Students and teachers at odds over games

Games have become part of the environment at RCMS, and students and teachers have been struggling over them.

“Students playing games is a really big problem,” seventh-grade science teacher Mrs. Kristden Oliver said. “Since it makes them miss many things and fall behind in grades.”

Seventh-grade math teacher Mrs. Tammy Alred agrees that games are a problem.

“Once students start playing games,” she said, “they lose track of time and zone into the game.”

Not just in this school but schools all over the world are facing a similar problem to this one.

According to an article on Harvard’s website, phones on the campus are not only being misused for games but also for social media. 

One-third of the classroom are distracted by the iPads in class made for studying but instead are being used for games, according to an article in The Globe and Mail. Another article by Inside Higher ED says that about 49 percent of students use technology during class involving off-topic things.

“I think students are addicted,” Mrs. Oliver adds. “Because why else would they play games in class?”

Mrs. Oliver said if she finds students playing games, she would write a referral on the students. She is taking this issue even more seriously than she did in the 1rst quarter. 

“I wish there was a way for students to not play games on the school computer,” Mrs. Alred says. “But students will eventually find a way to play them anyway.”

Some students argue that sometimes games are necessary as a break. Seventh-grade Majestics student Chinmayi Karthik said students deserve breaks because they work for a long time.

“I feel like games are good, since they work for six hours without entertainment so I think teachers should give five-minute breaks to play games.” 

Eighth-grader Neil Colaco said some students play games because they are bored in class.

“I think students drift away from class because the teacher might talk in a monotone voice or the subject is really boring for the students,” Neil said.

Chinmayi agreed.

“I think they play because the teaching is boring or has to be more interactive with students than it is now,” he said. 

Students also think that games shouldn’t be banned because they think they can be played only in such circumstances like break time, or after you are done with your work.

A survey at RCMS found that 81 percent of students answered that think that games have negatively affected the classroom environment. Their explanation circles around the fact that it can be really distracting. But, the other 19 percent say it is positively affected because it can give students something to do after work.

“I like it,” said an anonymous student. “I like downloading games because they are fun to play in school.” 

Some students have figured out how to bypass blocks placed on school computers. This is a violation of the Student Rights and Responsibilities. Disciplinary action can be taken for playing games in class or for downloading games.

“I think that students should use the computer for class assignments and focus on their school work,” says Mr. Michael Hale, RCMS IT staff. 

“You should try to keep students engaged, instead of blocking things,” said Arthur Joseph D’souza, a seventh-grader at RCMS. “You’re just creating a competition between students and administrators.”

When the FCPS issued laptops were given to students, they were given for FCPS learning, not to download games on school computers, and especially not to play them in class. 

“ I have never ever seen such a big situation like this before,” Mrs. Oliver said.