Should Schools Ban Cell Phones in the Classroom? (1 Viewer)

[Max Power]

I think teachers have been trying. And when asked 70% of high school teachers are saying its a major problem. Asking them to be more responsible was plan A. It isn't working.

Is it any different in the states that have already made it a law? Do those teachers have no issue or are they part of the 70% that say it's a problem, even when it's already been made a state law?

Either way, the teachers are the enforcers. Like I said above, the state isn't going to have cops with phone sniffing dogs arresting people. Whether the rule is at the state level or school level or classroom level, it's teachers trying to police it and kids trying to sneak around it.

It's not really something that makes sense at the state level. No different than making it illegal to have phones at work so ya'll don't goof off on FBGs. Your boss can make that rule. Your company can make that rule. The state shouldn't be making that rule.

I didn't see it broken out. Study cited 82% of teachers have cell phone policies, with 60% saying the policies are difficult to enforce.

72% of U.S. high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom

Some 72% of high school teachers say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom.

www.pewresearch.org

I think a statewide policy probably makes enforcement easier. Everyone operating on the same set of regulations can only help.

 

[KarmaPolice]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

you do realize that kids these days don't really give a **** about "restraint"....

especially when it comes to cell phones....even good kids with good grades and good attitudes will still do whatever they need to do to have access to that bad boy...

and why is it on the teachers to teach them "restraint"....is there a special certification or something for that that teachers take....

when it comes to cell phones...."restraint" basically goes out the window for most students.....our teachers are their to teach a curriculum....not "restraint"...

As someone that has been doing this for a long time that isn't what I see and we are absolutely there to teach restraint.

We teach them when it is okay to talk and when it is inappropriate, we teach them how to manage their time wisely, we teach them what is acceptable behavior towards others and what isn't in a classroom setting and how that differs in a lunchroom, or recess. We teach them when it is time to work and when it is time to play.

you just refuse to accept that cell phones at the desk are a completely different animal then all the things you mention....you may be super teacher or something and should maybe go on tour letting all the teachers know how it isn't what you see....even tho the majority of them do see it....and what your solution is....a solution that doesn't take away time/distract from teaching curriculum that cell phone policing does....

and I didn't look back....but what again was your proposed way to deal with the issue...?

It is a different animal because it is new, it isn't any worse than all the other distractions kids have had for decades. Teachers will always deal with distractions, it is part of the job. Phones aren't adding anymore of a distraction than magazines used to or a deck of cards, or anything else it is just a new one that most kids don't have a problem with.

Only one of those things you mention are specifically designed to addict us though. Waaaaay different than a deck of cards or paper airplanes, imo. I have 0 what possible positives would come with letting them in the classroom that would offset all the negatives.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

you do realize that kids these days don't really give a **** about "restraint"....

especially when it comes to cell phones....even good kids with good grades and good attitudes will still do whatever they need to do to have access to that bad boy...

and why is it on the teachers to teach them "restraint"....is there a special certification or something for that that teachers take....

when it comes to cell phones...."restraint" basically goes out the window for most students.....our teachers are their to teach a curriculum....not "restraint"...

As someone that has been doing this for a long time that isn't what I see and we are absolutely there to teach restraint.

We teach them when it is okay to talk and when it is inappropriate, we teach them how to manage their time wisely, we teach them what is acceptable behavior towards others and what isn't in a classroom setting and how that differs in a lunchroom, or recess. We teach them when it is time to work and when it is time to play.

you just refuse to accept that cell phones at the desk are a completely different animal then all the things you mention....you may be super teacher or something and should maybe go on tour letting all the teachers know how it isn't what you see....even tho the majority of them do see it....and what your solution is....a solution that doesn't take away time/distract from teaching curriculum that cell phone policing does....

and I didn't look back....but what again was your proposed way to deal with the issue...?

It is a different animal because it is new, it isn't any worse than all the other distractions kids have had for decades. Teachers will always deal with distractions, it is part of the job. Phones aren't adding anymore of a distraction than magazines used to or a deck of cards, or anything else it is just a new one that most kids don't have a problem with.

you are joking right....?

I feel like you are. Maybe we should just be done here.

nice tap out....but the fact that in today's world you don't see cell phones as a completely different animal distraction then magazines or playing cards really surprises me....and kinda worries me if you are an educator...

 

[El Floppo]

parents that want access to their kids at all times

I think the parents might need to learn to let go sometimes.

