Maybe the decision of headphones in the classroom just depends on the student.
Headphones have become a common sight in AFS’ hallways, cafeterias, and classrooms. After interviewing a few students, they state that their headphones are as essential as their laptops and notebooks. You may be wondering how headphones actually affect students’ learning, focus, and social skills. Four high school students shared their experiences.
Giovanni D’Amico ‘27 says he wears headphones for most of the school day. He uses them while doing work during his free periods, relaxing, and sometimes in class.
“I wear headphones throughout most of the school day,” D’Amico said. “Usually when I’m doing work or just chilling and sometimes in class.”
Amillyana Green ’28 shared a similar response. She says she wears headphones every day, almost all day long.
“Every day, like all day,” Green said.
Sylvie Harris ’27 makes an estimate and thinks she wears headphones for about five hours during the school day. Christian Bryant ’27 wears them during lunch, free periods, and most of his classes.
All four of these high school students have agreed that free periods and lunch are the times they feel the biggest need for headphones. Harris said she uses them mainly during free periods and lunch. For Green, it’s about the same.
“Lunch or like a free,” Green said, when she was asked about when she uses them most.
After researching and questioning whether headphones help increase or decrease focus came up again and again. D’Amico said headphones can be used greatly or horribly.
While they help D’Amico block out noise during homework, they can also get in the way during class.
“I think in class, sometimes wearing my headphones can be a distraction,” D’Amico said. “When the teacher’s speaking and if I’m listening to music, I won’t process everything they said.”
Bryant said something very similar. He summed up that the focus level depends entirely on what he is doing.
“It really depends on the assignment,” Bryant said. “Sometimes if I’m doing a reading, it might help me, but if there’s something I really need to pay attention to, it might be distracting.”
Harris said she finds headphones helpful during working periods, but noticed that the type of music matters.
“I’d say that, yes, during working periods, especially if I’m listening to music,” Harris said. “But it depends on what kind of music, probably music that doesn’t have a lot of words.”
Green’s perspective with focus varies from others. For her, having two things going on at once actually helps her concentrate.
“I just like having two things going on at once, like the background noise,” Green said.
When it comes to missing instructions, it was seen that three of the four students said they have been careful about timing their headphone use. Harris said she waits until the teacher finishes talking before putting her headphones on. D’Amico admitted there have been moments where he missed something.
“Yeah, there have been times where I’ve been listening to music and I don’t hear what the teacher said and I have to ask for questions to be reexplained,” D’Amico said.
Green and Harris both said they have never missed important instructions because of headphones.
When thinking about students’ social skills, students were split on whether headphones make them feel isolated or more comfortable. Harris said they give her a sense of security in loud spaces.
“They make me feel more comfortable because it kind of reassures me in a space where I don’t want to pay attention that much,” Harris said.
Green gave a mixed response of both feelings.
“It makes me feel more isolated and comfortable,” Green said. “They’re warm and then at the same time, I can’t really hear anybody if I’m playing music, so I feel more isolated, in my own world.”
D’Amico and Bryant both said wearing both earbuds tends to show that they want to be alone, but with just one in, they said the appearance makes it lessened. “Only if I have both my headphones in and I’m worried about playing my music loud,” D’Amico said.
“That’s just when I want to be isolated or just not talking to anyone.”
As far as most schools’ policies or “teacher policies”, most teachers at their school do not allow headphones in class. Students said they get called out if teachers catch them wearing headphones. But Bryant stated that most of his teachers let him use headphones at some point during class, even if it’s not for the full period.
“Some of my teachers let me wear headphones. Some of them don’t, but really all of my teachers let me use my headphones at some point during the class,” Bryant said.
Whether students use headphones to focus, relax, or to simply have a little comfort or personal space in a busy school day, and as of right now one thing is clear: they’re not going anywhere.