In the time it takes to read a single paragraph of a textbook, a dozen notifications can scream for attention. This is the reality of the digital age: a constant tug-of-war between academic success and the infinite scroll.
While technology has become an essential tool for communication and learning, it has also created a new kind of modern challenge. Students are no longer just learning history or math; they are learning how to fight for their own attention spans in an era designed to keep them plugged in.
According to reports from UNESCO and the Pew Research Center, nearly 95% of U.S. teens have access to a smartphone, and about 46% say they are online “almost constantly.” This “always-on” culture has made its way into classrooms. Studies published in JAMA Pediatrics show that students spend an average of 66 minutes per school day on their devices during instructional time.
The impact on learning is massive. Research suggests that even having a phone nearby with active notifications can disrupt concentration, sometimes taking students up to 20 minutes to fully refocus on a complex task.
For teachers who have been in the classroom for decades, the increase in phone usage has been dramatic.
Spanish teacher Nicole Lane, who has worked at ETHS for 28 years, has witnessed the shift from classrooms with little technology to ones where phones are constant distractions.
Lane says student interaction used to be much more common before phones became part of everyday school life.
“Students still do interact with classmates and me, but a lot less than it was 20 years ago when there weren’t any distractions. It is almost like students felt like they had to interact with me and each other.”
Lane also described the daily struggle teachers face trying to enforce phone policies, especially with how much phones have become part of students’ lives.
“It is so unoriginal,” Lane said. “The usual ducking down, looking at something between their knees. I say, ‘If you need to use your phone, just tell me and you can go in the hall.’I get that at times there are reasons to use it, but I have become convinced that we are obsessed with technology.”Samara Herman-Lopez, a sophomore at ETHS, says she personally does not struggle with focusing on schoolwork while knowing notifications are waiting on her phone.
“It’s not hard for me at all to focus when I know I have notifications,” Herman-Lopez said.
However, she recognizes that not all students feel the same way.
“I believe that this is the new normal,” she said. “There can definitely be improvements. Other students that I know are addicted and have a hard time focusing when it comes to school.”
Many students are aware of the distractions that phones can bring, and try to limit their phone use while studying.
“I’ve tried leaving my phone in a different room from where I’m studying,” said senior Emma Beau. “That actually helps a lot.”
“Whenever I have work where I need to really be focused and on task, I try to put my phone down,” mentioned sophomore Avery Laetz. “I notice myself wondering what notifications I’m getting, wanting to go on social media, and overall feeling more distracted.”
Laetz believes creating routines could help students manage their phone use more effectively.
“I think if students tried setting schedules or routines to figure out what times of the day they can use their phones, it would help schoolwork and focus,” she said.
Schools are aware of the issues with phones and have tried to find solutions. In 2025, more than 79 education systems worldwide, including 20 U.S. states, have implemented bans or strict regulations on phone use during school hours. This includes ETHS, which implemented its “bell-to-bell no cell” policy in 2024. Although the policy was controversial at first, it has found some success.
“I am in full support of the bell policy,” stated counselor Anthony Johnson. “Students have come to me and said they are able to focus much more because of it.”
“I used to be really dependent on my phone throughout the school day, especially during breaks in class,” said Beau. “Now that we have phone pouches, I’ve been talking with people in my class more instead of being on my phone.”
However, enforcing the policy is still a challenge, and some have questioned its effectiveness.
“Policies like the phone pouch are helpful, but I still notice students are less social, less focused, and are almost a lot more dependent on their phones than they ever used to be,” said teacher Steven Wool.
Some educators believe the solution isn’t just banning phones; it’s teaching students how to manage technology responsibly. Programs like AVID, a class focused on executive functioning and study skills, aim to help students develop strategies for organization, time management, and focus.
“Technology is growing every day; it seriously makes school easier,” said Wool, who teaches AVID. “Instead of banning AI and technology use altogether, classes such as AVID can incorporate lessons related to phone management skills and ways to use AI in a smart way rather than a way to cheat.”
With how tech-reliant the world has become, adding technology education to the FASH curriculum has also been discussed.
“I believe it would be very beneficial to include lessons on managing technology use and using AI thoughtfully,” explained FASH teacher Patricia Hurley.“Students are growing up in a very tech-centered world, so learning how to stay focused and use these tools responsibly is important.”
Even with the new policies and focus on addressing tech distractions, focus still remains an issue that teachers have to deal with.
“Focus has shifted dramatically since I started working here,” said photography teacher Elizabeth DuSold. “AI and technology have become a huge staple for people, especially young people. I notice myself having to repeat simple instructions multiple times because students lose focus or get distracted.”
DuSold believes that teaching students to limit their technology use earlier in life could make a major difference.
“Technology can’t be stopped from growing,” she said. “But teaching students, even starting in middle school, and explaining how to limit themselves with tech is what will help.”
Another challenge teachers now face is the rise of artificial intelligence tools, especially in writing-based classes such as English. This has led some to take the screens out of the equation altogether, returning to writing by hand.
“Even with Deledao, I’ve found it’s hard to monitor composition and the use of AI, and the higher the stakes on the assignment grade-wise, the stronger the temptation is for some students to use AI,” explained English teacher Cara Brooks. I’ve found it’s just easier to take that possibility out of the equation.”
Brooks understands that AI can be helpful in many ways. However, using AI to do all our work for us can affect students in the long run.
“We need to be able to exercise our critical thinking skills and make sure we can communicate why we believe what we believe.”
Technology is not going away. Smartphones and AI are now deeply woven into everyday life for students.
But as schools experiment with policies and teachers emphasize digital responsibility, one lesson is becoming clear: learning how to manage technology may be just as important as learning what’s in the textbook.
In a world filled with notifications and algorithms competing for attention, students are being asked to master a new skill: knowing when to log off.