I agree, but you can't win that battle.

ymmv, but our 13yo does some work (acting/photos) that often comes in or gets scheduled incredibly last minute... its insane, but that's apparently how that business works. my wife often needs to coordinate with her at school during the day to arrange a possibly changing schedule on the same day. But that just means my daughter needing to check the phone in-between classes- not raising a finger to her teacher mid-class to hush them while she answers the phone to talk or text with mom.

 

[beer 30]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

Coming to the debate late so everything that I would have added has already been covered. It's a great idea but it just doesn't work. A handful would take to it but 99% simply won't comply.

 

[msudaisy26]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

you do realize that kids these days don't really give a **** about "restraint"....

especially when it comes to cell phones....even good kids with good grades and good attitudes will still do whatever they need to do to have access to that bad boy...

and why is it on the teachers to teach them "restraint"....is there a special certification or something for that that teachers take....

when it comes to cell phones...."restraint" basically goes out the window for most students.....our teachers are their to teach a curriculum....not "restraint"...

As someone that has been doing this for a long time that isn't what I see and we are absolutely there to teach restraint.

We teach them when it is okay to talk and when it is inappropriate, we teach them how to manage their time wisely, we teach them what is acceptable behavior towards others and what isn't in a classroom setting and how that differs in a lunchroom, or recess. We teach them when it is time to work and when it is time to play.

you just refuse to accept that cell phones at the desk are a completely different animal then all the things you mention....you may be super teacher or something and should maybe go on tour letting all the teachers know how it isn't what you see....even tho the majority of them do see it....and what your solution is....a solution that doesn't take away time/distract from teaching curriculum that cell phone policing does....

and I didn't look back....but what again was your proposed way to deal with the issue...?

It is a different animal because it is new, it isn't any worse than all the other distractions kids have had for decades. Teachers will always deal with distractions, it is part of the job. Phones aren't adding anymore of a distraction than magazines used to or a deck of cards, or anything else it is just a new one that most kids don't have a problem with.

you are joking right....?

I feel like you are. Maybe we should just be done here.

nice tap out....but the fact that in today's world you don't see cell phones as a completely different animal distraction then magazines or playing cards really surprises me....and kinda worries me if you are an educator...

You are joking. Well played.

 

[msudaisy26]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

Coming to the debate late so everything that I would have added has already been covered. It's a great idea but it just doesn't work. A handful would take to it but 99% simply won't comply.

It isn't anywhere near 99 percent. It isn't even near 50 percent that have a problem or don't comply.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

what about for the kids that their family can't afford cell phones....should the school provide one for them since they are such a necessity...

No, but a Chromebook or something like it. Maybe a calculator for Math. Please read previous posts. I don't want to repost everything and clutter this thread up more.

so phones aren't a necessity....?

 

[Stinkin Ref]

The world is advancing in technology, and this includes schools. Making a rule that is going to be obsolete sooner rather than later isn't wise. Teaching kids restraint is more important than controlling their action. Remember when we all went to school and the abstinence was the only way.

Even right now there are high schools that have IB, and GCI programs. They have dual enrollment with colleges where messages need to be shared. There are schools that can't afford to get every kid a Chromebook or laptop and kids are asked look things up for assignments.

Teaching kids responsible use and restraint is way more productive and helpful then forbidding the behavior.

you do realize that kids these days don't really give a **** about "restraint"....

especially when it comes to cell phones....even good kids with good grades and good attitudes will still do whatever they need to do to have access to that bad boy...

and why is it on the teachers to teach them "restraint"....is there a special certification or something for that that teachers take....

when it comes to cell phones...."restraint" basically goes out the window for most students.....our teachers are their to teach a curriculum....not "restraint"...

As someone that has been doing this for a long time that isn't what I see and we are absolutely there to teach restraint.

We teach them when it is okay to talk and when it is inappropriate, we teach them how to manage their time wisely, we teach them what is acceptable behavior towards others and what isn't in a classroom setting and how that differs in a lunchroom, or recess. We teach them when it is time to work and when it is time to play.

you just refuse to accept that cell phones at the desk are a completely different animal then all the things you mention....you may be super teacher or something and should maybe go on tour letting all the teachers know how it isn't what you see....even tho the majority of them do see it....and what your solution is....a solution that doesn't take away time/distract from teaching curriculum that cell phone policing does....

and I didn't look back....but what again was your proposed way to deal with the issue...?

It is a different animal because it is new, it isn't any worse than all the other distractions kids have had for decades. Teachers will always deal with distractions, it is part of the job. Phones aren't adding anymore of a distraction than magazines used to or a deck of cards, or anything else it is just a new one that most kids don't have a problem with.

you are joking right....?

