Students Say School Communication Apps Stress Them Out

Teachers, parents, and administrators have spent a lot of time thinking about what restrictions schools should place on cell phone use among students. But from the students’ perspective, there might be another device that contributes to their school-related anxiety.

A blessing…

Along with various other aspects of our smartphone-dominated society, many traditional forms of communication between parents and teachers have been replaced by an app. Platforms like ClassDojo and Blackboard have become ubiquitous in school districts across the country and around the world.

And it’s easy to see why parents and teachers alike have embraced these apps. It’s a convenient way to share information and provides an opportunity for transparency that quarterly conferences or occasional phone calls never could.

There are also features available on some popular platforms that allow teachers to automatically translate messages into a family’s home language.

…or a curse

But is it too much transparency? Consistent updates about grades and behavior can take their toll on even the most obedient and studious of kids.

Some experts on children’s mental health say this parental monitoring — or even the perception thereof — can stunt the development of certain social skills. On the flip side, all of this immediate access has led some parents to react in ways that contribute to that stress.

According to therapist Lynn Lyons: “We’ve got this idea right now that the closer we keep our kids, the more information we have, the more we direct, the more we control, the better off our kids will be. And the research is showing the opposite.”

Times have changed, and these apps don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. But as long as parents and teachers understand the risks, there are some pretty compelling benefits.

Chris Agee October 26th, 2024

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