4 days ago
Cellphone in the classroom: Enemy, ally, or security blanket?
Teacher Jam Angelo Veruasa weighs in on cellphone use in the classroom. Photo of Veruasa by Sherylin Untalan. Photo of cellphone: GMA Integrated News file
On any given school day, inside a classroom, students quietly take their seats. Some pull out pens and notebooks. Many reach for their smartphones—checking messages, reviewing class schedules, or scrolling through TikTok.
The sight is so familiar it barely draws attention, but for teacher Jam Angelo Veruasa, it represents one of the most urgent challenges in today's classrooms: the increasingly complex role of the cellphone in education.
Veruasa, who teaches Personal Development and Introduction to Philosophy to Grade 11 students, knows that the issue goes far beyond simple rules about whether phones are allowed in class.
For him and countless other educators, the real question is not just about control—it's about connection, discipline, digital identity, and the growing emotional reliance students have on their screens.
"Ang cellphone ay hindi na lang siya basta gadget. Isa na siyang bahagi ng identity ng mga kabataan ngayon," Veruasa shared during a sit-in interview with GMA News Online.
(The cellphone is not just any gadget. It is a part of the identity of the youth nowadays.)
"At dahil bahagi siya ng identity nila, kapag tinanggal mo 'yan, parang tinanggalan mo sila ng karapatan."
(And because it is part of their identity, when you remove it, it is like you have taken away their rights.)
The Department of Education permits the use of cellphones in classrooms—as long as they're used for learning. But what happens when the device becomes a lifeline for attention, validation, or emotional stability?
In Veruasa's classroom, the cellphone is both a tool for engagement and a mirror of deeper student struggles. Managing it requires more than rules. It requires empathy, critical thinking, and a new kind of teaching—one that recognizes both the power and peril of being connected all the time.
Double-edged tool
Veruasa does not see the cellphone as an enemy. In fact, he said that in many ways, it can be an ally—if used responsibly.
"Sa klase ko sa Personal Development, may mga pagkakataon na kailangan naming gamitin ang cellphone para mag-reflect, maghanap ng article, o manood ng isang short video na konektado sa lesson," he explained. "Hindi ko siya agad ipinagbabawal. Pero dapat may malinaw na parameters."
(In my Personal Development class, there are instances that we need to use cellphones to reflect, search for an article, or watch a short video connected to the lesson. I do not ban its use immediately. But there must be clear parameters.)
In his Introduction to Philosophy class, he sometimes encourages students to research key thinkers or ethical dilemmas on the spot using their phones. This real-time engagement with philosophical material, he said, allows students to connect abstract ideas to real-world issues.
"Kapag pinag-uusapan namin si Socrates, halimbawa, tanong ko sa kanila: 'May ganito pa bang tao ngayon na handang mamatay para sa prinsipyo?' Saka sila maghahanap ng mga example gamit ang cellphone nila. Doon nabubuhay ang diskusyon."
(When we discuss Socrates, for example, I ask them: 'Is there a person nowadays who is willing to die for his principles?' That's when they search for examples using their cellphones. That's when the discussion comes alive.)
But the same device that sparks learning can also be a gateway to distractions—and even danger. The temptation to scroll through social media, check online games, or message friends is constant. Veruasa shared that despite their best intentions, many students struggle to remain focused when their phones are within arm's reach.
"May mga estudyante talaga na kahit alam nilang bawal sa activity na 'yun, pasimpleng magti-TikTok o maglalaro ng Mobile Legends. Mahirap kontrolin, lalo na kung walang malinaw na disiplina."
(There are students who, despite knowing it is not allowed in a particular activity, will still use it for TikTok or Mobile Legends. It is hard to control, especially when there are no clear disciplinary measures.)
He admitted that while he sets expectations at the beginning of each quarter, he must repeatedly remind students of boundaries.
"Laging may paalala. Kasi kung hindi mo ipapaalala, makakalimot talaga sila. Hindi sa dahil pasaway sila, kundi kasi normal na sa kanila ang laging may screen."
(There are always reminders. Because if you do not issue a reminder, they will really forget. They are not rebellious, but it is just normal for them to always have a screen.)
What cellphones reveal about students
For Veruasa, cellphone use is not just a behavior—it is a window into his students' emotional and psychological worlds. One of the most revealing aspects, he noted, is how dependent many students are on their devices for validation, connection, and even emotional regulation.
"Sa Personal Development, 'pag pinag-uusapan na ang self-worth, makikita mo kung gaano kalaki ang epekto ng social media sa self-esteem nila," he said.
(In Personal Development, when we talk about self-worth, you will see how big an effect social media has on their self-esteem.)
"May mga batang ang saya lang kapag mataas ang likes. May mga nasasaktan kapag hindi pinansin."
(There are students who are just so happy when they get a high number of likes. Then there are those who feel hurt when they are not noticed much [on social media].)
Cellphones, he added, often amplify the emotional volatility of adolescence. Some students may pretend to research a lesson but are actually dealing with personal issues through chat apps. Others may withdraw into their phones as a coping mechanism.
"May isa akong estudyante noon na laging nakababad sa phone. Akala mo distracted lang. Pero nu'ng kinausap ko, nalaman ko may pinagdadaanan pala sa bahay. Sa phone lang siya nakakahanap ng peace."
