As a parent of teenagers, I know that every parent wants to give their children every possible advantage. We want them to be the best version of themselves they can be.
At Be in Touch, we believe that one of the most impactful advantages we can give our children is a BREAK. We’re talking about a break from the compulsive lure of their screens and the content that the never-sleeping algorithms serve them.
With screentime rising to a staggering 7-9 hours a day for the average teenager, one of the simplest ways to give them this break, which comes with a number of added benefits, is a phone-free school day.
UNESCO has called for a global ban on smartphones in schools, citing distraction and cyberbully as two key detrimental impacts to effective learning. “Phone-free schools” is one of the key norms recommended by Dr Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Menal Illness, in order to reverse the detrimental impact that screens, social media and gaming have had on teen mental health in the last decade. And the global, parent-led Smartphone Free Childhood movement advocates for phone-free schools as one of it’s founding principles.
While technology undoubtedly has its place in education, a phone-free school can offer substantial benefits for a learner’s academic performance, social development, and mental health.
The Mere Presence Effect
A growing body of research suggests that the mere presence of a smartphone can significantly impact cognitive capacity and function, even when it’s not being actively used, and even though the user feels they’re giving their full attention and focus to the task at hand.
Reduced Cognitive Capacity: Studies have shown that having a smartphone within sight or reach can reduce available cognitive capacity, even if it’s turned off or on silent. This suggests that the brain is constantly aware of the potential for distraction, leading to decreased focus and attention.
Impaired Task Performance: Research has demonstrated that individuals with their phones nearby perform worse on tasks that require sustained attention, such as reading comprehension, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Increased Stress and Anxiety: The constant accessibility of smartphones can contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety, particularly for individuals who are highly dependent on their devices. This heightened emotional state can further hinder concentration and cognitive performance.
What does a phone-free school look like?
A phone-free school is NOT one where learners aren’t allowed to take out their phones in class, but often do and have to be reminded by teachers to put it away. The reality is that, if tweens and teens have phones in their pockets or their bags, those phones come out in the classroom, in the bathroom, and during breaks. This means that phones are not only interfering with learning time but with their social time as well.
A phone-free school IS one that requires that all phones be securely stored, preferably outside of the classroom, at the start of the school day, to be collected by learners at the end of the school day. At a minimum, the school day is the academic day, but some schools extend this to cover extra-mural activities as well.
What are the benefits of a phone-free school?
The benefits of a phone-free school are numerous, giving learners academic, social, physical, and emotional opportunities and advantages.
Improved focus and engagement in the classroom: Students are less likely to be distracted by notifications, social media, or games, allowing them to fully absorb the lessons and actively participate in discussions.
Improved academics: It’s estimated that learners spend up to 25% of classroom time on their phones, and a number of studies have shown that the use of phones in class is correlated with decreased academic performance.
Improved social connection & sense of community: If learners are looking down at their phones, they aren’t looking up at what or who is in front of them. Phones prevent learners from being present with the people around them, preventing real friendships from forming. Without the constant lure of screens, learners are encouraged to communicate face-to-face, developing essential social skills like empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution.
Improved physical health: The absence of phones during break times encourages learners to develop a deeper appreciation for offline activities, such as reading, creative pursuits, and physical exercise, contributing to their overall well-being.
Improved mental health: The link between smartphone and social media use, and anxiety and depression in teens is now well studied and well documented. A phone-free school environment can significantly reduce instances of cyberbullying and online harassment, creating a safer and more inclusive learning space
What are some of the practical issues?
Parents
Selling the ideal of better grades and overall health and happiness of learners to parents is strangely enough, not always easy. Conversations may need to be had, to address common concerns, such as:
“I need to be able to contact my child during the school day.” Interruptions from parents can disrupt a learner’s focus and hinder their ability to develop independence, confidence, and problem-solving skills. Parents are encouraged to communicate via the main office.
“My child needs to have a phone in case of an emergency.” Whilst school shootings are fortunately less of a reality in South African schools, there are protocols in place for keeping learners safe during an emergency. Connectivity to parents at a time like this can distract learners from following important instructions. Learners are encouraged to communicate via the main office should they need to contact their parents.
“Teachers can just collect phones at the beginning of every class.” This places a huge burden on teachers who are required to take time out of teaching to manage learner’s devices. Concentration levels have been proven to be highest when phones are stored outside of the classroom. School is about more than academics – it is also about developing interpersonal skills, social bonds and learning to work with others. Learners are given greater opportunities to socialise and bond with their peers during breaks between classes on a phone-free environment.
“Our children won’t learn to self-regulate if we take phones away.” Academic success and interpersonal skills are priority focus areas for children at this age. The first step in teaching responsible phone use is recognising when it’s appropriate to use a phone and when it isn’t. A phone-free school day provides the structure and discipline for learners to cope without their devices for extended periods, a habit that will help them succeed in university, their working environment and life.
Teachers
Although the burden of managing phones in the classroom is an exhausting one, many teachers have also grown used to using devices as an easy way to fill time in class, whether it involves educational or entertaining screentime.
Some schools opt to include staff in their phone-free policy, giving teachers a break from parent and peer communication which can distract them from focusing on the teaching task at hand. It also means that the staff are important role-models for the behaviour the school wants to see in the school.
Learners
Very few learners are thrilled to hand in their phones upon arrival at school. Many will be tempted to test the system, hiding phones or using burner or dummy phones. The school’s role in holding the boundaries and implementing consequences consistently, will be vital in establishing the new culture. It will only take a few instances where learners are sanctioned by having their phones confiscated over a weekend or holiday, for the risk vs reward to be recalibrated. Once the new norm has been established, many learners report a sense of relief and renewed energy.
Schools
As smartphones have become an integral part of modern communication, so to have schools relied on platforms such as WhatsApp for academic and extra-mural notifications. Schools will need to give conscious thought about implementing new, or reverting to old, ways of communicating with learners. This could involve notice boards or digital screens, updating learners with information they need to know about their school day.
Phone storage is a key practical issue. Some schools are trialling the use of pouches, but we believe that the use of good old-fashioned lockers offer several advantages:
- Lockers allow for a complete physical separation of devices from the classroom, and from the leaners’ person, decreasing distraction to a minimum.
- They prevent buzzes and notifications from within pouches disrupting teaching time.
- They minimise the temptation for learners to break into or access them.
- They provide a secure and cost-effective storage solution, reducing the risk of theft or damage.
Smartphones have crept up on us as an unprecedented distraction in school spaces. But feedback from schools that have already implemented phone-free schools indicate many positive results after the initial transition. Schools report a drop in “digital drama” required to be addressed and solved during teaching time. Learners report “feeling lighter”, less stressed and less anxious. Class sessions begin more seamlessly, as students are not trying to reset their focus after having checked their phones between classes. Teachers can focus on teaching without having to remind learners to switch off their phones or put them away. Classes are not interrupted by notifications and alerts in pockets and bags that, even if silenced, create endless micro-distractions during the day. Learners no longer request bathroom breaks, in order to check their phones. And importantly, from a life-skill perspective, learners are encouraged to become more organised and independent without relying on their phones.
Kate Farina | kate@beintouch.org.za | www.beintouch.org.za