Most students here at Arapahoe have had a teacher use the “Cell Phone Pockets.” The concept behind this product is to keep cell phones away from students during class, so that they will pay attention. However, in many cases they defeat their own purpose.

Some teachers request that all students put their phones in these pockets, but do not enforce it. Others assign pockets to each student to make it mandatory for them to separate from their phones. Of course, us students find ways to trick the teacher and not put our phones in, but some students are obedient. Overall though, maybe, and I mean maybe, 1 student likes the pockets.

Rules can be helpful. As a child, lining up before recess is good so that kids do not run off. As a teenager, that doesn’t happen, because students are (fairly) responsible. Some teachers understand that students need more responsibility, and students love them, and that is a big reason why they win Teacher of the Year. Others treat us as if we are in elementary school. Although taking away our phones if we are misusing them isn’t necessarily bad, but to not give students a chance to show their maturity is degrading.

If teachers want to make sure that students put their phones away during class, they need to captivate students. Usually, students are on their phones because they are bored. If they want to miss parts of the lesson, that’s their choice. If teachers see students on their phones, instead of getting mad and forcing all students to put their phones into pockets, they should make their students want to come to class. That is one object of school; to make students want to learn. Most students will dislike coming to class if they have to leave their phones at the door.

Trust between teachers and students is necessary, and these cell phone pockets are a great way for students to not be able to build trust with teachers.