I feel like you are. Maybe we should just be done here.

nice tap out....but the fact that in today's world you don't see cell phones as a completely different animal distraction then magazines or playing cards really surprises me....and kinda worries me if you are an educator...

You are joking. Well played.

joking about what?

 

[msudaisy26]

what about for the kids that their family can't afford cell phones....should the school provide one for them since they are such a necessity...

No, but a Chromebook or something like it. Maybe a calculator for Math. Please read previous posts. I don't want to repost everything and clutter this thread up more.

so phones aren't a necessity....?

You are to lazy to read back and your mind is made up. So you do you.

 

[Dickies]

My kids' school allows cell phones in the backpacks, but if any teacher catches them with cell phones out on campus they take the phones and send the phones to the office, which can be picked up at the end of the day

I have no problem with a policy like that. Phones away unless a teacher says it is okay. If you aren't doing what you are supposed to be when the phone is allowed to be out then it gets confiscated until the end of the day. Have a three strike policy, that after three strikes that individual loses all phone privileges.

Their school extended it to the entire school grounds during school hours, including lunch break. There are some other consequences for repeat offenders, but I don't know what they are. The school calls the parents if they have to confiscate a phone, and thankfully we have not gotten one of those calls yet.

Our own household has a rule that if the school catches them with their phones out that they lose them for a week and that has been enough of a deterrent.

 

[nirad3]

what about for the kids that their family can't afford cell phones....should the school provide one for them since they are such a necessity...

No, but a Chromebook or something like it. Maybe a calculator for Math. Please read previous posts. I don't want to repost everything and clutter this thread up more.

so phones aren't a necessity....?

You are to lazy to read back and your mind is made up. So you do you.

 

[msudaisy26]

My kids' school allows cell phones in the backpacks, but if any teacher catches them with cell phones out on campus they take the phones and send the phones to the office, which can be picked up at the end of the day

I have no problem with a policy like that. Phones away unless a teacher says it is okay. If you aren't doing what you are supposed to be when the phone is allowed to be out then it gets confiscated until the end of the day. Have a three strike policy, that after three strikes that individual loses all phone privileges.

Their school extended it to the entire school grounds during school hours, including lunch break. There are some other consequences for repeat offenders, but I don't know what they are. The school calls the parents if they have to confiscate a phone, and thankfully we have not gotten one of those calls yet.

Our own household has a rule that if the school catches them with their phones out that they lose them for a week and that has been enough of a deterrent.

A little too far with lunch for me.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

what about for the kids that their family can't afford cell phones....should the school provide one for them since they are such a necessity...

No, but a Chromebook or something like it. Maybe a calculator for Math. Please read previous posts. I don't want to repost everything and clutter this thread up more.

so phones aren't a necessity....?

You are to lazy to read back and your mind is made up. So you do you.

I am lazy....you are at least right about that...

so I stepped it up and went back through all your posts....your first one was agreeing with El Floppo....which was a great start....but then it kind of got sideways from there and it seemed as though you thought when it came to cell phones in class that is was the responsibility of the teachers to teach them restraint/when it's appropriate/when it's not/give them a chance but if you catch them enforce something/need to adapt/phones are a "necessity"/they aren't any worse then magazines and playing cards...without acknowledging that cell phones are a different beast...so while it seemed like you were saying the right things it also seemed as though you weren't really in tune with the magnitude of the cell phone problem itself....comparing it to playing cards and what not...

teachers should not be cell phone police...

 

[Nugget]

Support at a school district level. Don’t want state legislatures spending time on this issue.

 

[nirad3]

Support at a school district level. Don’t want state legislatures spending time on this issue.

Totally agree. I think my kids' school has a policy where if they're caught on their phones once during class, they get a warning. Twice, phone gets taken away and parents have to pick it up after school.

I'm on the fence here. Ya never know when something pops up where you need to immediately contact your kid. I mean, I GUESS you could just call the school and have them inform the student themselves and not have to go directly to your kid?

But we've been absolutely crystal clear with the 14-yo who brings her phone to school: no messin' around. She actually got in trouble for recording a TikTok or some chit while in class. Huge no-no.

 

[Ilov80s]

And we haven’t even begun talking about the AirPods. That’s another issue they think you’re insane because you ask them to not listen to music during class.

Think I have more natural empathy for people in your career than any other I can think of.

