Teacherscribe's Teaching Thought #4 (bonus content)

Inservice Teaching Thought #4 –

Cell phones.  What to do about them?

I’m the first to admit when they became a dominant force in the lives of my students beginning sometime around 2009 or so, I embraced them.  They held so much potential, especially when we weren’t a 1:1 school.

But 10 years later, I think differently.

Social media, namely Snapchat, has ruined students’ attention spans and their ability to focus. 

So I’ve introduced a new cell phone policy.  Every day, I set my beloved Star Wars box at the front of the room and ask them to either put their phones in there, and I do the same thing once I’ve taken attendance via my iPhone, or ask them to put them away (as in their back packs).  If I see it, I take it. 

I think another issue that has changed over the past 10 years is how many parents strive to be in constant contact with their children.  I don’t know where these parents work that allows them to be on their phones texting their kids constantly, but that’s what many do.

I’m instituting a contract for both parents and students to sign.  I am going to ask parents to refrain from texting their kids at school (I mean that’s how we all grew up) while they are at school or at least in my class.  Students need positive digital role models.  And it starts at home.

Think long and hard about how you plan to approach cell phone use in your class.