In support of gum chewing

March 16, 2010 • written by Karra Gardin, Contributing Writer

Books? Check. Paper? Check. Pens? Check. Gum? Check. Popping in a piece of Bubblicious gonzo grape or crystal frost Trident gum allows students to escape a dull lecture and absorb the lesson in a more fun, creative way.

Many schools, however, have banned gum-chewing in the classroom because students are placing the finished gum in places that do not start with ‘gar’ and end with ‘bage’.

This policy should be reconsidered.

Statistics have proven that chewing gum in the classroom raises test scores.  A group of 108 students, ages 13 to 16, were assigned to chew gum during math class while doing homework and classwork, and in a matter of 14 weeks, their math scores increased by a whopping 3%.

Chewing gum has also proven to keep students more concentrated in class. Statistics show that chewing gum is a way to keep focused and alert. This is the reason why athletes chew gum during games in order to be alert and focused.

Besides the mental benefits, it also is a very low calorie snack that in the long run, could potentially decrease childhood obesity. Instead of snacking on high calorie snacks like Oreos or chips, students can pop in a piece of Wrigley that has only 5-10 calories.

So, if schools continue to eliminate chewing gum in the classroom, their efforts to keep their classrooms clean will backfire on their test scores. It will also upset the students and cause further rebellion, making them less willing to focus in class and try their best. Next thing you know, the school is being monitored by the government due to the low test scores and the decreasing number of graduates.

Though some teachers may find finding gum under the desks a pain, distributing detentions to students who put gum under desks will  teach them to not do it. Also, having different policies about how loud a student can chew and whether the gum chewing is distracting to other students can be put in place. By doing this, students will learn how to respect school policies.

Nonetheless, If schools are really interested in finding ways to better students’ learning experience, they should reconsider the gum-chewing policy. Though it can get messy, the outcome will better the school and students.

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