It’s an interesting career that’s for sure. I’ve never disliked it or ever thought about leaving. When you get a good group of kids, it’s pretty awesome. Hard work, but very rewarding and fun. When you get a bad group of kids, it’s soul crushing. I have one hour now that I’m just so done with. I don’t even care anymore as long as nobody gets hurt. The are almost all just so rude, whiny and immature. I knew it was going to be rough because for some reason this sophomore group is just difficult and I got a real bad combo of them. There are some good kids in there for sure but the difficult kids are so difficult it just makes doing anything such a chore. They aren't difficult like mean or dangerous or future criminals. Just immature, no attention spans, loud, disinterested. Very nice kids 1 on 1 but just act like eveyrwhere they go it's a party and they should be allowed to just do whatever they want all the time. Except for one girl, she's something else.

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

 

[Dickies]

My kids' school allows cell phones in the backpacks, but if any teacher catches them with cell phones out on campus they take the phones and send the phones to the office, which can be picked up at the end of the day

I have no problem with a policy like that. Phones away unless a teacher says it is okay. If you aren't doing what you are supposed to be when the phone is allowed to be out then it gets confiscated until the end of the day. Have a three strike policy, that after three strikes that individual loses all phone privileges.

Their school extended it to the entire school grounds during school hours, including lunch break. There are some other consequences for repeat offenders, but I don't know what they are. The school calls the parents if they have to confiscate a phone, and thankfully we have not gotten one of those calls yet.

Our own household has a rule that if the school catches them with their phones out that they lose them for a week and that has been enough of a deterrent.

A little too far with lunch for me.

The issue was that kids were cyber bullying others from their phones during school hours and non-verbal communication was a lot more difficult to enforce and easier to hide.

I'm personally okay with it as I'd rather have my kids socializing with their friends in person instead of texting each other while sitting around a table.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

 

[GenX fan]

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

Just curious of your response? Is this worthy of a written referral and would your admin support you.

How frequently do the kids talk to you like this?

 

[Dan Lambskin]

parents that want access to their kids at all times

I think the parents might need to learn to let go sometimes.

I agree, but you can't win that battle.

ymmv, but our 13yo does some work (acting/photos) that often comes in or gets scheduled incredibly last minute... its insane, but that's apparently how that business works. my wife often needs to coordinate with her at school during the day to arrange a possibly changing schedule on the same day. But that just means my daughter needing to check the phone in-between classes- not raising a finger to her teacher mid-class to hush them while she answers the phone to talk or text with mom.

Why can’t your wife call the school and then send someone down to the office and relay the message!!!

 

[dkp993]

I voted yes. But I guess it’s really about what the phone accesses (ie social media). I say this because as my daughter approaches phone age, my wife and I have seriously talked about getting her an old school non-smart phone. Think old school flip phones (which I heard are a becoming a thing again). In that case the phone in school is basically a non issue as it not like she’ll be talking on it in the middle of class. But a smart phone, 100% all about not allowing it at school.

 

[Ilov80s]

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

Just curious of your response? Is this worthy of a written referral and would your admin support you.

How frequently do the kids talk to you like this?

The kids talk to me like this basically never. I could probably count on 1 hand the number of times in 17 years I've had a kid swear AT me with ill intentions. Most swearing is just accidental and not really directed at anyone with any kind of negativity. Most kids when confronted will be nice. They might not always actually listen and do what you ask but they will act like they are sorry or are trying. The student is just a special case. She yells at people a lot. I know she surely has a rough homelife so I do feel bad for her. Our relationship is better now than it was. She doesn't yell or swear at me anymore but also she's made it very clear to me that I should generally leave her alone and thus I do. She does do her work, just very much on her own terms or you're dealing with yelling and swearing and the whole works. It's just not worth it. The other kids don't need that either.

How did I handle that incident? So I finished class. Checked later, she did go to our responsibility room. Which is where she should have gone so that's good. It's just a supervised room where some kids are allowed breaks or where teachers can send kids when their behavior is unacceptable and they refuse to correct it. I intentionally found her later in the day, praised her for going to the correct room. Told her she would get a seat tomorrow not in the front if she promised to not swear and be so difficult. She sort of half assed agreed as long as it was the back of the room and I don't piss her off any more but what can I do, I have be with this person for an hour everyday for like 90 days. We can't be at war. I could have written her up to the office and they would have mostly supported me- maybe a days suspension, let me keep her out of class until she came up with a legit apology and plan for re-entry but like I said, I have to deal with her everyday for months. I wanted to keep a call to admin in my back pocket for later and wanted to try to fix things just the 2 of us. Ultimately, it worked well enough. She sits in the back of the room, uses her phone and airpods 90% of the time but does her work and doesn't usually bother anyone else beyond dirty looks and leaving trash. I just hve to make it 40 more days and she will move on.

