Back to Basics

Lyla Kelly, copy editor

Around the nation, education is undergoing significant shifts, caused by policies to further improve focus and success. This takes shape in the form of phone bans and personal device restrictions, creating updated curriculum and furthering trends around learning. These changes have been argued both for and against, including reactions from students, parents, teachers and administrators.  

Most recently, many states around the U.S. have enacted various laws - surrounding personal device use - not limited to phones but also including laptops, tablets, smart watches and headphones – is aimed to increase student focus and eliminate possible issues before the arise. The use of phones in schools has increased in recent years, especially in high schools, where students use them at lunch, during free periods or in between instructional time. However, in middle schools, students are typically prohibited from using phones at all, often receiving disciplinary action when a student does. However, before this recent wave of policies being placed, each state and school district followed different regulations; some districts allowed high school students to use their phones almost at will, with principals and teachers creating expectations for their school and classes. Depending on the circumstances, the individual school and classroom rules’ effectiveness could be debated. Occasionally, students followed the directions set by their teachers, yet at other times, they were disregarded, often creating a larger issue and interrupting instructional time. 

“As an administrator, I’ve noticed that teachers report fewer disruptions, better student engagement and improved behavior,” says assistant principal Ms. Zeigler. “However, some students and parents are concerned about emergency access and losing digital study tools. We’re currently working with families to make the transition smooth and ensure students feel safe and supported.” 

“Without phones during class time, people are able to not have a distraction and are forced to listen to what the teacher is saying, which is good,” says junior Charlotte Albright. “However, I think that we should be allowed to use our phones during flex because if we have no active work, there isn’t really anything else we can do.” 

Alterations in device use is not the only shift in the Georgia education system. Many schools at the elementary school level are reintroducing cursive lessons and practice, when it wasn’t taught previously. These updated standards took effect in July, and responses to this change are mixed. Some support and encourage the new lesson plans, while others question if it is relevant, considering the increase in use of technology. 

“We want to ensure that our students, when they graduate from the state of Georgia, have all the skills they need,” says April Aldrige, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at the Georgia Department of Education, according to the Georgia Reporter. “In the world we live in, that means we have to have a varied degree of skills, and we need to know when to use the skills in which situations.” 

“Students fluent in cursive focus more on content rather than forming letters, which leads to deeper learning,” adds Ms. Zeigler. “These new standards aim to ensure that all students graduate with this ability.” 

Teaching cursive in schools isn’t the only refresh to school curriculum. In the English department here at Johns Creek High School, the standards and lesson plans have changed for A.P. English Language, and the beginning of A.P. Seminar is a shiny new addition to the course catalogue. This was due to the number of sophomores failing to need a junior-year class but wanting to keep those students on the advanced track. This sets them up to take A.P. English Language the following year. However, the class isn’t exclusive for sophomores; juniors or seniors who would rather take it over A.P. English Language now have the option between the two. Additionally, A.P. English Language has added two new novels to their lesson plans, such as “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang. 

“We have A.P. Seminar now, which I think is going to be an incredible class, and we’re working towards A.P. Research, next,” says English teacher Ms. Lovern. “This change reflects a student body-based need because after sophomore year, we usually see the gifted participation falling off, and that’s an effect of dual enrollment and things like that. So, we’re looking to get things to bring kids back to school because I think a big part of what kids are missing is that they hear the appeal of dual enrollment.” 

Lesson plans, standards and the device policies are not the only changes in a classroom. Artificial intelligence (AI) use in schools has been increasing, impacting students’ academic work and performance. Using various AI platforms – most notably ChatGPT – to write essays, complete various worksheets or use as sources for projects. This often takes away from the process of learning, impacting how students solve problems and use critical thinking to find a solution. Starting at the beginning of this school year, Johns Creek teachers added a new section to their syllabi to include the use of AI tools and resources. It describes the use of AI in their respective classes, often depending on the subject and teacher permission. Aimed to reduce the amount of AI work in academic spaces, it educates students about how to use AI responsibly. Instead of using it to give answers, it can be used to create practice problems and worksheets, grade essays and various other study tools. Despite the positive uses, the utilization of AI in schools is a careful line to walk on, and couldn’t completely replace teachers or outside resources, according to Faulkner University. 

These modifications and changes in both the local and national education systems are transforming our current world, and their effects will be felt in future generations. Both looking to the future and returning to previous ways are vital strategies to improve the traditional public school system