One Day I am going to throw all mobile phones out of the window

Written by eklastic

There is no doubt that mobile phones and their translation / AI capabilities make some things easier for me as a teacher of German to non-lliterate foreigners, especially in the very beginning. But then – it should stop. At least in class – if they use it at home I can’t change that anyway. The last reasonably teachable class I had was in 2022 and 2023. They used their mobiles sparingly and sensibly. Since then we have chatGPT and I feel like I am fighting a loosing battle. Instead of engaging their brain they grab their phone the instant they don’t understand something. Then they KNOW but they don’t LEARN. I’ve created the following story to explain that difference to them.

1 That’s my class. And me.
2 That’s me. The teacher. Talking. And talking.
3 That’s two students who don’t understand a thing.
4 Green Pants uses his mobile phone to translate what I said.
5 Green Pants’ brain stays empty.
6 Purple Pants asks questions and I explain better.
7 Purple Pants keeps asking and speaking until he/she understands.
8 Purple Pants’ brain is filled with knowledge. He/She passes the test.

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge: One Day

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11 thoughts on “One Day I am going to throw all mobile phones out of the window”

    1. Thanks (for the drawings, they were done directly on the whiteboard in my classroom). – Some teachers demand that their students put their phones in a basket in front of the classroom. But I know that occasionally they get important phonecalls (i.e. from the school or nursery school of their children or from family in Afghanistan or similar who do not understand about time differences and school demands). The other thing is that we are using the phones in the classroom for some work, the newer books have features and apps supplementing the books and so a complete mobile ban doesn’t work for me.)

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  5. Young people who over use cell phones are developing stooped necks and shoulders.

    Schools should make a no cell phone policy for students during class time mandatory.

    I once spoke to a highschool physical education instructor who was amazed by a number of students who were unable to recognize the time of day on an old fashioned wall clock.

    Cell phones are turning students into educated morons incapable of thinking for themselves.

    So much for the A I revolution!

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    1. I totally agree. But as I’ve mentioned in my answer to Margaret a complete ban with my students wouldn’t work because the books themselves are now supplemented with apps and exercises and they can actually be helpful. I have students who don’t know how to learn (because they never went to school at all or only for a short time with a rigorous system of rote learning) so if I want them to learn how to use their mobile phones productively I have to show them. It’s a catch 22 situation. — Clocks. Yes, I agree. But – recognising time on an analog watch is one thing, saying it in a foreign language (in German) is quite something else and difficult. Half past three or half four? When to use a 12 hour clock and when to use a 24 hour clock. … Particularly with weak students I point them towards digital clocks.

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