Tweens/Teens and Phones

[tvguy]

Since I have high schoolers, I can confidently say you’re wrong about this. First, they use Chromebooks at our schools, not iPads. Second, they are heavily locked down, so would never replace a phone. And lastly, they collected them all back and reissued at the beginning of the year. They weren’t given away for free. They were loaned.

Cell phones are absolutely needed for my teenagers for a multitude of reasons.

If they have the Chromebooks in class, why do they need the cell phones?

 

[tvguy]

A lot of the apps needed are not made for laptops/Chromebooks and some will work on iPads but not all.

Not sure how that is possible in this era. The school finds apps that work with whatever platform their select. Admittedly, during the work from era folks with Apple computers did have issues since our company was all PC. But usually an update fixed the issue.

 

[EACarlson]

I got my 8 year old a phone this past summer. We went on weeklong family trip at the start of summer vacation, and reasoned it would be nice to have an additional 15gb of hotspot data for things. Good thing we had it too since our hotel didn't have wifi after the first night. He has used it to call and video chat us when he was at my mother's for a week. Or when I was in Florida for work. Now that he is starting to visit friends after school, it allows us to make sure he gets there and when he is ready to come home.

 

[aprilgail]

got my daughter her own cell phone in 5th grade-so 9 years old. Before that we had a spare one we would give her when she went on play dates or sleepovers. I liked the security that she could just text me if she felt uncomfortable in any situation and wanted to come home.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Not sure how that is possible in this era. The school finds apps that work with whatever platform their select. Admittedly, during the work from era folks with Apple computers did have issues since our company was all PC. But usually an update fixed the issue.

Have you ever worked in a school? It’s not that simple and when they have curriculum they have to follow and they can’t just “find” apps that work.

 

[tvguy]

Have you ever worked in a school? It’s not that simple and when they have curriculum they have to follow and they can’t just “find” apps that work.

Never have worked at a school. Just a parent. Interesting. My kids are out of school but their high school now provides iPads with all the apps they need to follow the curriculum.

 

[ml sumner]

My son is in 5th grade and is 10. He is begging for a phone, but doesn't need one for any reason. We've told him when he turns 12 he will get one. We're going to do our best to stick to that.

 

[wenrob]

Not sure how that is possible in this era. The school finds apps that work with whatever platform their select. Admittedly, during the work from era folks with Apple computers did have issues since our company was all PC. But usually an update fixed the issue.

Because the teachers have specific apps they want the kids to use. Not all apps or programs are created for all platforms. None of this is as black and white as you’d like to make it. You’re going to have to just accept that those of us who actually have kids in High School know what the teachers are asking of them.

 

[wenrob]

I got my 8 year old a phone this past summer. We went on weeklong family trip at the start of summer vacation, and reasoned it would be nice to have an additional 15gb of hotspot data for things. Good thing we had it too since our hotel didn't have wifi after the first night. He has used it to call and video chat us when he was at my mother's for a week. Or when I was in Florida for work. Now that he is starting to visit friends after school, it allows us to make sure he gets there and when he is ready to come home.

Hot spots are another good reason. My kids have all used their hotspot data for their computers while in class at various times.

 

[tvguy]

Because the teachers have specific apps they want the kids to use. Not all apps or programs are created for all platforms. None of this is as black and white as you’d like to make it. You’re going to have to just accept that those of us who actually have kids in High School know what the teachers are asking of them.

Here this is all controlled by the school. Usually the school district. They buy any licenses that may be needed. And of course everything has to be approved by the school board. I can see where what you are talking about would be a mess.

EDIT: And of course the School District IT security folks have to approve anything used.

 

[Southernmiss]

My youngest has only been out of high school for 1.5 years, I wouldn't even presume to assume or guess what teachers are asking kids to use or do in high school now.

Technology changes rapidly and how teachers use it changes just as fast.

How the youngest used her phone in school was different even than her brothers did. And our oldest graduated in 2012. In 8 years, it had changed from no phones in school, to phones can be used for research, etc.

 

[wenrob]

Here this is all controlled by the school. Usually the school district. They buy any licenses that may be needed. And of course everything has to be approved by the school board. I can see where what you are talking about would be a mess.

