Not all new technology is good for schooling, or so I think. If you, like me, think cellphones should be banned from schools, WaPo has an article for you:
So in December, [Assistant Principal Raymond] Dolphin did something unusual: He banned [cellphones].
The experiment at Illing Middle School sparked objections from students and some parents, but it has already generated profound and unexpected results.
Dolphin likened prohibiting cellphones to curbing consumption of sugary foods. “In a matter of months, you start feeling better,” he said.
What unfolded at the school reflects a broader struggle underway in education as some administrators turn to increasingly drastic measures to limit the reach of a technology that is both ubiquitous and endlessly distracting.
Schools are used not just to teach knowledge, but to teach learning, including the ability to focus. Some might argue that includes ignoring the iguana in the pocket, but I’d argue that first teach focus, as it’s a skill unto itself, and then teach how to ignore the iguana in the pocket. Or let the kids figure it out themselves.
Love it!
