When students got their textbooks at the beginning of the year at San Mateo High School, they also got the Yondr pouch（小袋子）, a locking device（锁定装置）for their phones. The phone is put into it and gets locked through a magnetic device. It’s not unlocked again until the final bell rings. It will be repeated every day for the rest of the school year.

Adam Gelb, the vice-president of the school, wishes to create phone-free spaces, because now most students just lower their heads and seldom communicate with each other.

Brad Friedman, a teacher at the school, said he was worried about the overuse of phones at school. He said he often saw students completely lost themselves in the mobile phones, some not talking at all with other students. Recently, he has already seen the difference. “Everyone else was talking and eating lunch together. That’s what I wasn’t seeing enough of when phone usage was at its worst.” he said.

A senior at San Mateo High School, Djelani Philips-Diop, said he was exactly surprised at first when he heard he had to lock his phone. “I worried, I guess. Last year when I had my mobile phone, I used it every day,” he said.

In case of emergency（紧急事件）, every classroom has the unlocking device. Teachers are still able to use their own cellphones and desk phones. “We’ve gotten all 1,700 students’ phones unlocked in a matter of minutes,” said Gelb. “We spoke to four students who, feeling angry at first, agreed that a phone-free school experience does some help.”

It seems to me that families used to eat more meals together.     30     There’s often a TV nearby, or someone’s talking on a cell phone or texting during dinner.

    31     We’d wait for everyone to get home, and then we’d all sit down together. During dinnertime conversation, everyone had a chance to talk. Back then, I was a little quiet, so my dad would often ask me to talk about my day.     32    

Speaking of taking turns, all of us kids used to take part in either preparing the meal or cleaning up. Sometimes my mom would let me help her in the kitchen.     33     We’d always have fresh food—no fast food or take out.

Now, I won’t pretend (假装) our mealtimes were completely perfect. We used to fight all the time, and sometimes kick each other under the table.     34     Nobody knew exactly what “or else” meant, but we didn’t want to risk finding out.

These days, it seems like families have little time together, especially at mealtimes. However, I wonder if those families know what they’re missing.