This year, for the first time since I took the first math competition here at Northwest, will there only be one American Invitation Mathematics Examination (AIME) qualifier. In a testing room with Mrs. Ratigan, I worked hideously to solve 15 challenging problems in just three hours. When I came to the Blue Valley Northwest library for the first time in sixth grade, I was here to take this very examination. I failed miserably that year, but it didn’t keep me from trying, and over the next few years, I would try very hard. Which made me think— what happened to everyone else?
A little bit of background information: AIME is a prestigious math competition for those who have managed to pass the American Math Contest (AMC) 10 or AMC 12. These are very challenging exams of 25 questions, with 75 minutes to answer them all. Each correct answer awards six points, each answer left blank awards one and a half points and every incorrect answer awards 0 points. As a testament to their difficulty, the average score on these exams is a measly 60 out of 150, give or take based on the year. This self-selecting group of students average 40% on the examination, far below an F in the grade book. So, why bother?
Over the past few years, while still officially enrolled in middle school, I have come to know the BVNW community quite well. Since the banning of cell phones, I feel as though our student body has gotten more efficient as a whole, with more attention to the class and less attention to our tiny screens. However, I argue that, while this is certainly an improvement over the constant gaming and social media use two years ago, lots more can be done.
First of all, taking away cell phones does not tackle the issue of student inattention. Those students who are staring at their cell phones during class are most likely not interested in the class material. Taking away a cell phone may make the class seem more attentive as a whole, but the looks of a classroom are just the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of learning happens in the student’s brain. While I am a proponent of taking away students’ personal electronic devices during class, it often does not serve the purpose it intends to serve. The KFF is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to health research. This year, an article they published explicitly stated that “Emerging research on student outcomes is mixed, with some studies suggesting improvements in student mental health and academic performance and a reduction in bullying, and others showing little to no change.”
Over the past semester, I have also witnessed multiple students forget their cell phones in the classroom, resulting in stressful situations or even panic attacks that could have been completely avoided had the cell phone policy not been in place. With final exams in full swing, one has to ask: what have those minutes in class dedicated to phones become? Has it become productive study time, or has it turned into game time on MacBooks, or perhaps, has it become a time for daydreaming?
It is ultimately a teacher’s responsibility to ensure that all phones are up in the phone caddies. It also leads to a higher rate of dishonesty and distrust in a class, with many students simply stating they have no cell phone or they “forgot” it at home. After all, are teachers really supposed to search everyone’s backpacks for phones? Did the cell phone ban really affect academics?
It may be too early to answer these questions; after all, the cell phone ban has only been in force for a semester. It is in the coming years that I will see the participation and interest in competitive academics, whether it be math, writing, science, coding or engineering, decisively increase or decrease.
Whether the current cell phone policy persists, or whether it brings better grades and test scores, it certainly seems that no one can force a student to succeed. Whether it be studying at home or doing homework, many things simply cannot be done with policy, but rather with mentality. A healthy, competitive and motivational environment may be all it takes for an average student to become a role model.