Grants in Action! Phone Locker Edition
- Alexandria Creech
- Oct 5, 2018
- 2 min read
Teresa Blaine, Chris Rock, Alicia Keys and Ariana Grande Do It – Cellphone Lock Up
Reading that musicians are requesting concert goers to lock up their phones, allowing fans to be freed to really enjoy their show, Teresa Blaine knew she was on to something when, during the 2017-2018 school year, she began using a classroom student cell phone locker, paid for by a South Meck Foundation Teacher Grant.
Teresa arrived at her South Meck educator position following years of employment with the city of Flint, Michigan. Wanting to be nearby her daughter (Carmel Middle School language teacher) and her growing family, Teresa and her husband relocated to Charlotte, with Teresa completing her Math and Science, Middle and High School emphasis Bachelor of Education, graduating Summa Cum Laude from UNC Charlotte. After teaching two years at South Meck, Teresa began recognizing her students, whether having their phone turned on or off, lying face up or face down on a desk; in a pocket or a bag, were seeing a decrease in cognitive functioning. Having a smartphone within sight or within easy reach impacted a student’s ability to focus and perform tasks because part of his or her brain was actively working to not pick up or use the cell phone.
As a result of her research into the effects of smartphone use by teenagers and adults, learning more about the cell phone impact on relative cognitive, social, and emotional function, she developed a class cell phone policy which proved to be very effective during the 2017-2018 school year. Using the SM Foundation funded Fixture Displays cell phone iPad mini charging station lockers mail slots, student’s devices are securely stored and charged allowing students to be free to focus on classroom instruction. Teresa’s Cell Phone (PTD) Policy allows students time to access phones prior to the end of class - privilege time - provided classroom work and behavior requirements have been met.
Teresa encourages others to read more about cell phone student impact with the following articles: University of Texas study at news.utexas.edu, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” by Jean Twenge (September 2017 issue of The Atlantic - goo.gl/GtVdMZ ) and “Self Boundary: Put Down the Phone,” by Greg Bowler (July 3, 2017 drcloud.com).
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