As a teacher, I’ve seen it all when it comes to managing cellphones in the classroom. For years, it’s been up to us—the teachers—to figure out what works best. In the past I have seen some of my colleagues turn cellphone collection into a seamless part of their routine, even using it to mark attendance. Others adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” approach, making it clear that phones are off-limits unless explicitly allowed. And yes, there are always those moments when phones become a teaching tool—a quick Google search to settle a debate, a calculator in a pinch, or even a way to engage students in creative, tech-driven projects.

I on the other hand have not always minded cellphone usage during class unless it was a direct disruption, if I am actively teaching – phones away, if they are on their phone continuously and not completing any task at hand – phone away, otherwise it does not bother me or take away from the learning experience. I have even developed the cellphone policy within my band school which states,

“Cell Phone Rule: The respectful, non-disruptive use of cell phones is permitted during breaks
and during the lunch period. As soon as the threshold of the classroom or any prohibited area is
crossed, during the school day, cell phones need to be put away and made undetectable (i.e.,
silenced without vibration). Earbuds / headphones must be removed.”

Which in my experience, this flexibility has worked. It’s not always perfect, but it’s allowed us to adapt to the unique needs of our students and classrooms. That’s why I was surprised when Saskatchewan introduced a province-wide cellphone ban. The new policy eliminated the discretion we’ve relied on, replacing it with a one-size-fits-all rule. Suddenly, the conversations about how and when to use phones—conversations we’ve been having for years—were over. It felt less about addressing the challenges of cellphone use in the classroom and more about enforcing control.

Which as indicated in Saskatchewan Government K-12 update “Limitations of cell phones in our schools will reduce the amount of distractions in our classrooms which will allow our staff to focus on educating our students,” Prairie Spirit Board of Education Chair Bernie Howe said. This almost makes it seem as though this move was more about controlling teachers and less about the students themselves. “‘A cultural shift’: Canadian schools navigating new world of cellphone bans” by Brittany Hobson discusses how different provinces are addressing this cellphone debate. Although, it seems as many schools are just following what I have always known to be policy – no phones during class. Many schools have a K-8 ban and high school restriction, which I never considered elementary cellphones to be an issue, but I suppose it is true kids are getting cellphones younger and younger.

I am not sure if this “debate” will ever be resolved or if banning cellphones from the classroom are having any successes but I know that I believe it should be at the discretion of the teacher and the classroom itself. There are many different needs within different schools and we can not rely on this one rule applies to all.

This shift left me wondering: Did we lose something valuable in this move? Were we so focused on the problems that we overlooked the opportunities these devices could bring when managed thoughtfully? These are questions worth dialing into as we reflect on how best to navigate technology in education.