By: Abby Simon and Ansley Bokath
Phones should not be seen as just distractors in the classroom. Phones are very helpful even in school, even in individual classes. They can be resourceful for answers. They can also be helpful in an emergency and parent contact. Phones can help kids collaborate with each other without talking loudly.
Imagine if you left your computer at home — what could you use? A smart phone acts just like a computer, so what’s the difference? Teachers are worried about us cheating, but if we can use our computers to cheat, then what’s the difference with our phones? We can use the same recourses as we can on our phones as on our computers, and communicate in-real time with classmates who may have to be out. This is especially helpful during group work and class projects.
According to ResilientEducator.com, “Smartphones provide the ability to get answers really fast. In some situations, a student may not ask for clarification to a question he or she has in an open classroom—because they can use their smartphone to get the answer they’re looking for. If we use our own phones, the school doesn’t have to provide as many computers for the whole school. Some important websites are blocked on school computers, so we can’t do our work. If we could use our phones in class, they are usually not blocked.
If there was an emergency and we couldn’t have our phones, how would we contact our parents or important people in our life in an emergency? Sadly, there have been many recent school shootings, but if we had our phones taken away, how would we contact our loved ones to let them know that we are safe, or even to out out a warning? It’s better to have your phone for communication and safety of an emergency.
Some people may not agree with phones, but we personally think we should be able to have them in class. Phone help students become resourceful, communicate and practice with others, and communicate during emergencies. If schools want students to be successful, they need to look at the positves and not just the drawbacks.