 

[GenX fan]

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

Just curious of your response? Is this worthy of a written referral and would your admin support you.

How frequently do the kids talk to you like this?

I just hve to make it 40 more days and she will move on.

You'll make it through that 40 days, then the next dingleberry will be up to bat.

You have my respect, don't know how you do it.

 

[UncleZen]

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

Just curious of your response? Is this worthy of a written referral and would your admin support you.

How frequently do the kids talk to you like this?

The kids talk to me like this basically never. I could probably count on 1 hand the number of times in 17 years I've had a kid swear AT me with ill intentions. Most swearing is just accidental and not really directed at anyone with any kind of negativity. Most kids when confronted will be nice. They might not always actually listen and do what you ask but they will act like they are sorry or are trying. The student is just a special case. She yells at people a lot. I know she surely has a rough homelife so I do feel bad for her. Our relationship is better now than it was. She doesn't yell or swear at me anymore but also she's made it very clear to me that I should generally leave her alone and thus I do. She does do her work, just very much on her own terms or you're dealing with yelling and swearing and the whole works. It's just not worth it. The other kids don't need that either.

How did I handle that incident? So I finished class. Checked later, she did go to our responsibility room. Which is where she should have gone so that's good. It's just a supervised room where some kids are allowed breaks or where teachers can send kids when their behavior is unacceptable and they refuse to correct it. I intentionally found her later in the day, praised her for going to the correct room. Told her she would get a seat tomorrow not in the front if she promised to not swear and be so difficult. She sort of half assed agreed as long as it was the back of the room and I don't piss her off any more but what can I do, I have be with this person for an hour everyday for like 90 days. We can't be at war. I could have written her up to the office and they would have mostly supported me- maybe a days suspension, let me keep her out of class until she came up with a legit apology and plan for re-entry but like I said, I have to deal with her everyday for months. I wanted to keep a call to admin in my back pocket for later and wanted to try to fix things just the 2 of us. Ultimately, it worked well enough. She sits in the back of the room, uses her phone and airpods 90% of the time but does her work and doesn't usually bother anyone else beyond dirty looks and leaving trash. I just hve to make it 40 more days and she will move on.

I just couldn't do it. I would have put her up front again.

 

[Ilov80s]

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

Just curious of your response? Is this worthy of a written referral and would your admin support you.

How frequently do the kids talk to you like this?

The kids talk to me like this basically never. I could probably count on 1 hand the number of times in 17 years I've had a kid swear AT me with ill intentions. Most swearing is just accidental and not really directed at anyone with any kind of negativity. Most kids when confronted will be nice. They might not always actually listen and do what you ask but they will act like they are sorry or are trying. The student is just a special case. She yells at people a lot. I know she surely has a rough homelife so I do feel bad for her. Our relationship is better now than it was. She doesn't yell or swear at me anymore but also she's made it very clear to me that I should generally leave her alone and thus I do. She does do her work, just very much on her own terms or you're dealing with yelling and swearing and the whole works. It's just not worth it. The other kids don't need that either.

How did I handle that incident? So I finished class. Checked later, she did go to our responsibility room. Which is where she should have gone so that's good. It's just a supervised room where some kids are allowed breaks or where teachers can send kids when their behavior is unacceptable and they refuse to correct it. I intentionally found her later in the day, praised her for going to the correct room. Told her she would get a seat tomorrow not in the front if she promised to not swear and be so difficult. She sort of half assed agreed as long as it was the back of the room and I don't piss her off any more but what can I do, I have be with this person for an hour everyday for like 90 days. We can't be at war. I could have written her up to the office and they would have mostly supported me- maybe a days suspension, let me keep her out of class until she came up with a legit apology and plan for re-entry but like I said, I have to deal with her everyday for months. I wanted to keep a call to admin in my back pocket for later and wanted to try to fix things just the 2 of us. Ultimately, it worked well enough. She sits in the back of the room, uses her phone and airpods 90% of the time but does her work and doesn't usually bother anyone else beyond dirty looks and leaving trash. I just hve to make it 40 more days and she will move on.

I just couldn't do it. I would have put her up front again.

In teaching you have to use the path of least resistance sometimes or else you’ll have an aneurysm or be carted off to the silly house.

