My second blog

 

Young kids these days are getting more and more distracted by technology. Phones are probably what most kids are asking for. Every parent is wondering whether or not to give their elementary school kid a phone.

I got my first phone when I was in 4th grade, and my parents knew that it was a good Idea because they believed I was a good kid. I used it responsibly whenever I would take it with me. I brought it to school a couple times but never used it, it was only for emergencies and I always remembered to put it on silent before I left my house so I never really got distracted. But for kids in elementary school maybe they would forget to put their phones on silent and it would be making buzzing sounds in their backpacks and it could get distracting for teachers and students walking down the hall. Also if elementary kids have their phones right next to them during zooms they could get tempted to use it during class, so parents may take them for the whole school day. If the parents take it away then there is really no point for the kids to have them.  

 There are many positive effects on elementary school kids having a phone. The phone provides an easy way to contact parents, allowing for the kids to talk to them whenever they would need, like if they needed a ride or they wanted one of their friends to come over at the last minute. Having a phone also gives them a sense of security, allowing them to call emergency services if they find themselves in trouble or danger. More obviously, the phone provides kids a source of entertainment, giving them opportunities to have fun while being inside, like playing games or watching YouTube. 

Nonetheless, even though there can be certain benefits to elementary school kids having phones, the disadvantages take a far greater toll on their education. Elementary kids are too young to have a mind that will make good choices when it comes to fun distractions like phones. A study by the University of Chicago discovered that even if a phone is turned off, faced down, or put away, just their presence will distract a person, anyone of any age. People, in general, check their phone many times a day, and students check their phones on average over 11 times during class. It may not seem much, but collectively, time that could’ve been working on school work was lost due to the phone. Even adults struggle with the constant distraction of a phone so why would giving one to an elementary student be a good idea? 

Works Cited

Hess, Abigail. “Research Continually Shows How Distracting Cell Phones Are—so Some Schools Want to Ban Them.” CNBC, 19 Jan. 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/01/18/research-shows-that-cell-phones-distract-students--so-france-banned-them-in-school--.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.

“Should Cellphones Be Allowed in Classrooms? | Oxford Learning.” Oxford Learning, 22 Apr. 2019, www.oxfordlearning.com/should-cell-phones-be-allowed-classrooms/.