张老邪叨哔叨：
就像米娜桑在背诵考试作文模板时经常会看到的“Every coin has two sides” "Technology is a double-edged sword.” 但摸着良心问问自己，你的手机是用于打发时间的时候多，还是用于正事的时候多？就像一个同时装着垃圾食品和低油低盐低糖健身餐的盒子，很多人会不自觉地选择更加美味的前者。如果不能拒绝诱惑，还是远离诱惑吧，比如卸载娱乐八卦app；另外也可以定一个时间段，无论听听力还是查词典，都集中在每天某个时段完成，其余时间不要给自己借口~
FILE - Teacher Carol Mowen shows a cell phone app while preparing her students to participate in the oral history project StoryCorps at Washington County Technical High School in Hagerstown, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Mobile phones have changed the way we communicate, but people disagree on whether the devices are useful tools for education.
Students can be easily distracted by their phones during class.
Are they listening to the teacher or texting their friends? Are they taking a picture of a quiz to cheat? Maybe they are playing a game, or watching a video, instead of paying attention.
School officials, teachers and parents all are trying to find out the best way to supervise students’ use of mobile or cellphones.
FILE - Some social media apps on a smartphone.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, officials are restricting phone use during teaching time. However, there are exceptions for classroom activities, health and other emergencies.
France passed a law in 2018 banning the use of cellphones in schools for students up to age 15, the age when they go to high school.
Last July, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law. It says state public and charter schools can ban students from using smartphones in class and at school. It does not, however, say schools are required to completely ban the devices.
The law asks school districts, charter schools and education offices to develop cellphone policies to prevent, or limit students’ use of the devices at school. There are exceptions, which include emergencies or issues related to health and well-being.
One high school, in California’s Silicon Valley area, had a serious problem with students and their cellphones.
Joanne Sablich, a French teacher, said students using their phones in class had been a real problem. They were “checking their phones and texting-- going on social media,” she said, and she would have to take the phone “over and over and over."
The schools vice principal, Adam Gelb, said some students were spending as much as 11 or 12 hours a day on their phones.
So, the administration turned to technology for answers. San Mateo High School now locks up cellphones during the day in a special container. Each student must put their phone away in a small bag with a magnetic lock. It is called a Yondr Pouch.
At the end of the day, students unlock the bag with another device. The bag is being used in schools in both the United States and Europe. The cost for the equipment is around $20,000 a year for a school, or $12 for each student.
Teacher Joanne Sablich is happy. She sees a difference in students’ behavior. She said they are “very engaged this year,” instead of just looking at their phones.
Other schools are choosing simpler answers to the problem—they ban cellphones in classrooms. One of these schools is Forest Hills school district, near Grand Rapids, Michigan. School officials decided this school year to ban cellphones throughout the day, including at lunch.
Dan Behm is the superintendent of the district. He told the publication Education Week the reason why district officials put the ban in place. They “wanted to provide a clean break for students and not have the frenetic energy that can happen if kids start texting each other or social-media posts start going,” Behm said.
They tried the ban last year as a test. Behm said they found that students said they were less anxious when they were not so attached to their devices.
Education Week found that more than 30 schools, and in some cases school districts, have put in place some kind of restrictions during the current or last school year. Districts across the country also have their own versions of phone restrictions both formal or informal.
Mrs Wendel's class today was working on mitosis songs and poems...things seemed to be humming along � Oh those mad science folks, they're the best! Go Science, Go Potential, & #GoDutch pic.twitter.com/b0UTcuqdzc
— SmDutchNation (@SmDutchNation) January 18, 2020
One district choosing not to ban cellphones is Saint Marys Area School District in the state of Pennsylvania. Brian Toth is the superintendent of the small rural district. He told VOA, each teacher can decide whether, and when, to restrict students’ cellphone use.
Toth said students have grown up with cellphones, and “it is our responsibility to teach them proper use for tools within the classroom.” He added that schools are teaching about cellphones and how to use them with social media and the Internet.
“It is part of changing education for kids,” he said. “As long as we teach them to use them responsibly.”
The technology is here, Toth said, schools should use it to help students, and not fear it.
I’m Anne Ball.
And I'm Brian Lynn.
QUIZ【答案见下面词汇表后】
How are the cell phone policies of the schools mentioned in the story similar?
A. The policies all limit cell phone use to some extent.
B. They all completely ban cell phones in school.
C. They change depending on the students’ age.
D. The policies all allow short periods of cell phone use.
After Forest Hills School District tried a phone ban last year, what did they find?
A. The students were anxious and wanted their phones back
B. The students were too attached to their phones to study
C. The students were less anxious without their devices,
D. The students texted more and did more social-media posts
Why does Saint Marys Area School District leader Brian Toth say cellphones should be allowed in school?
A. They will help students connect with each other in class
B. They are part of modern education; the technology is here
C. They are necessary for learning about responsibility.
D. Teachers are afraid to take them away from their students.
What guidance does the California law give to public and charter schools?
A. The California law lets local school officials decide on their own cell phone policy.
B. It suggests that all of the schools should prevent any use of phones in school.
C. The California law only allows emergency use of cell phones in school.
D. It bans any policy that would prevent use of cell phones in school.
Words in This Story
distract – v. to cause (someone) to stop thinking about or paying attention to someone or something and to think about or pay attention to someone or something else instead
charter school – n. a school that is established by a charter, is run by teachers, parents, etc., and uses tax money but does not have to be run according to the rules of a city or state
district – n. an area or section of a country, city or town established by a government for official government business
frenetic – adj. filled with excitement, activity or confusion; wild or frantic
anxious – adj. afraid or nervous especially about what may happen: feeling anxiety
proper – adj. correct according to social or moral rules
【ACBA】
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