Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have one in middle school, one in high school, and yes in virtually every class the teachers do say "take out your phones". Some schools use tablets, laptops, all are different, the latter being less common as they are frequently stolen. Our high school issues everyone with a laptop, but they still use their phones for most classes.
All the communication between staff and students regarding after school activities is done via group text here.
Do you know what the word necessity means? It means you cannot live without it, there are people all over the world, and in this country who survive just fine without any phone. Therefore, as logic shows, it is NOT a necessity.
People may survive, but often in the third world, it's not *just fine.* As the technology expands, it will bring more and more smartphones to these parts of the world although for now it is often just cell phones and tablets.
Technology has the potential to lift people out of poverty. All signs point to the developing world skipping past the eras of landlines and desktop computers and going straight to mobile. That potential for two-way communication is changing the face of international development. “For the first time ever, we’re able to have a clear line to people who are in the middle of nowhere to give them a sense of a future, information, opportunity and choice,” says Chris Fabian, co-lead of UNICEF’s Innovation Lab.
Quote:
As mobile phone networks spread to cover all rural areas, we have the chance to affect the lives of people who need the help most, making big changes to how people handle money, work, learn and participate in government.
I have one in middle school, one in high school, and yes in virtually every class the teachers do say "take out your phones". Some schools use tablets, laptops, all are different, the latter being less common as they are frequently stolen. Our high school issues everyone with a laptop, but they still use their phones for most classes.
All the communication between staff and students regarding after school activities is done via group text here.
What do your schools do for students who do not have a smartphone?
I have one in middle school, one in high school, and yes in virtually every class the teachers do say "take out your phones". Some schools use tablets, laptops, all are different, the latter being less common as they are frequently stolen. Our high school issues everyone with a laptop, but they still use their phones for most classes.
All the communication between staff and students regarding after school activities is done via group text here.
The same is true for my high school daughter.
There is also a reminder app that a lot of teachers use to tell kids about practice schedules and to remind them to bring dues, etc.
Also, all of my daughter's social activities revolve around the smart phone. That's how they invite each other to do things and organize gatherings.
Nowadays I find (and I teach middle school) that most kids over 12 do have phones and they have smartphones. Some teachers do try to take advantage of smartphones in instruction, but not many from my experience. Many schools and districts actually restrict this practice fearing it will lead kids to have their phones out all the time and be distracted.
The real issue especially in some richer districts is every student having an iPhone (and usually a iPhone 6 or later, though you still see some iPhone 5s, you almost never see 4s anymore). With Android, it's not hard to get a less expensive phone (i.e. for a 2-digit price) and/or get a deal from your carrier, but iPhones always cost hundreds of $$$, even used 5s are often still $200 and up. But in some districts, sadly your child will be looked down upon if they don't have an iPhone instead of an Android phone.
Nowadays I find (and I teach middle school) that most kids over 12 do have phones and they have smartphones. Some teachers do try to take advantage of smartphones in instruction, but not many from my experience. Many schools and districts actually restrict this practice fearing it will lead kids to have their phones out all the time and be distracted.
The real issue especially in some richer districts is every student having an iPhone (and usually a iPhone 6 or later, though you still see some iPhone 5s, you almost never see 4s anymore). With Android, it's not hard to get a less expensive phone (i.e. for a 2-digit price) and/or get a deal from your carrier, but iPhones always cost hundreds of $$$, even used 5s are often still $200 and up.
My granddaughter's is a an old iPhone 4 because her mom had one around. We just took it in and got a new sim card and transferred the phone number from the dumb phone she had.
OP, I really think in this day and age kids really do need phones especially where there aren't any pay phones around anymore....not necessarily smart phones though unless they don't have access to the internet any other way.
I insisted my 12 yr. old grandson have a phone because one day he missed the bus after school and I had no idea where he was. I gave him one of our not so smart phones and he was fine with that but after some kids saw it they started teasing him about it. Jr. High is tough enough, and kids can be so cruel so he wouldn't take it to school out of embarrassment which kind of defeated the whole point in having a phone.
Long story short, his dad bought him a smart phone so he'd fit in. The kids no longer tease him and gram can always get in touch with him so it worked out. At least I'm not paying for it.
Heh. My son (the second born) is our humility child who would have been an only child had he been born first. He was a TOUGH TOUGH infant and toddler to take care of.
However, he's an AWESOME kid.
that's my one and only! I'm a single parent and have been since his birth. He never slept through the night a single time until after he gave up naps all on his own right after he turned 2. And then still was (and is) a very, very tough kid in many ways. But I think he's amazing and I wouldn't change him at all, because I think he is seriously going to change the world some day.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.