The cons of using cell phone in classroom

There are numerous arguments against allowing cell phones in school. The source of much public debate, the issue of whether to allow children and teens to bring their mobile phones to school has been discussed and debated at length across the country.

As the school principal, I disagree that students use the cell phones in the classroom. It is because students often forget to turn off their phones in class, and ringing noises or text-message alerts disrupt learning. Many students will answer the call if their phones ring in class. Even if set to silent, cell phones can still cause distraction, since text messaging has become a high-tech method of passing notes in school. Furthermore, students cannot pay attention in the classroom if they bring cell phones to school. They will play video games through the cell phones when teacher is teaching. This will seriously affect their studies.

Besides that, cheating and inappropriate photos are also concerns associated with cell phones. As cell phones become more sophisticated and powerful, opportunities for cheating increase. Teachers have caught high school students taking pictures of tests to pass along to students in later classes, for instance, or accessing photos of textbook pages or notes during tests. Inappropriate photos taken in locker rooms and restrooms have also become a problem in some schools, which carries the potential for lawsuits; many school systems have banned camera phones while still allowing traditional cell phones.

Moreover, as the English language teacher students who have their cell phone in class can use it to cheat. They can text another person ask them the question on the test, or the assignment they are given. This causes a problem because it can be very simple to do. Teachers pay attention to their students, but they cannot watch all of them at the same time. During a test it is more easier catch a student who is text message, but during regular class it can be very easy to miss. Cell phones enable student to cheat fairly easily.

Some believe that when students use their cell phones at school, it makes rumors spread faster. Everyone has access to a cell phone and when somebody hears a rumor, they send a text message to their friend to tell them about it, and their friend sends a text message to another friend, and so on. Some also think that the fast spreading of rumors makes it more likely that the rumors will worsen as it is being spread, and that the quicker it spreads, the worse it gets. When a rumor does start, the use of cell phone increases as each person receives the news, and the overuse of cell phones can cause cell phone network to overload which means that someone who is in an emergency would not be able to reach the people who could provide them help.

On the other hand,  parents thinks that a cell phone is a necessity for any child old enough to be able to use it in an emergency. This is no doubt that a cell phones allows for the advantage to being able to contact a person direct during an emergency or otherwise. Knowing that a child has a mobile phone puts parents at ease, they can call their parents in case of emergency instruction and transporting problem because of some school activities after school. The students need to inform their parents  to fetch them back in times. Similary, the students can also be in touch with their parents if they need.

School policies are not always made to benefit all students. The students not only be in touch with their parents for regular instruction like a pick up point or changes times to get back home.They can also feed in emergency number like 999,hospital, relatives, and other. The disallowing of cell phones students is unfair to the majority who would adhere to the rule of no phone use in classes. Most students would limit their phone use to before and after school, during free periods and for emergency calls. The student use of cell phones was a practical help when there was a crisis at  school, students had to exit the building immediately, students can  inform their parents to let them know their situation.

As conclusion, cell phone use in schools has both advantages and disadvantages. I’m personally disagree about use of cell phone in classroom. By using  cell phone in classroom you disrupt the learning environment for other students. You provide distraction from educational studies and you annoy people who don't want to listen your buzzing, talking, or ringing.

Written By,

Khor Siew Yee

Tan Boon Lay

Tiew Hooi Theng