Harmony Plus’s Star Student Monthly Showcase
From tiny babies to teens making their way into the world, children grow up quickly. But as they grow, they might find themselves needing help along the way. Harmony Plus is ready to be there every step of the way with you and your child, to support them on their way to educational success. Part of this support is celebrating student wins. As the second part of the Star Student Showcase, we would like to share with you an argumentative essay entitled, “Should Students Be Allowed to Have Their Own Smartphones?” Challenger School student and Harmony Plus non-fiction writing scholar Minglang offers his opinion on the controversial topic in his piece from the writing class. This article is only a record of one student’s thoughts and does not represent the views or positions of Harmony Plus.
Should Students Be Allowed to Have Their Own Smartphones?
Have you ever met a kid who became a cheater because of having a smartphone? Kids who have smartphones or have them around tend to be cheaters because they might use them to check answers during tests. They might grow up to be unsuccessful adults because they will build bad habits like getting addicted to playing games on their smartphones during their childhood. Smartphones are electrical devices that work like computers. They provide information and games can be installed on it. As a fourth-grader, I met kids who played smartphones and led an unsuccessful life. Parents should not let their kids have smartphones unless they are under supervision because they might get addicted to playing games on them and lose integrity.
Children may get addicted to playing video games and eventually become dishonest students. They would think about video games and how to improve all day and would lose time on studying. Every time they have a smartphone with them, they would have the urge to check up on the updates and tips on how to be pro at the game. They may even start to fail their exams because they use the time for playing video games instead of studying for their tests. It would look as if they only care about video games. During meals, they would not eat and watch a video about the game instead. Research-based on parents’ surveys also justified that many kids have a smartphone addiction.
One example of how children might lose integrity was my own experience with my friend Alex. When he brought a smartphone to school, he checked up the answer key to the math test we were doing because he did not study the day before. I quietly asked him why he was checking the answers, and he said that he wanted to get a good score on the test. I knew this was wrong so I told the teacher about his cheating, lack of integrity, and dishonest choice. When the teacher asked Alex why he checked up the answer key, he said that he did not have time to study because he was preparing for the National Spelling Bee. I knew at once he was lying because I went to his house yesterday for a playdate. He did not show up in class the next day because of his embarrassment and humiliation. I went to see him and asked why he did not come to school. He told me the real reason why he had the urge of checking his smartphone. After my playdate with him, he told his parents that he was going to study for the math test. But he was playing video games the whole time. He decided that he wanted to play as much as possible on his smartphone, and lying did not bother him. But after the teacher found out about his dishonesty, he regretted all the wrong decisions he made in the past. I told him that he should change his character and then the whole school would like him again. Alex put his smartphone in a box and then never touched it again unless he was supervised by his parents.
If we learn to stop using smartphones and keep up our integrity, we can lead a successful and honest life. One example is another friend of mine, Jeff. Jeff was the smartest student in my class and always aced his tests. But in one of the tests, he forgot to study so he had a very hard struggle. He was known as an ace kid because he always got A+ on his tests. He was under a lot of pressure and decided that he had to ace this test too. To do so, he checked his smartphone for answers. But the teacher saw Jeff and scolded him for his dishonesty. He learned his lesson and never cheated again.
People may say smartphones are helpful because they are portable mini-computers, but I disagree. Most children who said that they are going to research a subject using a smartphone usually use it as an excuse to play games because they are addicted. If someone ever tells me that kids should have smartphones, I would counter that argument by saying kids can become addicted to playing games on it and lose their interest in studying. They would act to be a very studious student by asking to study and search for information as much as possible on their smartphone. But they would use the time for playing games.
Smartphones can bring evil and dishonest thoughts to a child’s mind. Next time you go to school with a smartphone, think about the consequences of opening it. If you know a friend who lacks integrity and cheats by bringing a smartphone to school, tell him to first think about the consequences they might face if the teacher sees him!
Though Minglang’s arguments are just one point of view, they are the start of something that could eventually change the world. Most importantly, this essay is a testament to the progress Minglang made in this class. From brainstorm to the final draft, Minglang wrote three versions of this piece. First, he summarized his thoughts, gathered statements from a study, and laid out the structure of the essay. Then, with the guidance of the teacher, he expanded his ideas into a complete paper. After polishing and revising, Minglang edited his work to be more persuasive and completed the final version you just read.
What is extraordinary about this writing class is how it develops student skills and lets them thrive. From learning and applying the use of pathos and ethos to crafting a well-rounded argument, from research to excellent grammar, this program offers students a chance to learn new writing abilities. And while the students benefit from the class, so do their parents. When students achieve like Minglang, parents are also pleased. Not just with the class, but with their child and the hard work they’ve accomplished. This exclusive non-fiction writing course from Harmony Plus helps students explore the world, improves their ability to think, and encourages them to share their thoughts. In this ever-changing world, your child could have the idea that might change society. Let Harmony Plus be the one to help them discover it.
