The Buxton School Example

You may have read the recent article in the Wall Street Journal: a small high school in Massachusetts - The Buxton School - banned smartphones for both students and teachers. The school, which numbers only 57 students and had always prided itself on community, had witnessed a decline in engagement among teachers and students since the introduction of smartphones. So it got rid of them. Now, everyone was annoyed at first (go figure…) but they all eventually got used to the decision and the sense of community has returned. How about that!

As a teacher, this article really resonated with me. I can’t tell you how many times I have come across a group of students sitting together staring at their phones, not speaking to one another. This seems like such a lost opportunity to me, and as old fashioned as I surely come across, I encourage them to converse with each other sans phones. And though our school has not implemented such a ban (the kids still do stuff that does not include phones) the idea has come up more than once - at least as applied to certain circumstances.

Now, I have banned smartphones, and any electronic device that connects to the Internet, in my classroom. Sure they may be useful for some things but honestly, they are far too distracting and wind up impeding the learning experience. And you know what - since I instituted this policy the class engagement has skyrocketed and the grades have improved significantly. So, while it might be frustrating to some students, they all win in the end.

All in all I applaud the Buxton School decision and wonder if they might be blazing a trail for others to emulate. I for one would support the decision to ban smartphones from my school (for myself too…) should the decision come up for discussion.

I wold love to hear what you think in the comments below.

With compliments,

Keith