Kerala school teacher found a way to hold students' attention; her no-phone challenge is a hit

Shahala, mother of six-year-old Eshan, noticed something good about her son during the family trips of late. Earlier, when they travelled, Inaaya used to stay glued to his phone, not anymore. He enjoys the sights and views. "I think it's the first time my child is seeing the outside world," Shahala, a resident of Kannur, jokes. The parents of class 1 students at the GHSS Kuthuparamba, Kannur, have reasons to believe somebody has worked a magic on their kids. The magician is a first-grade teacher Amritha K P. Her trick to wean away the children from mobile phones was simple - a combo of stickers, games and a challenge. 

She had a reason. When she recited her lessons in class, she found her students distracted and inattentive just a few minutes in. She found out from her pupils that they spent most of their time after school on mobile phones, watching reels and shorts, while others played video games. She instantly knew that this was the problem - their attention span was cut short by excessive mobile phone use.

Amritha called for a "mobile phone ban" as a solution, but she did not expect it to be so popular among the students, crossing classroom walls to inspire several others. Explaining to the children about the problems associated with prolonged phone use was her instinctive move. She knew it wouldn't be enough.

"So, how about we put a mobile phone ban in place?" she asked in a cheerful voice that was enough to captivate the group of innocent first graders.

Knowing that six-year-olds may not necessarily be able to break habits so easily, the next day she handed out stickers to those who kept their word. To those who could not immediately commit to the new policy, this served as an incentive to try harder.

Soon, the entire class made it through two weeks without mobile phones, and the changes were drastic, inside and outside the classroom. Amritha says that the students were not only more focused and attentive, but also more composed and less reactive. "Earlier, they would get provoked easily by their classmates. Now they show better tolerance," she added.

Parents shared that while they want to intervene in their children's excessive mobile phone use, they find it difficult to do so because it provokes strong emotional reactions in the child, leaving them feeling helpless.

"It usually ends in fighting and crying, and this upsets us, which is why we give in," says Teena, the mother of Mayukh, one of Amritha's students.

To Amritha, merely distancing the students from mobile phones was not enough. She knew that if other activities were not introduced to fill the vacuum left by the mobile phone, the students would quickly return to their old habits. 

She soon began handing out storybooks, clay, and handmade notebooks as prizes that would creatively engage the students. She also suggested imaginative games and activities they could engage in. Further, she encouraged students to share how they spent their time, hoping to motivate others.

Teena says that her son really likes to draw, but used to be distracted by the phone. He used to come home and immediately reach for the phone, says Teena. "On the first day of the ban, he came home and wandered around, not knowing how to spend his time. I was confused because he usually goes straight to the phone," Teena recalled. "Now he draws and gets excited to share his drawings with his teacher as soon as he's done," she added.

The policy quickly became a favourite among students and teachers alike, drawing strong appreciation from parents as well. It was extended to fourth-grade students after its success with first- and second-graders. In fact, it was so popular at the school that fifth-grade students voluntarily joined the program.

Her initiative gains significance in the wake of the government's steps to reduce the screen time of students. Earlier this month, the General Education Department invited public opinion on possible measures to address the growing problem of social media addiction among children. Minister V Sivankutty pointed out how several developing countries and certain Indian states have already begun exploring legislation to regulate children's use of social media.

This comes in the light of concerns flagged in the Economic Survey about rising digital addiction across age groups in India and recent suicides among adolescents. The recently released Economic Survey had linked social media addiction, particularly among those aged 15 to 24, with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and stress related to cyberbullying, raising questions on the need for early intervention to address the issue.