As the school year started, so did the seemingly never-ending increase in restrictions added to the phone policy. Suddenly, instead of being trusted to keep on task and be productive during school hours, there was an administrative decision to treat 14 to 18-year-old high school students like young children. My friends and I shook it off, appreciating the well-needed brain break from our “dopamine devices”, but as the first quarter has ended the rules are getting stricter and it feels like there is no telling what can come next.
I understand how phone usage during class time can result in distractions for not only the student on their phone, but also other students and potentially even the teacher. I believe that a student sitting on their phone during a class period is simply wasting time. The phone caddies have been good for preventing this.
Although, tutorials are a “free period” during which we, as students, should be trusted to manage our time. Who will ensure we aren’t on our phones as we enter the real world? Our college professors? Our bosses? The gremlins in the vents? We will be expected to act like adults and in turn, be treated like adults.
Often we find our administration expecting respect from our student body, but not making it mutual. Many students, including me, believe we are often treated like children more than teenagers should be. How will we learn without the opportunity to make mistakes? By taking our phones they are making us yearn for them even more. Why not let us learn the hard way?
As a student with four APs and multiple advanced classes, tutorials are a lifesaver for getting things done. On the other hand, a nice brain break in the middle of the day can be essential for preventing burnout. On the rare occasion that I do not have to do homework, it is nice to be allowed to scroll or text my sister during that time.
Time is of the essence for busy high school students, but when we aren’t needing to be productive due to some kindness from our teachers, it’s nice to use the time to do something we enjoy.
Though some may argue that there are students who lack the ability to manage their time, how might we learn without being given the option? I even struggle at times, but I have become much better at it because my parents encourage independence.
As students grow throughout the years, our habits and level of independence must grow with us or we will not be able to function well as human beings in the real world. The ability to use our phones in tutorial may seem like a tiny portion of this, but it has deeper rooted meaning and habits that I believe are essential in life.
