This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
Thirty years ago, cell phones were expensive and underpowered. The only thing you could do with them was dial a number to speak with someone. Cell phones have morphed into high-powered devices called smartphones. They can make calls, text messages, take photos with one or two cameras, play music, and much more. As a result, cell phones, or rather, smartphones, can be both a useful tool and a distraction in school. Cell Phones In The Classroom: Learning Tool or Distraction outlines the issue facing teachers and administrators alike. The big advantage of allowing cell phones in the classroom is that the school doesn't have to build any local infrastructure. In other words, you don't have to wire buildings and set up servers to support students' and administrators' cell phones. The cell phone service provider takes care of all of that. Teachers can routinely deliver information and content via students' smartphones easily and conveniently.
In 2026, schools continue to balance the educational possibilities of smartphones against concerns about distraction. Private School Review's Is a Phone-Free Private School Right for Your Child? examines this issue for families considering private schools.
Endless possibilities for good
40 Simple Ways To Use A Smartphone In The Classroom lists just some of the things you can do with a smartphone in the classroom. As an old teacher, I particularly like that you can use that one device to meet students at their own level. Yes, many students will spend endless hours gaming on their smartphones. But most of the time, those gamers are the young people who will accept your challenge of designing an app for a specific purpose in your classroom. They understand the parameters for a successful app. They know how it should look and perform. You have to challenge them to write the app you need to enhance your teaching and their learning.
This video illustrates some of the possibilities for smartphones in the classroom.
What about the shy student who spends much of her time listening to music? You can set her an assignment to research other forms of music and, in the process, open her ears and eyes to whole new musical worlds. You see, using smartphones as a research tool is one of the most important things you can teach your students to do. Speed reading is another important thing you must teach your students, but I digress. Teaching your students to distinguish between fact and fiction when they search the internet is critically important to developing analytical thinking.
That skill is even more important in 2026 as students encounter AI-generated information alongside traditional online sources. Private School Review's Technology in the Classroom explores the expanding range of digital tools available to teachers and students.
Smartphones allow instant communication between teacher and student, between administrators and teachers, and, in times of crisis, between parents and the school. You don't have to wait hours or days to receive feedback, comments, suggestions, or the correct answer.
Endless possibilities for distraction
Smartphones can be a distraction. That is the main reason why many teachers do not like them in the classroom. As far as they are concerned, smartphones create more disciplinary problems than they are worth. Unfortunately, smartphones are ubiquitous. Even your third and fourth-graders will have smartphones. Using a smartphone to learn and widen one's horizons is one way to reduce the distraction capability of a smartphone. In other words, teach your students a disciplined approach to using their smartphones. Teaching has always required tons of patience. It has also required teachers to reach students at whatever level they happen to be on. Chatting with your friends on WhatsApp, Snapchat, or TikTok will be a major distraction in the classroom if you allow it to be.
This concern has become increasingly important. In 2026, many schools and states have adopted or considered policies limiting student cellphone use during the school day. Private schools also vary considerably in how they approach phone access, making cellphone policies an important question for parents to ask when evaluating a school.
This video discusses the "no cell phones in school" rule.
Best apps for teachers
Technology has developed rapidly over the last ten years or so. Back then, who would have thought that there would be app stores with thousands of apps for teachers? Here is a sample of the kind of apps available for teachers. And dozens more are added every day. Teachers now have access to a wide range of educational apps and digital tools for classroom instruction, communication, assessment, and student collaboration. Private School Review's Computers in Private School offers additional perspective on how schools manage devices and technology.
Do you want to encourage your students to study for their SAT and AP exams? There are apps for that. The College Board now provides digital SAT practice resources, including practice tests through Bluebook, while students can also access a growing range of digital resources for AP courses and exams.
The technology itself continues to change, but the principle remains the same. The U.S. Department of Education emphasizes that educational technology should have a clear instructional purpose and contribute meaningfully to student learning. Private School Review's How Private Schools Teach Tech & AI Skills, Not Just Tools also examines the importance of teaching students how to use technology responsibly.
Harness the power and capabilities of smartphones to enhance your classroom activities.
