Dunman High School (Junior High)

[ksks]

Pinklily\" post_id=\"1957384\" time=\"1578195045\" user_id=\"95869:

My daughter does not carry a handphone but when she went to DHS the 1st two days, she was overwhelmed by all the students who were using their mobiles in class. The class teacher told them that they could use the phone calculator for their maths and my daughter felt like a weirdo, using the sharp calculator. The teacher also asked them to use the phone camera to take pics of the timetable. The students use the handphones in class as well as in the canteen. During recess, everyone in the queue were looking at their phones while my daughter was the only one holding a book. She feels like the odd one out and demoralised.

I hope that the school management can stop the phone usage in school as it poses too much distraction for the students.

Sorry to share the blatant truth.

Although my kids are not from dhs, i can only say the norm for all sec school students is to have hp. Phone usage is generally allowed in most school. A lot of communication from teachers or cca seniors are via whatsapp. So either your girl learns to accept that she is an exception to have no phone or she also joins in the crowd. There is no other option available in today’s world. It is sad but we have to embrace it.

[Pinklily]

I prepared a phone for my child to check at home in case there is school WhatsApp. But I don’t see why the teachers and students keep WhatsApping in school. They should not allow the students to use the phone while in school.

[ski]

Although whatsapp group chats are used in schools as a form of teacher-student and class communication, I think most kids are on their phones checking their Instagram and watching videos. Is that good or a bad phenomenon? Only time will tell. Should schools stop the use of mobile phones in school? There are obviously pros and cons to that. Mobile phone has become a necessity in modern-day society (or so we are made to think so). Unlike us, children of this century are born into mobile technology. Unfortunately, it is a social pattern that will be hard to reverse.


PinkLily, your daughter should feel proud of herself that she is able to withstand the need to constantly use a mobile device. If she is disciplined enough, you can still let her have a phone in school so that she doesn't miss out on the \"real\" school work communication. Of course, once she has the phone im school, there is a possibility that she will follow the herd and start doing what others do. But if she has the discipline and resolve, it will not be an issue. I still see kids reading books instead of using their phone. 😃

[Marktang]

Hello I would like to find out whose child also from D class? Will there be any watsup group set up for parents as well? Thanks

[llchoong1231]

My gal in class 1H

[Pinklily]

Thanks ‘ksks’ for your thoughtful reply. I still feel that the teachers should not let the students use the handphone inside the classroom. That is my regret for not checking up DHS school policy on mobile usage before admitting my daughter there.

[Pinklily]

My daughter is in 1H too.

[gancheongdaddy]

Pinklily\" post_id=\"1957612\" time=\"1578298476\" user_id=\"95869:

Thanks 'ksks' for your thoughtful reply. I still feel that the teachers should not let the students use the handphone inside the classroom. That is my regret for not checking up DHS school policy on mobile usage before admitting my daughter there.

I understand about your concern. May be you can bring this up with your kid's form teacher during the Y1 parent brief this week and check their policy on this. I've asked all 3 of my children who are currently in DHS about this and all said they are not allowed to use phone in class except when they are told by the teacher to log on to an Apps to work on some exercises online. They also said it is definitely not true that most students are queuing up while looking at the phones. (It may be more so when they are sitting down in the canteen though). In fact, one of them told me that a student got 'scolded' by the teacher for leaving phone on her desk and not in her bag during class.

Having said that, the first few days for Y1 are orientation days and they are no formal lesson conducted. Perhaps this is the reason of this lax rule. I do agree with ski that you should be proud of your daughter on her discipline to withstand the temptation of mobile device.

[Pinklily]

Thank you ‘Ski’ and ‘Gancheongdaddy’. Thanks for your wonderful insights.

[jacquelinegohh]

Pinklily\" post_id=\"1957612\" time=\"1578298476\" user_id=\"95869:

Thanks 'ksks' for your thoughtful reply. I still feel that the teachers should not let the students use the handphone inside the classroom. That is my regret for not checking up DHS school policy on mobile usage before admitting my daughter there.

Firstly, I believe eveyone who uses their phone does so during recess or lunch, aka their free time and not during lessons. Teachers do confiscate phones if they use during class without permission. Teachers may need technology to aid their teaching and they have the ability to ensure kids don't get distracted while using their phones for an educational activity. Also, for what reason should the kids not be allowed to relax during their free time? What do you gain by banning phone usage during recess anyway? If they are not a distrction during lesson there is lierally no reason to stop them from using during recess- for playing games with friends or otherwise. This is not a jail, let the kids have their fun goddammit!

Secondly, literally nobody will judge your daughter for using a calculator instead of a phone or for not using it in canteen. Tell your daughter to be less self-conscious instead of demanding everyone else to follow what she does. In this technological age using phones are not necessarily bad, don't be irrationally fearful about it.