Murray, NEB- Several teachers are working towards phone free classrooms during the 2024-2025 school year. These classrooms give students a break from the digital world and allow them to connect with others. Puzzles, play-doh, board games, etc., are just a few of the items that students use in their free time.

Teachers like Rebecca Spangler find the phone free classroom as beneficial. Spangler is a high school Spanish teacher, who also has a cougar connections class at the end of the day.

“I like creating a space where for at least 45 minutes a day, we have a break from our phones,” Spangler states. She prefers a phone free classroom because she believes that it is important for students to have that break. During this break, students can chat with each other, take a brain break or use the activities in the back of her classroom. Spangler goes on to describe that research of the negative effects of technology on our mental health. According to Therapy Utah, “prolonged technology use can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and social isolation.”

“There has been surprisingly little pushback,” Spangler exclaims. Her favorite benefit so far has been watching students talk to each other and work together playing games or working on a puzzle. She hopes students will feel less stressed after a break from their phones. Spangler further explains that the students work together to build more soft skills that are essential for life beyond high school.

“I hope we can all work together to have better relationships with technology,” Spangler renounces.