. My rule is: voice memos ideally, if it has to be a film, it's the ceiling, the floor or the chair, nothing else in shot. I police it and there are no issues. There is invariably one kid in each group who can record it, often several.

I use my phone all the time at work. Firstly, my timetable is on my calendar. I need to know where I am next. Secondly, I am allergic to just about every watch I have ever owned. I use my phone as my watch. Thirdly, I use the stopwatch for timing activities. Kids believe that far more than me timing it from an analogue clock, where there is one. Fourth, I have a metronome app. It's brilliant. It subdivides beats and will do all sorts of combinations of bars. I also have a tuning app. I often have accompaniments to pieces I am teaching, GCSE or A level set works on it.

We do have school mobiles. There are around 10 of them. They are not smartphones - they are mostly little Nokias. We have to book them out if we are going on a trip so we can give the number to parents as a contact and we take them on trips abroad so the kids can contact us if they are in a group shopping for example. The only problem is that I have booked out phone 1 but on the day, Mr Z has forgotten to bring it back. Then I have to try to contact all parents with a change of contact number which is really stressful.

I believe that you have to show your DC how to function in the world, and part of that process now concerns phones. She's 21 now, but DD1 had a normal phone in year 7, then for her birthday at the end of the year, she got her first smartphone. I checked what she was up to, but she has always been pretty sensible. I think it's all about letting the reins out gradually. A blanket No to everything tends to lead to them either being really resentful or sneaky.

One of my distant relatives was a candidate in the French Presidential election. Not not Monsieur Macron.

Though Monsieur Macron's idea of banning mobile phones in the classroom had my 100% support. Aside from it being a distraction to learning, I want children to learn to have a period of time each day without gadgets/tech.

Our school is increasing its paper free options to reduce the circulation of paper (and thus a potential infection risk) smartphones are one way of accessing google classroom and increasingly vital.

If there is a return to home learning or blended learning being able to access (even via a smartphone) is an asset.

We don't still use slate! This is another progression.

If more pupils supply their own tech, existing tech can be used by pupils like your son who don't have their own access. Plus there is funding available to increase digital inclusion.

I'd rather smartphones were used than the original plan of those who could bringing in laptops, chrome books or tablets. We have the former but battery only lasts for 4 hours, no charging facilities at school and heavy to carry (old)

@Kazzyhoward

But seriously, yes, children need to be taught to read and write and add up "manually", but they should then move quickly on to the modern, real world.

Just what is the point in making kids spend hours writing an essay by hand when they could do it quicker on a word processor, and spend the time save doing something more useful instead?

That's what happens in the real world. We really don't have offices full of ledger clerks adding up columns of figures anymore. We don't have typing pools typing endless documents. We don't have secretaries sat next to their bosses taking shorthand dictation.

The World moves on, yet lots of people still think we should teach our kids the same way we did 50 years ago. It's nonsense.

Whilst I love my tech and use a lot in my teaching the issue is with this way of working in schools is that their exams are handwritten (unless student has compensation to type) therefore we need to ensure that a) their handwriting is legible and b) they can hand write quick enough. To your point re 'real world we are aware of this, but when we need students to pass their GCSEs we gzve to work with the spec/exam

Regarding tech in the classroom

The PP who are not in favour of using phones in a lesson will be in for a big shock when we start back as we are preparing for possible further shut downs and therefore a lot will be done via teams/Google classroom so we can transition far more easily than in March.

We can not either just use school equipment eadily as between bubbles they have to be cleaned, therefore if students have their own device it is a lot easier (schools are aware of disadvantaged students who may not have access and we worked before the summer to source equipment)

My son's smartphones (he's almost 14) has all the safety, security and family settings as high as possible. He can't even download an app without sending me a request (I get the request on my phone)

His apps are age restricted. His browser is too. I speak to him regularly about the dangers of porn and the criminal offences associated with it.

I'm a feminist and am bringing him up with full awareness of bullying and crimes against girls.

Smartphones are an asset. Our provision helps those without. He has limits and restrictions and guidance.

Your son is not learning valuable lessons - how to be streetwise with his phone. How not to be naive.

I think your position of not providing a smartphone is weaker than the arguments for providing a smartphone.

A lot of these rules and regulations and ideals belong to a precovid world where students and teachers could pass pieces of paperback and forth

We don’t have a single family where parents don’t have a mobile number. They can lend their phones to their children for a school if necessary. If they have more children than phones, the elder children take priority. If the parent needs a phone for work, they borrow from their employer

You should not be using personal phones though. At all. Most schools issue staff with ipads/tablets that back up onto the school system so there is proof if ever an accusation was made. Using personal phones leaves you in a very precarious position

😂😂😂

If I didn't use my own phone, laptop and broadband connection over lockdown nothing would have been done for students. We have desktops without speakers /mics /webcams in school. No other tech provided beyond the "trip" mobile which is a Nokia from about 2001!

It is better to not have the phones in lessons imo. It is a continual distraction and they are not used for research.

Otherwise students are on social media.

I think it affects their concentration span