 

[fantasy stud]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

 

[Zow]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Presumably not a Language Arts teacher?

 

[Zow]

Not to bring an uncomfortable issue into the discussion, but I have encountered now multiple situations where students use their cell phone to surreptiously record fellow female classmates or even a teacher in compromising positions and then either share them or engage in inappropriate, stalking-level situations with the victims.

 

[Terminalxylem]

a lot of kids go duck hunting before school

Tell me more about this. What percentage would you estimate, and what age ranges? How early before school does this occur? Do they help dress the ducks before class?

 

[Galileo]

Our school uses a garage/caddy system where kids are expected to put their phones as they enter the classroom. This system seems to work better than having no policy in the past, but it breaks down for a few reasons. 1) Inconsistent enforcement of the policy (at classroom level with the teachers and administrative level) 2) Students all have Chromebooks and can pretty much access whatever distractions they want without their phones. The battle just shifts from one device to another. 3) Kids start bringing "burner" phones. They put the burner phone in the caddy and keep their real phones on their person.

 

[BassNBrew]

And we haven’t even begun talking about the AirPods. That’s another issue they think you’re insane because you ask them to not listen to music during class.

Think I have more natural empathy for people in your career than any other I can think of.

It’s an interesting career that’s for sure. I’ve never disliked it or ever thought about leaving. When you get a good group of kids, it’s pretty awesome. Hard work, but very rewarding and fun. When you get a bad group of kids, it’s soul crushing. I have one hour now that I’m just so done with. I don’t even care anymore as long as nobody gets hurt. The are almost all just so rude, whiny and immature. I knew it was going to be rough because for some reason this sophomore group is just difficult and I got a real bad combo of them. There are some good kids in there for sure but the difficult kids are so difficult it just makes doing anything such a chore. They aren't difficult like mean or dangerous or future criminals. Just immature, no attention spans, loud, disinterested. Very nice kids 1 on 1 but just act like eveyrwhere they go it's a party and they should be allowed to just do whatever they want all the time. Except for one girl, she's something else.

Day 1 of class, kids are just assigned to a random seating chart as we like to take a couple days to see who is who before we make a permenent one. One girl sits in the back of the room- wasn't even a desk, just on the radiator. I ask her to come up to her assigned seat at the front. She says no. I say please, it's just for the day and we will get new seats tomorrow. She says no and she says it wiith a lot of attitude, hardly even looking up from her phone to acknowldge my request. So I leave it be and move on to the rest of attendance. A few minutes later when the other kids are busy with something, I approach her and quietly to say I need her to take that seat because kids aren't allowed to sit on the radiator, they need a desk and it's the only open one in the room. I promise her when I make the official seating chart in a day or 2 that I won't sit her up front. She stands up and loudly says "**** this class" and walks out of the room. That really set the tone for how the whole class would go.

See ya next year, same bat time, same bat grade.

GB you, I wouldn't knuckle to the knuckleheads and would be a bad teacher.

 

[SWC]

Our kids high school does not allow them at class. They aren't even allowed to have a backpack.

So they can carry them in their pocket but if they find them using them in class it's no joke. Not sure what the punishment is but our kids don't use them in class (that I know of).

The kids CAN use their phones at lunch but that's about it.

my mom taught both here in southeast wisconsin and a little northeast of you along 45 and she said that the parents helped her enforce rules much better up north and that the kids were significantly more respectful not for nothing but what you are saying about it being no joke squares perfectly with what she lived take that to the bank bromigo

 

[Manster]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

Do you have kids in school right now?

This isn't about me not allowing my kid to not have her phone. It's about the kids who are running wild, and using their phones to cyber bully, etc......

 

[Max Power]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

Do you have kids in school right now?

This isn't about me not allowing my kid to not have her phone. It's about the kids who are running wild, and using their phones to cyber bully, etc......

It's also looking at it from a societal aspect. Since Covid learning and test scores have declined substantially. Students lost a year of learning, and we have to figure out how to rebound from that. If phones in the classroom are compounding learning issues, we owe it to the kids to examine the situation.

 

[Manster]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

 

[Riffraff]

Recent TV show had UK London kids transfer swap with kids from US Arkansas.
Had a small portion of the series showing the difference between their use of cellphones.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/school-swap-uk-to-usa
London locks up the phones; Arkansas did not - UK kids were amazed they could have them - and took advantage for the negative.
Nice transformation for 1 kid when she gave up the phone usage and - talked - with the host family. Better experience for the swap than hiding in the room avoiding everyone and just texting/social networking UK friends.

