Dear readers, the topic of media use, smartphones and the like is simply one that sparks a great deal of discussion in many families. We recently interviewed family coach and media expert Petra Trautwein, who said that digital media is the number one cause of problems at school.
Following this interview, Diana got in touch with us; she has been a teacher for over 20 years and agrees 100 per cent with Petra Trautwein’s statement. We also asked her about the topic:
Dear Diana, how long have you been working as a teacher and can you tell us more about the school where you work?
I have been working in the education sector for 20 years. My current school is located in a rather rural area. Our pupil body is very diverse. We have many children with a supportive family environment, but also quite a few children who are growing up in difficult circumstances. Due to the arrival of some families from Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, we also have children from migrant backgrounds. In my current Year 2 class, half of the children speak a different mother tongue at home.
Let’s talk about smartphones. At what age do the children at your school get one, and for what reasons are they bought?
It’s mainly the Year 4 pupils who have their own smartphones, but there are also children in Years 1–3 who already have their own devices. The problem, as I see it, is that many children are often given their parents’ devices or ‘old mobiles’ and thus have access to the internet via these or via tablets. They play Roblox, watch YouTube Shorts or are on Instagram.
Often, there are no controls or parental controls in place. Parents often have no idea where their children are, what they are doing there, or who they are in contact with. When parents give reasons for why their child is getting a mobile phone, being reachable is often a key factor. This is certainly also linked to a lack of trust and the fact that there is hardly any willingness left to allow children the opportunity to be out and about in unsupervised areas. If children use public transport (which is often very unreliable here), an old push-button mobile will do; it doesn’t have to be a smartphone.
If it were up to you: From what age do you think smartphones make sense, and why?
We are part of the Hamburg parents’ initiative Smarter Start ab 14. This means we are connected with other parents who also only give their children a smartphone from the age of 14. I think that by the age of 14, children have reached a stage where they can already make sense of and understand a great deal.
But even then, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open with them and for parents to stay informed themselves. In my opinion, even at 14, young people still need external supervision (e.g. screen-free periods). There are many adults who cannot escape the pull of digital devices; and this is even more true for teenagers going through puberty. The role parents play as role models is also important here.
You’re right on the money. Please do tell us what school problems are caused by excessive mobile phone use – you say it’s the main cause of school problems…
I would broaden the question slightly, in the sense that it is not just the smartphone as a device, but access to screens and the digital world as a whole. Everywhere I read that children’s performance has declined dramatically in recent years, that they have difficulty concentrating, staying focused, learning to read…. The list is long. And I experience this myself in a very dramatic way.
An example: I read aloud every day at the end of the day. At the start of Year 1, my class was completely unable to listen for even two minutes. So I told fairy tales from memory, using plenty of body language and vocal expression, so that the book itself didn’t stand between us. Gradually, I moved more and more towards reading aloud. Many children tell me after the weekend that they have spent hours gaming. They lose themselves in digital worlds and clearly find it difficult to return to reality.
And what have you observed – how have children changed in recent years because of mobile phones?
I’ve noticed that their ability to concentrate and pay attention has declined significantly. That children drift off and it’s hard to bring them back. I’ve noticed that children in older classes, when working on general studies projects, immediately ask for a tablet when they’re supposed to research a topic and I hand them a book on the subject. Then they’re initially overwhelmed by having to navigate the table of contents and it seems too much of a hassle to them.
A quick click is just so much more convenient. The sharp decline in frustration tolerance also plays a role here. I’ll never forget the Year 4 pupil who explained to me that he couldn’t read at all and needed the texts read aloud to him from the tablet. I sat down with him and worked very intensively on a text about volcanoes (which interested him greatly). At the end of the day, he exclaimed happily (and without a hint of irony): “I can read!”
Of course, the problems arising from class WhatsApp groups are also very real. Parents allow WhatsApp (everyone has it, after all), but leave it to the school to resolve the resulting conflicts. There is no discussion about how to behave in the digital space or what rules apply there.
What do parents tell you about their children’s mobile phone use?
In a school context, I rarely find that parents bring up screen time or mobile phone use on their own initiative. For many, it goes without saying that children use these devices, and they believe it is important to start early so as not to be left behind.
The parents’ evenings we organise on this topic are only attended by those who are already critical and mindful of the issue. My experience is more that, as a teacher, I have to justify NOT using smartboards and tablets in my class.
I regard my classroom as an analogue sanctuary where children should engage intensively with the subject matter and with the other people learning alongside them. Without distraction. And in doing so, learn the fundamental media literacy that many lack today: reading. Comprehensive, insightful, critical reading. For this, you need a book and a person to guide you. No app and no screen. I see sparking a love of books as one of my most important tasks.
What do you think is the greatest danger when children are left unsupervised on their mobile phones?
I once read that someone said allowing children unsupervised access to the digital world is comparable to simply dropping them off at Frankfurt Central Station, alone, without any help or guidance. I think that’s a very apt analogy.
With just a few clicks, they can find disturbing pornographic or violence-glorifying content, come into contact with dangerous people via platforms such as Roblox (I’m reminded of the ‘sadist network’) or view uncensored videos from war zones.
It is also worth noting that even educational apps recommended by schools operate using reward systems whose effects on the brain have scarcely been researched. In general, looking at brain research perspectives on these topics always makes a lot of sense if you want to inform yourself. It is also no coincidence that people working in the IT sector are often the ones who keep their children away from these devices for the longest.
Once they reach a certain age, they start saying: „But everyone else in my class has a mobile phone too!“ How did you handle this with your own children?
A good friend once said to me, when asked how she managed to keep her children mobile-free for so long: „It’s simple, I don’t buy them one.“ As soon as a mobile phone or similar device is in the house for the child, the arguments and trickery begin.
I talk to my children a lot, explain my reasons and listen to them. My son got his first mobile phone and his PC at the age of 14. We don’t have a PlayStation, Switch or anything like that. He was fine with that; he understood our reasoning. He’s now one of the best in his class in IT, which shows that you don’t need to start swiping and scrolling at an early age to find your way in the digital world later on.
Our daughter is 12. We’re lucky here that her best friend doesn’t have a mobile phone either. The two of them often chat on the landline, just like in the old days. Nevertheless, my daughter struggles more with the situation than my son does. For this reason, she’s allowed to message two chosen friends via WhatsApp using my mobile phone.
I think it’s important to have a clear stance on this issue, but also to talk to your children, take their concerns seriously and find compromises so that they aren’t excluded and can participate. Parents must also accompany their children on their journey into the digital world and keep an eye on what they’re doing there.
As I believe this is too much for many parents to handle, it would be desirable for fundamental measures, such as a minimum age for using social media, to be strictly enforced at a policy level. The use of digital media in nurseries and schools should also be critically examined and restricted, taking neuroscience into account. The issue is simply too important to be left to parents alone!