I know you want to think that’s the case but it really isn’t. I’m just going to leave it that because we’ve been round and round with this on multiple threads on the same subject.

 

[tvguy]

I know you want to think that’s the case but it really isn’t. I’m just going to leave it that because we’ve been round and round with this on multiple threads on the same subject.

So nobody has to approve what a teacher uses in the classroom where you live?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

So nobody has to approve what a teacher uses in the classroom where you live?

The teachers here have to follow curriculum given, but yes, also have a great deal of autonomy in how they do that. Especially after a year of remote learning.

The junior high has the phones off rule. The high schools are allowed & expected to use them unless told otherwise. A lot has changed in the last few years.

Please trust those of us who currently have kids in high school.

 

[tvguy]

The teachers here have to follow curriculum given, but yes, also have a great deal of autonomy in how they do that. Especially after a year of remote learning.

The junior high has the phones off rule. The high schools are allowed & expected to use them unless told otherwise. A lot has changed in the last few years.

Please trust those of us who currently have kids in high school.

Well the cell phone policy I mentioned is still in effect today at my kids school so trust that not every school is the same. Surprised just from an IT standpoint that students of teachers would be allowed to load whatever app they want.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm not really big on making things contingent on grades especially if you're dealing with someone who has confidence issues. Schooling and how well you do isn't just about "are you taking it seriously or not" which is more about maturity. Getting a specific grade in school is as much about how the grading is as it is about how a person learns and intakes information. That's coming from someone who grew up where only As and Bs were really considered acceptable but I tell you what in high school I really struggled with physics something about that just didn't click in my brain, I think I ended up with a B barely but it wasn't easy. Then again I wasn't paid for chores they were just expected to be done. The only exception to that was detailing the cars for which I did get money from.

I will agree there's a difference between a phone used for necessary communication and a smart phone. Younger ages it's easier to say the phone doesn't need to be a smart phone but at some point a smart phone becomes required these days. I think for when looking at what age should you it's also what do they want to use it for. I remember meeting my husband back in 2007 and his 12 nearly 13 year old sister had a much better cell phone than I did. Back then they were all flip phone like. His sister had zero need for a higher functioning cell phone but that was also before social media really took off for the younger crowd so that would also weigh in on my opinion on age.

 

[martikus]

There is a HUGE difference between a phone and a smartphone as far as I'm concerned. My kids will not have smartphones until they're grown and out of the house. They'll get a plain old dumb phone with talk and text when they start after school activities in middle school.

how old are your kids? I hope you will reconsider. It’s a whole different world than how we grew up. My son is expected to use his phone to Google things in class etc. local Theme parks encourage ticketless etc. now don’t get me started on the economic disparity of all this but truly it’s almost a necessity for this generation.

I say this as someone who didn’t get her first smartphone until 2010 and thought the fad would end. . Now that doesn’t mean my son had social media etc. but it really is a different world these days.

 

[C&Jx2]

We got ours cell phones with limited functioning when they started middle school. But they weren’t allowed social media until this year when they started HS.!

 

[martikus]

We did a basic phone at 10 as we didn’t have a landline. Could only call and text us. Smart phone at 13/7th grade and he was by far the last of his friends.

when I was a kid I had a phone with a long cord I could drag into a private room. Kids nowadays don’t have that without their own phone as so many text vs call.

we didn’t allow social media until 9th grade and I was by far the meanest parent ever. I was so worried of the bullying that can go on.

he also can’t have his phone in room at night. Again I’m told I’m meanest mom ever. I will rethink that his junior year when he’s a bit more mature.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Well the cell phone policy I mentioned is still in effect today at my kids school so trust that not every school is the same. Surprised just from an IT standpoint that students of teachers would be allowed to load whatever app they want.

Official vs unofficial. I think you’d be surprised what actually happens on campuses.

And that’s the whole point. Districts do control what is put on school issued devices, which IS their limitation and why phones are necessary. Often what happens at an admin level doesn’t reflect the necessity in the classroom.

That said, our high school does allow students to bring their own devices instead of using the school issued ones.