Big city kids were addicted to social media. Small town kids used them more as a tool. Wasn't a nation thing, but amount of interactions/lack of exterior interests thing.

----
Show was good in other ways (and bad - racism) as a lot of the kids preferred the opposite lifestyle and planned to move abroad after high school.
Others.. no place like home.

US has high 'forced' social experiences like school dances, sports/cheerleading, after school clubs, and whatnot that the UK doesn't do.
UK had more discipline, higher academic expectations, and wearing uniforms was weird for the US peeps.

 

[Ilov80s]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something about that or how didn't you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes complex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

 

[Manster]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something that that or how didn;t you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes compliex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

I think you have an impossible job in today's society.

From my perspective, the big issues are....
-parents.....either too involved, or not involved at all.
-no ability to discipline bad behavior.....mostly because of parents.
-too many resources ($$)going to admin/leadership......I don't wanna get too far off in the weeds here, but in our school district, it's top heavy. Kids, and teachers are the ones who suffer.

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.
-

 

[Ilov80s]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something that that or how didn;t you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes compliex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

I think you have an impossible job in today's society.

From my perspective, the big issues are....
-parents.....either too involved, or not involved at all.
-no ability to discipline bad behavior.....mostly because of parents.
-too many resources ($$)going to admin/leadership......I don't wanna get too far off in the weeds here, but in our school district, it's top heavy. Kids, and teachers are the ones who suffer.

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.
-

I agree. The district I am not does a good job putting most of their money on the front lines but the previous district had so many layers of middle management and coordinators and specialists who did absolutely nothing useful. It doesn't help the kids and just creates anomosity within the teaching staff. But yes, in general, my belief is the schools are a reflection of their local community. Plain and simple.

 

[msudaisy26]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something that that or how didn;t you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes compliex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

I think you have an impossible job in today's society.

From my perspective, the big issues are....
-parents.....either too involved, or not involved at all.
-no ability to discipline bad behavior.....mostly because of parents.
-too many resources ($$)going to admin/leadership......I don't wanna get too far off in the weeds here, but in our school district, it's top heavy. Kids, and teachers are the ones who suffer.

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.
-

The top heavy money doesn't go to principals, assistant principals, curriculum directors, special ed coordinators, head counselors, title one coordinators. We are all considered administrators, but the jump in pay vs. our staff isn't that much.

 

[Galileo]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something that that or how didn;t you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes compliex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

I think you have an impossible job in today's society.

From my perspective, the big issues are....
-parents.....either too involved, or not involved at all.
-no ability to discipline bad behavior.....mostly because of parents.
-too many resources ($$)going to admin/leadership......I don't wanna get too far off in the weeds here, but in our school district, it's top heavy. Kids, and teachers are the ones who suffer.

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.
-

The top heavy money doesn't go to principals, assistant principals, curriculum directors, special ed coordinators, head counselors, title one coordinators. We are all considered administrators, but the jump in pay vs. our staff isn't that much.

Tough to make that as a blanket statement. I think it is heavily dependent on where you are and the nature of your community. My wife is a Curriculum Director. She makes about 30k more than me in gross salary (different, but similar type of district as me). I am a classroom teacher with 34 years experience, multiple degrees and at the the top end of our pay scale. Is that that 30k a big jump? Some might say yes, some say no. But compared to an entry level teacher, my wife is making about 110-115k more. I think most would describe that as fairly big gap. But to your point, there are building level administrators, especially less experienced ones, that easily make less than some of the teaching staff.

 

[msudaisy26]

I'm a middle school teacher and our school rule is real simple at my school. They aren't aloud to use them and they shouldn't be visible. It's very cut and dry and we have few issues.

Im not saying you don't have few issues, but issues we've dealt with, the teacher had zero idea there was an issue. Bad kids can be pretty good at getting away with **** right under a teachers nose, especially if class size is large.

Yeah I'll hear parents sometimes say things like "why didn't you stop this or say something that that or how didn;t you notice this was happening?" and sometimes they are right. There are some oblivious teachers for sure. Just like any career, there's like a certain bottom % who just are doing the bare minimum or are not really suited for the job. But generally, I don't like people realize how difficult it is to run a class. You are trying to present material- sometimes compliex ones, get the kids input on it so the lesson adapts to the kids input, monitor 30 kids behavior, make it work for the couple kids who are learning English and the few kid with some kind of disability that requires special attention and accommodations, keep track of who is coming and going, monitoring the time, giving the kids immediate feedback on their work, motivating the kids who aren't working, reteaching what you just taught because at any given time half the kids aren't paying attention, answering the same questions over and over, etc. There is a lot goiing on and even teenagers can require constant attention to complete even simple tasks.

