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France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

theguardian.com

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Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#231

Post by ksk »

d13 wrote: post #146
Montezuma_II wrote: post #25

I think this is a mainly positive move. Mobile phones are massive distractions to children, especially in a school context. When it comes to young children, I am skeptic to the use of digital technology in education in general. School should help incorporate good habits into a child's routine, such as reading books, and nailing reliance on phones into children is not something we want to be doing in schools.

If phones are providing children with a more stimulating experience than school, the schools themselves should improve their product, rather than banning the competition.

How is failing to exploit the flaws of humans a bad thing?

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#232

Post by albedoa »

devmunchies wrote: post #213
criddell wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At my kids' school, they encourage appropriate cell phone use in the school. For example, if there is a homework assignment on the board, rather than wait for everybody to copy it down, kids are told to take a picture of the board. They also insist on the kids using some kind of calendar to track everything and most kids use their phone calendar. There's some kind of Twitter-like service that is used for teacher-stud…

> For example, if there is a homework assignment on the board, rather than wait for everybody to copy it down, kids are told to take a picture of the board just post the assignment online. Not a reason to allow phones in class.

The point is not to make up reasons to use phones in class but rather to identify opportunities to teach students responsible use of phones, which will exist outside of class and well into the future.

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#234

Post by molsongolden »

noobermin wrote: post #224
germinalphrase wrote: post #153

TLDR: As a high school level teacher, this would be less of a problem if teachers had stronger enforcement powers. Since we often don't - I would strongly favor a ban. If students need a computer, we have them available all day, every day. As a high school level teacher, I appreciate the attitude that there are amazing opportunities for learning and skill development with computers. I agree with this wholeheartedly.…

This is such a luddite view and frankly almost a power tripping view. Have you thought that they are "addicted" to being social with their friends like normal teenagers are? It already is against policy in most places to have smart phones during class, why ban them during breaks? It's during freaking breaks. How about let kids be kids for once and stop trying to grope into their personal lives! Why do you need to pol…

Your comment seems to be lashing out vs. actually addressing the parent comment. The user you are responding to already acknowledged the students are "addicted" to being social and using social media because that is the nature of being a teenager.

> "Of course, using phones in class is already against school policy, but it will remain and issue until I am able to take a phone away from a student. "

They also noted that using a phone in class is against policy but they have no way to enforce this policy... which is their reason for supporting a ban.

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#235

Post by bzbarsky »

mschuster91 wrote: post #215

Jeez. I had not thought the Macron government to be so backwards. IMHO there are two issues at place: 1. teachers not adapting to new times. In ye olde days, teachers had the attention of the students basically guaranteed (as the only thing students could do instead of paying attention to the teacher was drawing messages on papers and passing them around). That frontal instruction is bullshit and should be a thing of…

> as the only thing students could do instead of paying attention to the teacher was drawing messages on papers and passing them around

Or playing battleship (or any of a huge number of other pencil-and-paper games). Or reading under the desk. Or throwing spitballs. Or doing their nails.

I'm not sure whether you lived through ye olde days, but there were _tons_ of things you could do if you wanted to ignore the teacher.

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#236

Post by Veratyr »

noobermin wrote: post #224
germinalphrase wrote: post #153

TLDR: As a high school level teacher, this would be less of a problem if teachers had stronger enforcement powers. Since we often don't - I would strongly favor a ban. If students need a computer, we have them available all day, every day. As a high school level teacher, I appreciate the attitude that there are amazing opportunities for learning and skill development with computers. I agree with this wholeheartedly.…

This is such a luddite view and frankly almost a power tripping view. Have you thought that they are "addicted" to being social with their friends like normal teenagers are? It already is against policy in most places to have smart phones during class, why ban them during breaks? It's during freaking breaks. How about let kids be kids for once and stop trying to grope into their personal lives! Why do you need to pol…

I get where you're coming from but if they're spending their breaks on their phones, they're only interacting with their friends through text rather than face to face. They're still kids and we don't know yet whether that face-to-face interaction they're missing out on will be important to them later in life.

It's not about restricting their freedom, it's about health. It's not a "civil rights issue" if you restrict your kids from eating nothing but greasy burgers every day.

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#237

Post by ksk »

mschuster91 wrote: post #215

Jeez. I had not thought the Macron government to be so backwards. IMHO there are two issues at place: 1. teachers not adapting to new times. In ye olde days, teachers had the attention of the students basically guaranteed (as the only thing students could do instead of paying attention to the teacher was drawing messages on papers and passing them around). That frontal instruction is bullshit and should be a thing of…

1. This isn't a eBooks versus dead-tree books thing. The school has certain conditions so that you don't create a disruptive atmosphere. You can't bring a giant boombox and play loud EDM music either. Smartphones contribute to disruption too, as well has reduced attention spans and alertness. This why you don't text and drive. Not because its a "rotten tradition". If a parent thinks a child can do better on their own with a smartphone, then by all means, homeschooling is an option too. Not being sarcastic here.

2. Sounds defeatist. Which solution are you in favor of? Where has it been implemented and what were the results?

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#238

Post by germinalphrase »

noobermin wrote: post #224
germinalphrase wrote: post #153

TLDR: As a high school level teacher, this would be less of a problem if teachers had stronger enforcement powers. Since we often don't - I would strongly favor a ban. If students need a computer, we have them available all day, every day. As a high school level teacher, I appreciate the attitude that there are amazing opportunities for learning and skill development with computers. I agree with this wholeheartedly.…

This is such a luddite view and frankly almost a power tripping view. Have you thought that they are "addicted" to being social with their friends like normal teenagers are? It already is against policy in most places to have smart phones during class, why ban them during breaks? It's during freaking breaks. How about let kids be kids for once and stop trying to grope into their personal lives! Why do you need to pol…

Take a breath. My students have full access to their devices during breaks. They have full access to their friends. They have significant opportunists throughout eh day to socialize. That's not really a problem.

The ability to maintain some sustained attention to a task is a pretty fundamental developmental skill that I - as an educator - am tasked with helping my students develop. Many of my student display a compulsive behavioral need to be on their phones and this has very obvious and immediate impacts on their focus and learning. That's a problem that I don't see being solved at the high school level by casual/cultural policing of behavior during class.

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#239

Post by andrepd »

zxd1098 wrote: post #221
devmunchies wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For example, if there is a homework assignment on the board, rather than wait for everybody to copy it down, kids are told to take a picture of the board just post the assignment online. Not a reason to allow phones in class.

At work, you’d take a picture of the whiteboard with your phone. It’s a valuable life skill.

It's snapping a picture of a whiteboard. It's not a "life skill".

Re: France to ban mobile phones in primary, junior and middle schools

#240

Post by abakker »

andrepd wrote: post #239
zxd1098 wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At work, you’d take a picture of the whiteboard with your phone. It’s a valuable life skill.

It's snapping a picture of a whiteboard. It's not a "life skill".

At least, not one people really need to be taught.
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