In August, the School Site Council updated the electronics use policy to allow students to use cell phones and other technological devices during nutrition and lunch.
When that occurred, many students were thrilled at the thought of being able to use their cell phones. However, students’ socializing skills are being affected.
Their communications skills seem to be eroding little by little since the start of the updated electronics policy in September.
During lunch and nutrition, students use their cell phones and other electronic devices such as tablets during their free time, and they aren’t communicating with their friends. It’s not uncommon to see a group of friends sitting at a table, most of them have their cell phones in their hands and no one is talking to one another.
Do we really speak to each other anymore or do we just text each other?
Text messaging seems to be the only way that students communicate today. Period.
Any feelings that a students has or any problems that they may have needs to be heard. The problem that is now created is the absence of other students to talk to. Those who want to be heard can’t be heard because there is no audience for them to talk to.
New students that come in must talk to someone to keep them occupied during lunch and nutrition. With the newly updated policy, students are fixated on the electronics in their hands and it keeps them from socializing with friends sitting next to them.
Put your cell phones down. Stop texting others miles away while ignoring the people sitting right in front of you.
Meet new people, start a conversation and invite others to join in. You might just make a new friend.