Germany evaluates to ban cell phones in schools

Klara Ptak, 17, also supports the strict approach. “It’s like driving crossing in a red traffic light. The consequence needs to be severe, otherwise people won’t obey. If I know I will be without my phone all afternoon and night, I prefer to follow the rules.”

The initiative of the Alsdorf High School in the state of Norte-Restfália Rhiners is part of a pilot program that should last until the summer holidays. Banity covers the entire school day, including the recess. The initiative is called “smart without your phone”. Other schools in Germany are adopting similar initiatives to encourage students to pay attention to classes, not their devices.

Rule patchwork in Germany

Germany’s 16 state state governments, which are responsible for educational policy, remain reluctant to implement consistent standards. But some states are already shown more initiative. The State of Hesse intends, after summer holidays, to ban the use of smartphones in primary schools and, with limited exceptions, in secondary schools.

Many teachers praise schools proper initiatives to ban cell phones. Andrea Vondenhoff, who teaches Spanish and English in Alsdorf, has seen this experience in his previous school in another German state. She believes Alsdorf will also quickly adapt to the ban on smartphones and that this will soon become the norm.

“During classes, you realize that younger children are really more relaxed and less distracted. Most infractions in my old school happened in the older classes. The younger ones followed the rule very well,” said Vondenhoff. “As a teacher, the advantage is that we no longer need to keep watching what students are doing with their phones under the wallets.”