As kids struggle to pay attention in class, more and more schools are banning the usage of phones in the classroom, requiring students to lock up or disable their devices to free up their minds for learning.
Melanie Hempe, founder of ScreenStrong, thinks that is a good thing.
"We think that we can do multiple things at one time, and we know medically that that's not possible, that our brain can only do one thing at a time," she points out. "The grades and all the national studies out there and data show that we are going backwards. Our kids are not doing better in the harder subjects like math."
According to her friend who is a university professor, "you cannot teach math on a screen."
"She did say that the kids that come to her class with phones, that have their phones out, they generally fail her class," Hempe relays.
She says it is impossible to follow a mathematical concept while scrolling through TikTok and simultaneously checking notifications.
"They are in this high risk-taking time of their life, this season where it's a very sensitive time of development, and we're telling them, 'Hey, I want you to pay attention in math while all this is happening on your phone,'" notes Hempe. "It's impossible for them to pay attention, and it's really hurting our kids. This whole experiment is not working. It's a complete fail."
Speaking as a medical professional, she says it is important to see what's happening, to acknowledge the science, and to make changes.
On that note, ScreenStrong has a new student course called "Kids' Brains & Screens," which is designed to show students all about why and how screens are distracting them.
Meanwhile, Congress is currently considering a bill that, if passed, would study the effects of phones on children in the classroom.
