When it comes to cell phone use... Is there still time to learn something new right there at your home?

The debate surrounding the use of cell phones in schools has been heated for some time now: some are against it, others are in favor, and many would still like to be able to think more calmly about what the Minister of Education said to the newspaper Folha de São Paulo on September 23, 2024:

“We are working on drafting a bill because, in our opinion, a ‘recommendation’ would be too weak. Our goal is to offer education networks legal security to implement the actions that international studies have already indicated as the most effective, in the sense of a total ban.”

In the absence of consensus, the federal government has moved towards banning cell phones: “The bill will soon be analyzed, in a conclusive manner, by the Committee on Constitution and Justice and Citizenship. To become law, the ban needs to be approved by deputies and senators (Source: Agência Câmara de Notícias)

But what does this mean in practice regarding the social function of schools and the development of students' self-regulation skills?

While experts say that the equipment needs an educational function to continue being welcome in classrooms, families argue that young people must be taught how to use it properly. Many parents reveal their difficulty in imposing rules and limits on their children.

Perhaps this is another moment when questions are more valuable than answers—let's look at some of them.

1) What does your child think and say when it comes to the use of cell phones at school? What arguments can they use to defend their point of view?

2) Who decides how long and when cell phones are welcome in your family routine? The adults? The children/young people? Is the decision shared among family members? And when there is no consensus, who has the final say?

Last but not least…

3) How can we offer support to those who suffer from the lack of a cell phone from a mental health perspective?

Co-building a space to foster the autonomy of our youth necessarily involves listening to them, allowing everyone to move away from empty answers and common sense that often levels and directs our actions towards quick and easy answers, ready-made recipes, tips, robbing each of us of the opportunity to become authors of our biographies, together with the younger ones, on this journey.

The first step is to find out what needs to be faced.

I'll continue here if you want to share where you decided to start with me!

Vanessa Meirelles

Psychopedagogue Human Identity Researcher

Master in Social Psychology from PUC São Paulo

Member of the Brazilian Association of Psychopedagogy - ABPp 722

Member of the Brazilian Association of Psychomotricity  - ABP 751

Image: Wavebreakmedia