(I had one student before who was always using the cellphone. You would think the student was just distracted. But after talking with the student, I found out that the student was having problems at home. It is via the phone that the student found peace.)
Rather than enforce a blanket ban, Veruasa sees the cellphone as a diagnostic tool—an indicator of who may need more attention, more care, or more understanding.
"Hindi lahat ng cellphone use ay disrespect. Minsan, iyun na lang ang sandalan nila."
(Not all cellphone use can be regarded as disrespect. Sometimes that's the only way they find support.)
The struggle for balance
Still, the burden of managing cellphone use often falls solely on teachers. There are no standard guidelines, no classroom tech aides, and limited institutional support. Veruasa noted that teachers must play the roles of educator, disciplinarian, and sometimes even counselor, all while covering the curriculum.
"Ang hirap, kasi hindi naman kami trained bilang digital behavior experts. Pero kami 'yung nasa frontline. Kaya trial and error lagi," he said.
(It's hard because we are not trained to be digital behavior experts. But we are on the frontline. So it's always trial and error.)
To cope, Veruasa adopts a mix of strategies. He negotiates screen time by integrating cellphone use into specific activities and designating phone-free moments for deeper reflection or group sharing. He also encourages open dialogue.
"Sa umpisa pa lang, sinasabi ko: 'Okay, gagamit tayo ng cellphone, pero kung may gagamit sa hindi tama, tatanungin ko kayo: Bakit mo ginawa?' Hindi ako agad galit. Kailangan nilang maramdaman na kasama sila sa proseso."
(From the start, I say: 'Okay, we will use cellphones. But if it will not be used in the right way, I will ask you: Why did you do it?' I do not get angry right away. They need to feel that they are part of the process.)
That participatory approach, he believes, fosters accountability and self-awareness among students. Over time, he has seen some students become more mindful of their phone habits.
"Yung iba, sila na mismo 'yung magsasabi: 'Sir, off ko na muna para maka-focus ako.' Doon mo makikita na may epekto talaga ang tiwala."
(Others would be the first to say, "Sir, I will turn it off first so I can focus." That's when you will see that having trust in them has an effect.)
A broader digital literacy agenda
Veruasa believes that what is lacking is a systemic effort to teach digital literacy and self-regulation as part of the formal curriculum. He argues that it is not enough to tell students to 'focus' or 'stop scrolling'—they must be equipped with the tools to understand why they scroll in the first place.
"Kung gusto talaga nating matuto sila gumamit ng cellphone nang maayos, dapat kasama sa tinuturo natin 'yung emotional triggers nila. Bakit sila nai-insecure? Bakit sila anxious? Ano 'yung mga dapat nilang bantayan sa sarili nila kapag online sila?"
(If we really want them to learn how to use the cellphone in the right away, we should include in our lessons their emotional triggers. Why are they insecure? Why are they anxious. What should they guard in themselves when they are online?)
He suggested integrating lessons on algorithmic influence, online safety, and mindfulness into both guidance counseling and academic subjects. In his own classes, he sometimes devotes entire sessions to exploring how digital life shapes values and relationships.
"Napag-usapan namin minsan: 'Kung walang cellphone ngayon, paano mo ipaparamdam sa tao na mahalaga siya?' Nahihirapan silang sumagot. Doon mo makikita gaano kalalim ang epekto ng cellphone sa empathy nila."
(We get to talk about it sometimes - 'If cellphones do not exist today, how will you let a person know that he or she is important?' They find it hard to answer. That's when you see how deep is the effect of cellphone use in their empathy.)
A call for shared responsibility
For Veruasa, the question of cellphone use in the classroom is no longer just a matter of classroom discipline or institutional policy. It's a reflection of how education must now grapple with the emotional, mental, and digital worlds that students inhabit—often without guidance.
"Kapag tinanggal mo 'yung cellphone, parang tinanggalan mo sila ng access sa mundo nila," he explains. "Pero kapag pinayagan mo naman ito ng walang parameters, para mo silang pinabayaan sa isang lugar na walang direksyon."
(If you ban the use of cellphones, it is like you removed their access to their own world. But when you allow it without parameters, it's like you let them free in a place without direction.)
In this delicate balancing act, Veruasa sees his role not as an enforcer of outdated norms, but as a facilitator of deeper learning and self-awareness. His teaching, especially in subjects like Philosophy and Personal Development, offers a rare space where students are invited to think critically about their choices, habits, and distractions. Here, the cellphone is not demonized—but it is examined.
'Dapat may kaakibat na pag-unawa at tulong sa kung paano gamitin ang cellphone nang makabuluhan,' he said. 'Hindi siya puwedeng alisin lang, pero hindi rin puwedeng pabayaan.'
(There should be understanding and help extended as to how the cellphone can be used in a relevant way. It cannot be removed just like that, but it also cannot just be allowed freely.)
The future of education, he believes, lies not in banning technology but in teaching digital responsibility, emotional resilience, and mindfulness—skills as vital today as reading and writing. And in doing so, perhaps classrooms can evolve into spaces where students don't just absorb knowledge, but learn how to navigate their modern realities with both intelligence and compassion.
In the end, the cellphone is merely a window. What students truly need is someone willing to help them see more clearly through it—and beyond it. —KG, GMA Integrated News
