From the head

Last year, our school took the step of asking students to leave their phones in their rooms during the 8:30 am to 3:00 pm academic learning hours. It was a decision made after much discussion among the students and the adults. This year, we took the next step of collecting the phones in the morning and returning them at the end of the learning period. Students who need to use their phones on a certain day work out a plan where they can get their phones in the Dean of Students’ office when they need to use them, or even have them for the day.

While this is not easy for everyone, it has been amazing how much we have benefited from truly having the phones off and away. Teachers report that there is more excitement, connection, and learning happening. Students have also said that being without their phones is not as hard as they initially thought it would be. Meanwhile, they still have to manage their use of technology for the rest of the week and the weekend. Some comments include:

"It is actually not as bad as I thought."

"At times, I fight the boredom without access to my phone."

"I am ok with it. The only thing is, I don't know what time it is. We need to fix the clocks around here!"

Associate Head, Rich Truluck, had this to say about the boredom comment, "I have been talking with students about how they are experiencing the day without their phones. One of the most common expressions I hear is “I’m bored!” My typical response has been “Good, maybe that will help you develop a way to entertain yourself and achieve some agency over your time.”  This afternoon, I was watching a video for my government class, and a video on cell phones was promoted. I listened to it and found new meaning and new “Whys” about how being bored can be good for us. I say us, because it's not just for students. I know the students are going through some withdrawal during the day and are having to find new ways to stimulate themselves, but this Harvard professor promotes several ideas that could be helpful for us as well." 

(link here

Jonathan Haidt, author of "The Coddling of the American Mind", advocates raising resilient children by allowing them to face challenges and develop the ability to navigate difficult situations. He quoted an old saying, "Prepare the child for the road and not the road for the child." We are all aware of the dangers of too much screen time, too much access to social media, and too much of the isolation that comes when the phone is used to avoid interacting and meeting new people. So we will continue to work on this, reflect on it, and adjust it if needed. For now, we are excited to fully embrace the learning and connection opportunities that will come as a result of putting our phones away as we strive for excellence!

Onward,

Laura D. Gauld'76

President