Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 10:38     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!


I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.


This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.


Our MCPS middle school allowed them only before school starts then they have to be put in the kids locker. My kid never used his phone during school and doesn’t even have it with him, I know this because I can track his usage. He’s never once contacted my during school hours.


This is the way. This is what other schools need to do, at least for kids who don't have the self-restraint to stay off their phone when it's sitting right there in their bag. And hey, a lot of adults struggle with that too, myself included! But if my phone is in another room instead of 2 feet away from me, it's a lot easier to stay off it and focus on what I'm doing (hanging out with my kid, reading a book, etc).
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:49     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!



Is there a way to block certain phone features during the school day? For example, make it only possible to text parents during class hours but free to text before school, after school and during lunch?


Yes, we do this through the Verizon Smart Family app. During school hours, DC (rising 10th grader) can only communicate with parents via text/call. All other comms and data are restricted. DC was given the opportunity to manage themselves. When we saw 6+ hours of phone use (games) per day, we shut it down.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:40     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are one of the rare families who will not be allowing a phone until at least 16. They will have a smart watch until then if needed. Phones guarantee they will surf and text all day. Look at adults and their behavior with phones.


Here's the thing, you can defer giving your kid a phone but their friends will expose them to everything with their phones.

I didn't give my DS a phone until he was 14, thinking I was saving him from all the toxicity of the internet. Only to find out that one of his friends had been showing him PornHub videos on his phone when they rode the bus together. There's no safe place from phones teens even if you delay giving them one because they'll just use their friends' phones.
That's completely different than him watching that himself. Can you imagine that poor boy with the phone and how much more it is affecting him. Do you want that for your ds?


I don't think it's completely different, but yes, the boy with the phone certainly has a lot more exposure than my DS, I'll grant you that.

I'm just sharing my experience to say that not giving your kid a phone is not a shield from the harms of digital media and technology as long as their friends have it.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:33     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I don't think parents realize how much of a problem the phones are. I think that during covid kids got used to splitting their focus with school.
It was obvious that many kids had other programs open and were doing something else while on zoom. This behavior is has now carried over the classroom.
I'm baffled that parents will pay money to send their kids to a phone free private school, but won't support public school teachers in our effort to combat this problem.


The phones were not the issue. If it’s not the phone it’s the computer or something else.


Sure, everyone is opening up their laptop in the hallway or restroom to check their texts.

Delusional parents.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:32     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I don't think parents realize how much of a problem the phones are. I think that during covid kids got used to splitting their focus with school.
It was obvious that many kids had other programs open and were doing something else while on zoom. This behavior is has now carried over the classroom.
I'm baffled that parents will pay money to send their kids to a phone free private school, but won't support public school teachers in our effort to combat this problem.


The phones were not the issue. If it’s not the phone it’s the computer or something else.
Not the same at all. It's the constant availability on phones. Look at how adults overuse phones vs computers and multiply that by the immaturity of teenagers.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:29     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are one of the rare families who will not be allowing a phone until at least 16. They will have a smart watch until then if needed. Phones guarantee they will surf and text all day. Look at adults and their behavior with phones.


Here's the thing, you can defer giving your kid a phone but their friends will expose them to everything with their phones.

I didn't give my DS a phone until he was 14, thinking I was saving him from all the toxicity of the internet. Only to find out that one of his friends had been showing him PornHub videos on his phone when they rode the bus together. There's no safe place from phones teens even if you delay giving them one because they'll just use their friends' phones.
That's completely different than him watching that himself. Can you imagine that poor boy with the phone and how much more it is affecting him. Do you want that for your ds?
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:22     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:We are one of the rare families who will not be allowing a phone until at least 16. They will have a smart watch until then if needed. Phones guarantee they will surf and text all day. Look at adults and their behavior with phones.


Here's the thing, you can defer giving your kid a phone but their friends will expose them to everything with their phones.

I didn't give my DS a phone until he was 14, thinking I was saving him from all the toxicity of the internet. Only to find out that one of his friends had been showing him PornHub videos on his phone when they rode the bus together. There's no safe place from phones teens even if you delay giving them one because they'll just use their friends' phones.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 09:16     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:We are one of the rare families who will not be allowing a phone until at least 16. They will have a smart watch until then if needed. Phones guarantee they will surf and text all day. Look at adults and their behavior with phones.


Our daughter is only 6, but we are frankly thinking the same thing. Maybe something like a Gabb phone if she seriously needs it, but no internet and no social media.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 08:18     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
We are one of the rare families who will not be allowing a phone until at least 16. They will have a smart watch until then if needed. Phones guarantee they will surf and text all day. Look at adults and their behavior with phones.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 07:01     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I don't think parents realize how much of a problem the phones are. I think that during covid kids got used to splitting their focus with school.
It was obvious that many kids had other programs open and were doing something else while on zoom. This behavior is has now carried over the classroom.
I'm baffled that parents will pay money to send their kids to a phone free private school, but won't support public school teachers in our effort to combat this problem.


The phones were not the issue. If it’s not the phone it’s the computer or something else.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 05:49     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!


I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.


This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.


Our MCPS middle school allowed them only before school starts then they have to be put in the kids locker. My kid never used his phone during school and doesn’t even have it with him, I know this because I can track his usage. He’s never once contacted my during school hours.



This is so great. Thank you for actively monitoring your students phone use.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2023 23:45     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!


I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.


This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.


Our MCPS middle school allowed them only before school starts then they have to be put in the kids locker. My kid never used his phone during school and doesn’t even have it with him, I know this because I can track his usage. He’s never once contacted my during school hours.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2023 23:36     Subject: Re:S/O phones in the classroom
My 6th grader just got a phone and will take it to school so she can call me from her two different buses if needed and/or make social plans and let me know. But it will be locked down during school hours. Why is this so hard?
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2023 21:50     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Between the distraction, inappropriate content, increasing research pointing to brain damage leading to addiction and inability to focus, clear path to poor mental health, I am convinced that only people that hate their kid give them a phone before highschool.

Even in highschool, parents must be pretty selfish to trade all that exposure for a little convenience. Maybe a talk and text is enough until 16+.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2023 21:08     Subject: S/O phones in the classroom
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.


So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.


Private school shootings are less common.
During a school shooting, having a phone won't make your kid safer. That's a cop out bc you can't enforce real discipline and tell your kid no phone.


Yep. And while I do understand the anxiety of wanting to be able to reach your kid in an emergency, it’s not worth the pretty much guarantee that allowing phones in school will significantly damage their education.


Seriously!

And be honest - you're not arguing that your kid should have his phone in case of a shooting. You're arguing that your kid should have his phone in case you're 2 minutes late for pick up.