I think you have an impossible job in today's society.

From my perspective, the big issues are....
-parents.....either too involved, or not involved at all.
-no ability to discipline bad behavior.....mostly because of parents.
-too many resources ($$)going to admin/leadership......I don't wanna get too far off in the weeds here, but in our school district, it's top heavy. Kids, and teachers are the ones who suffer.

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.
-

The top heavy money doesn't go to principals, assistant principals, curriculum directors, special ed coordinators, head counselors, title one coordinators. We are all considered administrators, but the jump in pay vs. our staff isn't that much.

Tough to make that as a blanket statement. I think it is heavily dependent on where you are and the nature of your community. My wife is a Curriculum Director. She makes about 30k more than me in gross salary (different, but similar type of district as me). I am a classroom teacher with 34 years experience, multiple degrees and at the the top end of our pay scale. Is that that 30k a big jump? Some might say yes, some say no. But compared to an entry level teacher, my wife is making about 110-115k more. I think most would describe that as fairly big gap. But to your point, there are building level administrators, especially less experienced ones, that easily make less than some of the teaching staff.

I don't think you can look in dollars. She roughly makes 25 percent more than you. I make roughly 20 percent more than my average teacher. Now go up a level with superintendents and the jump is quite large. My boss has shared her salary with me and it 90 percent more.

I don't think 20 to 30 percent is a huge jump for any management in most fields.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

Do you have kids in school right now?

This isn't about me not allowing my kid to not have her phone. It's about the kids who are running wild, and using their phones to cyber bully, etc......

Well my kid doesn’t do that, so the state shouldn’t be overstepping into the school district to unnecessarily restrict them. The district already has rules about this.

Again, anyone can feel free to not let their kid have their phone at school. What makes anyone think they should have authority over what every kid in the state does? “I don’t like a thing, so there should be a law against it!” How about no. You do you, stop thinking you can force, by law, everyone to do what you want.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

Do you have kids in school right now?

This isn't about me not allowing my kid to not have her phone. It's about the kids who are running wild, and using their phones to cyber bully, etc......

It's also looking at it from a societal aspect. Since Covid learning and test scores have declined substantially. Students lost a year of learning, and we have to figure out how to rebound from that. If phones in the classroom are compounding learning issues, we owe it to the kids to examine the situation.

My kid has excellent grades. Get your kid a tutor, or don’t. “We” certainly don’t have to “figure out” anything about my kid’s grades, so you can stop trying.

 

[Sparky Polastri]

Voted yes

There's a rather cogent and strong argument to be made for kids not having phones at all.

 

[ghostguy123]

There's an enormous problem with education these days, however the bulk of that problem starts in the home. I guess that's another conversation all together.

That said, yes I'd easily be in favor of a no phone rule during class. Basically, phones go in a bin or whatever is decided and can't be used during class time. They seems like anything BUT useful in a classroom setting.

 

[ghostguy123]

Voted yes

There's a rather cogent and strong argument to be made for kids not having phones at all.

Absolutely. Millions of kids are as addicted to their phones as a crackhead is to crack. I'm not remotely joking.

 

[Nugget]

If you don't want your kid to be on their phone during school, the solution is simple. Don't let them have their phone during school.

CAPISCE?

Stop expecting teachers to parent for you. You do it. Biggest bunch of entitled whiners.

Do you have kids in school right now?

This isn't about me not allowing my kid to not have her phone. It's about the kids who are running wild, and using their phones to cyber bully, etc......

It's also looking at it from a societal aspect. Since Covid learning and test scores have declined substantially. Students lost a year of learning, and we have to figure out how to rebound from that. If phones in the classroom are compounding learning issues, we owe it to the kids to examine the situation.

My kid has excellent grades. Get your kid a tutor, or don’t. “We” certainly don’t have to “figure out” anything about my kid’s grades, so you can stop trying.

Congrats.

 

[MAC_32]

If we had the money, we'd put our kids in private school. Not that that solves all problems, but it gets you smaller class sizes, and generally an atmosphere of more buy-in.

I write this not trying to integrate politics into the conversation, but what's transpiring in this thread is why 'choice' has legs. It's not right that cost is a barrier to a quality education and the best public schools are also generally in wealthy communities.