Phone Policies Follow Increasing Utilization of Phones
Teachers have put in policies within their classrooms to ensure that students stay on track in school.
By Abigail Shlimenzon
Teachers have put in policies within their classrooms to ensure that students stay on track in school.
By Abigail Shlimenzon
With the increasing utilization of phones within school, both for educational and noneducational purposes, teachers have noticed the need to put in policies to control phone usage to ensure that students stay on task and are productive throughout the school day.
At Pioneer there is no official school wide policy and each teacher has their own way to monitor the amount of phone usage students have in their classrooms. Assistant Principal of Student Services Tim Gavello, has taken a hands-off approach in regards to the phone policies giving teachers full control.
“There have been a few phones sent to the office but not more than in years past. Most of our teachers are very good with their cell phone policies in the class and handle it in class,” said Gavello.
Some teachers, such as math teacher Cem Yesilyurt, have a more relaxed phone policy that relies on the respect and connections students have with their teacher.
“Over time students get used to the teacher, we get to know the students and we know that we have respect for each other so that when I ask them to put it away, they do, which is really nice,” said Yesilyurt. “As long as they are not disrupting other people it is probably fine, but the work we do in class needs to get done.”
Even with the more relaxed phone policy, Yesilyurt sees the risk that phones pose for cheating during tests making him enact a stricter policy on testing days.
“When there are tests and quizzes I usually put the phone pockets near the door and I watch as the students put their phones in the pocket and that way I know everything is fine, and I do not have to be worried about anything during the test,” said Yesilyurt.
Other teachers, such as Spanish teacher Jesus Lopez, see the utilization of phones during class time as more detrimental to students learning, and, has a stricter policy when it comes to the usage of phones in their classroom.
“Students are using their phones all the time, constantly. It is a big problem because they get distracted by their phones, they do not do their work, they do not pay attention and they do not participate,” said Lopez. “They have to have their phones away at all times and if they don’t then the telephone goes on my desk and eventually it goes to the attendance office.”
Frida Ramirez, 12, notices how phone policies help her minimize procrastination and in turn, have a positive impact on her education.
“I think a phone policy would be encouraging for people like me, who like to be on their phone constantly. If I had that incentive to not be on my phone then I might be a little bit more productive,” said Ramirez.
However other students, such as Nikhil Pendse, 12, believe that high school students should be able to make their own decisions.
“I think that when you are in high school, you are expected to be a certain maturity level, so I think everyone is mature enough to decide for themselves how much they want to use their phone or how much using their phone is helpful for them,” said Pendse.
Overall phones have become a crucial part of society and have had both positive and negative impacts, and many teachers have accepted the growing importance of phones within new generations and try to acknowledge their prevalence when implementing phone policies within the classroom.
“For me, my view is, cell phones are not going anywhere. We all have one and they are just a part of our life now,” said English teacher Beth Stafford. “So instead of saying ‘I don't ever want to see them’ or ‘they have to be in the backpack, so you can't ever use them’ I am much more realistic about it. I know students are going to check the time or they are going to check a message really quick. It is more about making sure they are not more focused on their phone instead of the classwork.”
At Pioneer there is no official school wide policy and each teacher has their own way to monitor the amount of phone usage students have in their classrooms. Assistant Principal of Student Services Tim Gavello, has taken a hands-off approach in regards to the phone policies giving teachers full control.
“There have been a few phones sent to the office but not more than in years past. Most of our teachers are very good with their cell phone policies in the class and handle it in class,” said Gavello.
Some teachers, such as math teacher Cem Yesilyurt, have a more relaxed phone policy that relies on the respect and connections students have with their teacher.
“Over time students get used to the teacher, we get to know the students and we know that we have respect for each other so that when I ask them to put it away, they do, which is really nice,” said Yesilyurt. “As long as they are not disrupting other people it is probably fine, but the work we do in class needs to get done.”
Even with the more relaxed phone policy, Yesilyurt sees the risk that phones pose for cheating during tests making him enact a stricter policy on testing days.
“When there are tests and quizzes I usually put the phone pockets near the door and I watch as the students put their phones in the pocket and that way I know everything is fine, and I do not have to be worried about anything during the test,” said Yesilyurt.
Other teachers, such as Spanish teacher Jesus Lopez, see the utilization of phones during class time as more detrimental to students learning, and, has a stricter policy when it comes to the usage of phones in their classroom.
“Students are using their phones all the time, constantly. It is a big problem because they get distracted by their phones, they do not do their work, they do not pay attention and they do not participate,” said Lopez. “They have to have their phones away at all times and if they don’t then the telephone goes on my desk and eventually it goes to the attendance office.”
Frida Ramirez, 12, notices how phone policies help her minimize procrastination and in turn, have a positive impact on her education.
“I think a phone policy would be encouraging for people like me, who like to be on their phone constantly. If I had that incentive to not be on my phone then I might be a little bit more productive,” said Ramirez.
However other students, such as Nikhil Pendse, 12, believe that high school students should be able to make their own decisions.
“I think that when you are in high school, you are expected to be a certain maturity level, so I think everyone is mature enough to decide for themselves how much they want to use their phone or how much using their phone is helpful for them,” said Pendse.
Overall phones have become a crucial part of society and have had both positive and negative impacts, and many teachers have accepted the growing importance of phones within new generations and try to acknowledge their prevalence when implementing phone policies within the classroom.
“For me, my view is, cell phones are not going anywhere. We all have one and they are just a part of our life now,” said English teacher Beth Stafford. “So instead of saying ‘I don't ever want to see them’ or ‘they have to be in the backpack, so you can't ever use them’ I am much more realistic about it. I know students are going to check the time or they are going to check a message really quick. It is more about making sure they are not more focused on their phone instead of the classwork.”