In modern society, cell phones have become an integral part of people's daily lives. However, in the school environment, the use of cell phones has sparked widespread controversy. Ron MacNeil, a social studies teacher and Beth Fialko Casey, an English teacher at Burlington High School in Burlington, Vermont, have different views and approaches to the issue. This article will explore the question of whether schools should ban cell phones and analyze the views of the two teachers.
Ron MacNeil: A supporter of a total cell phone ban
Ron MacNeil fully supports a total ban on cell phones in schools. He believes that cell phones are very disruptive to students in class, and about half of the students use cell phones in class. Mr. MacNeil's current policy is to require students to put their cell phones away, but it is not strict in enforcement. He believes that if students use cell phones in class, they should be confiscated and parents should come to retrieve them.
Mr. MacNeil recalls the time when high school banned cell phones and believed that the school's discipline and learning environment were better during that time. However, as time went on, the school gradually relaxed the ban on cell phones, which disappointed him.
As a psychology teacher, Mr. McNeill is well aware of the neurological effects of cell phone use. He believes that cell phone use is an addictive and compulsive behavior, and this generation is addicted to instant gratification, instant information and instant connection. He described an experience in a meeting: a student secretly texting under a T-shirt made him realize the seriousness of cell phone addiction.
Mr. McNeill believes that it is unlikely that the school administration will ban cell phones completely, but he said that many colleagues support such a ban. He also tried to buy cell phone jammers to cut off service, although such devices are considered illegal in the United States, but he thinks this is a way to solve the problem. However, these jammers can only block 3G signals, while students can still use WiFi, which makes the jammers less effective.
Beth Felco Casey: Opposes a complete ban but supports managed cell phone use
Unlike Mr. McNeill, English teacher Beth Felco Casey does not support a complete ban on cell phones. She believes that as teachers, they need to be the enforcers of the ban, which increases their burden. Despite this, she also expressed concerns about the interference of cell phones on students' learning. Ms. Felco Casey believes that students are very secretive about hiding their cell phone use and the problem is more serious than she actually sees.
Ms. Felco Casey uses a variety of strategies to manage cell phone use in the classroom. She often uses public shaming as a means of punishment and reminds students to put their phones away at the beginning of the class. She also has a classroom policy that requires some students to hand in their phones at the door, and sometimes students even voluntarily place their phones on her desk so that they can concentrate on their studies.
Ms. Felco Casey believes that it is very important to create an atmosphere where students feel that using cell phones in class is unacceptable behavior. She will collect the phone as soon as she sees it and return it to the student at the end of the class. Her goal is to make students understand that using cell phones in class is not allowed, thereby reducing the distraction caused by cell phones.
Comprehensive Analysis and Recommendations
From the perspectives of the above two teachers, whether schools should ban cell phones completely remains a complex issue. Mr. McNeill's point of view emphasizes the negative impact of cell phones on student learning and discipline, and he believes that a complete ban on cell phones is an effective means to solve the problem. Ms. Ferco Casey believes that a total ban on mobile phones may not be practical, but through strict management and reasonable policies, the interference of mobile phones on students can be effectively reduced.
Combining the views of the two teachers, the following are some suggestions:
Formulate a clear mobile phone use policy: Schools should formulate clear mobile phone use policies and stipulate specific rules for the use of mobile phones in class and on campus. These policies should include the time, place and method of using mobile phones.
Strengthen teacher management and training: Teachers should receive training to learn how to effectively manage students' mobile phone use. Through reasonable management strategies, such as collecting mobile phones at the beginning of class, the interference of mobile phones in the classroom can be reduced.
Improve students' self-discipline: Schools can improve students' self-discipline through education and publicity, so that they can recognize the pros and cons of mobile phone use and learn to use mobile phones at appropriate times.
No comments yet