No smartphone ban could be extended from primary to all schools. Do you agree?

If definitely agree that weaker students suffer more. They're banning them in our secondary next year.

Don't know how Ireland can do a blanket ban though, as we know the Irish government don't run many Irish schools.

They are not allowed in my school officially but they are being used constantly anyway, I can’t see it happening at PP unfortunately, parents go made that they cannot contact their children despite the fact that the school phone could easily be used !!

Kids have a lot more freedom in secondary, often leaving the school grounds at lunch time and going to friends' houses after school. I think parents find it easier to give the kids this sort of freedom if they have phones on them. A lot of them use revolute to pay for lunch from parents' accounts.

Our rule is that a student can't have their phone out unless a teacher explicitly told them to use it.

Parents moan about this sort of thing but if you ask a class how many of them have to hand their phones to their parents at bedtime they look at you like you're suggesting that they surrender a lung. In school the kids are surrounded by their friends, there's plenty going on. It's at home in the evenings when they're not with their friends that they spend hours on their phones. Parents have to deal with this one by laying down some strict guidelines with their kids, even if it makes them unpopular with their precious offspring. Try that first before making it another problem for teachers to solve.

Some second level students are over 18 years before they leave school so they are adults.

Would this be an issue with a total ban ?

A ban has to be accompanied by actual enforcement.

A ban wouldn't have the worth of used toilet paper if there will be effectively zero consequences for non-compliance and the power to enforce it simply won't exist.

So although I'd be of the opinion they should be banned I'd have zero faith in it being a worthwhile move given the broader context......

It's no coincidence bans seem to happen and work well in schools with good discipline and the ability to apply consequences....I'm not necessarily blaming the schools that don't have these things btw, it's frequently not their fault they don't have the tools available to follow through/hold the line on something like this.

No. You sign up to school policies as a condition of enrollment.

I'd 100% agree, it's anecdotal from my own experience and from correcting but its the bottom that are damaged by phones. The good students are still good students, we haven't lost them but weaker students are more susceptible to the dopamine hit they are not getting from aspects of education.

When the London School of Economics did a survey on this a few years ago they found the same, socio economically disadvantaged students faired worst, very able, socioeconomically advantaged students faired best. Middle students were still middle students and didn't change much at all.

Being honest I'd love phones to be banned in all schools for everyone. When I started teaching ( primary) not that long ago it was a huge no no for staff to be on their phones or have a phone in school. Now adays it is the go to method of contact in our school. We are all on google hangouts and the phone is going all day long. It is a total and utter headwreck.

From 4th year our local secondary asks you to confirm your place prior to returning in Sep as part of that you agree to school policies - so an annual agreement is in place.

In primary they are confiscated. Secondary have introduced pouches that are locked until home time . Ive heard some kids have a second phone 😀

I’d vote to ban phones but get the technology in place to allow calls and texts on smartwatches. It’s not as good as going from phones to nothing but it gives people ease of mind that they can be reachable and you won’t have as much doomscrolling on a smart watch.

Vodafone brought out theirs albeit very restricted. I want to use my smart phone less and this will definitely be one way I’ll be doing it.

As I’ve told the odd 18 year old, they’d be free to leave and not come back. My house, my rules.

Unfortunately a sensible approach like that isn't always prevalent.

I never bring my phone to school. I find it beyond frustrating to be contactable when I'm at work. If anyone desperately needs me they can ring the office. I want to teach in my class without being bombarded by messages from teacher groups or the school. The staff room has become unbearable with teachers scrolling on their phone rather than chatting. Now, I'm old school, teaching for 30 years but we managed just fine without phones in school and to my mind everyone was less distracted and more connected. Over the past while the job has become way more stressful because management have us on speed dial. I'm part of management myself but I've made it clear I will have no phone on me at any time during the school day and anyone who wants to contact me has to come in person. I believe an outright ban would make our job less stressful.

No wayyyyy id go near using WhatsApp for work, except the odd teacher or two I'd gossip with 😁.

Anything work related is through teams.

Also we've had legal issues over nasty WhatsApp groups so it's a big no.

Parents WhatsApp groups are kind of necessary but the ones I'm on are kept to bare minimum with little to no ranting.

Weve gone 100% ban now (except for teachers of course). Makes things a lot easier and less bullying etc. You get the moans from students but &£#&£#&£# em

Wont be too long now til all use of phones inside is banned. You will only be allowed to use your phone where you are allowed to smoke.

:)

Might actually be a good thing though to be hones :) :)

Into released a report today on teacher shortages. Just goes to show how important Norma considers her role.

There are pros and cons! Very many,infact.

There is probably no great need for students in Primary schools to have phones.They are still minors and a teacher can contact a parent via the School Secretary if there is an urgent reason to do so.

At second level,I would not be so sure that a blanket ban would solve every outcome.We are well aware that the students are still in our care,we do our best for them,teach them,advise them,expect them to adhere to school rules etc.There are some schools that have the 'pouches' where the phones are stored during class time. Its OK but means that another layer of 'management' is required to make this run effectively and efficiently.

Many students need their phones after school especially if they are going onto work for a few hours.They may need a parent to pick them up etc.A total ban,speaking with a parent and teacher hat on, would not be good here!

As regards teachers having phones I reckon its a prerequisite! How many matches and extra curricular activities would not be arranged if teacher did not have their phone during non class contact time.(Do not get me started on Management and their insistence on ticking boxes and filling in 'forms' by return and wondering why you haven't done it....and of course it's because you have been in class all day!)

Unfortunately the Irish have a problem about being adult as regards many rules,and some ruin it for the majority of law abiding people. Norma,our Education Minister, I'm sure has many other areas where she could tackle and get a better result.

Keeping things simple,adhering to school rules (of which 'phone use' is part of ) see us with 'laws' in place already to tackle this issue.