Written by: Lia

Edited by: Noah

Graphic by: Bella

Are ISM students “locked in” during class? Last week, HS principal Mr. Birchenall emailed the entire student body regarding concerns around wearing AirPods in class, declaring, “I would like this to stop.” The lack of focus and continuous disruptions stem from students bringing unnecessary distractions into classrooms, a concern recently raised by the high school administration and teachers.

Whether it’s AirPods, cell phones, or eating in class, these classroom disruptions tend to leave teachers either infuriated or entirely laid back. Ignoring implied rules, like eating a snack in class, could lead to a teacher shouting and confiscating your food, while others may encourage you to eat, especially after lunch or break times. With a lack of school-wide rules and instead individual autonomy for teachers, classroom rules vary significantly. Rather than disrupting a class, does this disrupt student learning? 

When speaking to Mr. Birchenall about classroom disruptions, he explained, “I don’t think it’s that big of an issue. Based on my experiences, the misuse of laptops is a more pressing problem than cell phones.” He mentioned that despite discussions about banning cell phones in classrooms, he continues to believe that rules alone are not the solution. Many students play games on their laptops while simultaneously using them for classwork, with Mr. Birchenall even remarking, “Is there anybody in ISM that doesn’t have a VPN?” Despite this, he emphasizes the need for students to take personal responsibility for their classroom focus even without set rules, stating, “Personally, the best way to deal with it is to educate and I mean, ideally, I want us to reach a point where the students themselves put their phones in their bag.” All these games and distractions found on a phone are also present on a laptop. Just as students know when to put their phones away, they should also know when to turn off their VPNs and focus in class. 

Our school rules are flexible for each teacher, allowing them autonomy to enforce their own classroom policies. The HS teacher handbook states, “Please feel free to use your own professional judgement about what is appropriate regarding student use. Your classroom, your rules.” This indicates the administration’s complete faith and trust in teachers’ ability to manage their classrooms effectively. 

Ms. Fan Wang, a Chinese language teacher, says that in her classroom, “I think using phones is definitely a no. Eating food [is also] a no.” She firmly adheres to enforcing her set rules, ensuring that students who want to eat step outside in the hallway. In contrast, some teachers are more lenient. Gavin (10) shares, “I have multiple teachers that don’t mind at all when I leave my phone on my table, or if I eat my lunch while they talk.” His anecdote shows how classroom rules vary from each teacher’s expectations.

These rules are usually set at the beginning of the school year amid an onslaught of information, leading to student confusion about what is allowed in each classroom. Students are left not quite knowing which classrooms they can eat in after a lunch meeting or when they can use their earphones during asynchronous tasks. Gavin even mentions, “The rules are confusing because they tend to change from classroom to classroom.” He has to adjust his mindset toward every class, depending on the expectations set by different teachers. 

A possible solution to eliminate student confusion on rules would be setting school-wide classroom behavior rules. When asked about this possibility, Mr. Birchenall answered, “I would definitely consider it if there’s some ambiguity about it. So, I might make a rule that I have to police, the teachers have to police, that takes up a lot of time and it might be pointless.” Even if a rule is in place, students would still find ways to go around them, and having to police this type of rule would be difficult. 

Therefore, even if there’s school-wide legislation in place regarding classroom disruptions, enforcement would be challenging. With both students going around strict rules and teachers’ varying perspectives on classroom expectations, a whole school rule might not be the solution. Instead, students should be encouraged to be responsible for their own actions, choosing to put away their phones and closing unnecessary tabs to create a more productive learning environment. Ultimately, within ISM classrooms, students and teachers should both work together to create a more respectful and effective learning space, ensuring that all students are “locked in.”