English teacher Megan Eisenhour noticed her freshman homeroom students weren’t engaging with each other very often. She noticed that many students were on their phones, so she decided to do something about it.

She came up with the idea that every Friday they would put their phones up and not play games; this led students to socialize about things such as fantasy football, Clash Royale, and school work. Kevin Berns, the freshman homeroom teacher across the hall, noticed all the excitement in her classroom. When he looked back in his classroom to see almost every student on their phone he decided to join in on no phone Fridays. When his homeroom participated in it, the students started to engage with each other.

Studies show that when students don’t have their phones they engage in conversations more. Since Missouri banned phones in schools, administration has been having conversations on if they should follow. The current policy in place has been working and it wouldn’t make sense to flat out ban phones. Students need their phones throughout the day to communicate with parents, employers, coaches, and for countless other reasons.

Homeroom is a time where you get ready for the day, a key role in building brotherhood. Incorporating something like this not only has the potential to create brotherhood on Fridays but also is something that can lead to more socialization on days when they have their phones.

Teachers should evaluate if they think this could be beneficial for their freshman homeroom. If so they should meet with their companeros, get them on board, and incorporate something like this that builds community and brotherhood.