Cellphone Ban Has Kids Talking
Crescent had been contemplating changes to our cell phone policy for some time, and the recent provincial policy updates regarding student cell phone use in schools provided a fresh impetus for change. While the Ministry’s policy focused solely on cell phone use distraction in the classroom, our goals were loftier. We saw this as an opportunity to improve our school culture and community.
Crescent’s cell phone policy was put in place on September 1. It extends the existing rules for Lower and Middle School students to the Upper School, stating that all students who bring personal electronic devices to school must keep them securely stored in their lockers during school hours. This “bell-to-bell” phone ban is designed to minimize distractions and encourage more meaningful social interactions among students.
My colleagues and I immediately saw changes, particularly around the “little moments.” There is now more socialization between students in the classrooms. Without cell phones in their hands, students are more attuned to what is happening around them and engage in more frequent, meaningful interactions.
School hallways have a bustling energy. Rather than holding their heads down, eyes glued to their phones, and absorbed in their screens, students engage with their surroundings and the people around them. In classrooms, teachers spend less time getting boys’ attention. With phones safely stowed away, focus is heightened and distractions have abated.
There is one surprising outcome of the cellphone ban we hadn’t anticipated. Students (and faculty/staff) are heavily reliant on their cell phones to tell time. We now need more clocks in the school to ensure people get to where they need to go when they need to be there!
This policy has not been without its incidents. We have a progressive model for cellphone infractions, and there have been times when Upper School students have had their phones taken away for the day or served detention. We recognize that there will be growing pains as we ingrain this new habit but the boys have been fantastic on the whole and I would go so far as to say that, for many, it is a welcome change.
We’ll review the policy at the end of the school year to evaluate its effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments based on feedback and observed outcomes. But we are two months into our new policy and I am optimistic about its future. With the rapid advances of artificial intelligence, we know that “soft” human skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and empathy are increasingly important. These skills aren’t innate and require frequent and intentional practice in the same way that exercise builds muscles. Our cellphone policy is one way that Crescent is encouraging our students to practice these essential character qualities.
