It probably has already been discussed on here but what is your school's policy on cell phones? Does your state has a policy? Is it a problem in your classroom? Cell phones are a thorn in my side. I understand the older kids who work and are involved in many activities may need a cell phone for after school hours. But the younger kids? I have a 13 year old who has a $300 cell phone! They always say well in case of an emergency. I am think what emergency? They are with adults all day long. The school has phones. If there is an emergency it should be routed through the office anyway. Several years ago, I was teaching at a school were we had a major issue because of a cell phone. A kid was sick and instead of going to the office he called his older brother to come and get him. Older brother shows up. The school woud not let him get the student because they had no idea what was going on. Brother gets angry and starts a fight and ended up getting arrested! Most of students seem to use their phone (without permission of course but they text in the bathroom all the time) for writing nasty text messages and bullying each other. They are often texting people in the same classroom. I guess I am just old fashioned. Probably some of the younger teachers will feel differently about it :unsure:
I did not have a problem last year teaching the middle schoolers, none of them had a cell phone. This is what I would do: At the start of the year in your classroom policy. Write something along the lines of cell phones are not allowed in my class. If a child brings a cell phone with them, it is to be turned off and left on my desk until the end of the class period. Than make sure parents sign so you know they saw it. (apparently I'm thinking in fragments this morning)
They're not supposed to have their phones at school, so I will confiscate them if they're out and in use. But if I see that phone-shaped bulge in a pocket or see it sticking out of a purse, I'll leave it be.
We already have a school policy that they are to be kept in their lockers and turned off. However, I can't frisk them down when they come to class and they are smart enough to have them on vibrate, not ring. So they ask me to go to the bathroom or maybe they even have a legitimate pass, but they stop to text.
By the way I am shocked that none of your middle school students have cell phones. All of mine do. The other day we confiscated five of them from the cafeteria from seventh graders. They all have them.
I only had four 6th to 8th graders. I taught in a one room school house in the middle of no where. But my cell phone did come in there.
All of my middle schoolers have them, too. Most nicer than mine... Our school policy is for them to be turned off during class, but they can use them on campus during lunch, passing periods and before and after school. In reality, they leave them on vibrate all day and text any chance they can. I take them up if I catch them in class, but I'm sure I miss a ton. And I try to make sure they don't leave the room with one if they ask for a bathroom pass, but, again, I'm sure I miss plenty. On test days, I do have a "hands on desks" policy. So no hands off the top of their desk at all during tests. It's an official... "Everything off your desks except a pen... everyone's hands in the air with palms open... now, hands to desks and don't move them from there till the test is over..." How sad!! But there were too many of them on campus texting answers back and forth. :| And to think we had to rely on such non-technical methods back in the day... writing on our arms, litle cheat sheets, oh, the good old days...
I had to ask one of my 8th graders to teach me how to use my new phone during homeroom. Isn't that pathetic? Anyway, our policy is that they must be off during school hours, but they may stay in bags or pockets. At my school only about a quarter of the students have phones. Most of my students are too poor to afford them.
I had 10 students in all. One in every grade (k to 8th) with an extra in 7th. It was fun but a lot of work planning for nine grade levels and every subject.
I dont know what the district's policy is on cell phone, but in my room I wouldn't allow them to have them on their person. They would have to leave them on my desk turned off.
Ours are allowed to have them in their backpacks if they are turned off and out of sight. Many of my 4th graders carry them, and if one rings/chirps or I see it being played with at all, I take it until a parent comes to pick it up. Last year I had to do that several times, although this year it really hasn't been a problem (yet).
ugghhh....I'm so tired of cell phones in school! I see no reason for a 5th grader to have a cell phone, let alone need it at school! I've taken up several this year as well!
In our middle school, we are K-8, each grade from 6-8 has a box for cell phones. At the beginning of the day, every student with a phone puts it in the box and the boxes go to the office. At the end of the day, they can pick their phones up again.
Our district policy states that students are not allowed to have cell phones, but our administration permits the use of cell phones during passing periods and lunch. I personally think that many of our students do need cell phones in case of a legitimate emergency. Most of them ride the bus and get dropped off like a mile away from their homes. Often they are walking home in the dark in very bad neighborhoods which I wouldn't even drive through in daylight hours. If that were my kid, I'd want to make sure they had a phone during those times. Even so, students are not permitted to have or use the cell phones in class. It doesn't bother me if the phone is simply visible to me, either hanging from a pocket or sitting on top of the desk. As soon as the student activates the phone by making a phone call, taking one, or sending/receiving text messages, then the phone belongs to me. I turn it over to the assistant principal, who only releases the phone to the parent. I don't have many problems with cell phones in class, I think because I make my policy very clear from the beginning. There are, of course, the few students who need to push the issue, and so they do. Most of them figure out that I'm not playing around when I end up confiscating their phone and their mom has to take time off work to come in and pick it up. I am within my rights to confiscate phones that are visible to me, but I don't do that. At my school there are enough issues for me to have to handle without having to add to the pot over something which seems pretty inconsequential.
Last year I got in trouble for TEMPORARILY confiscating a phone. The rule was they don't have it at breakfast. We were getting in trouble for allowing it. It was widespread. So I made an example one morning and confiscated a phone but ONLY during the breakfast period. When breakfast was over I gave it back. This year they are doing it on a routine basis.
Cassie, I totally agree with your stance on the phones. Another thing to consider. We had a lock down not too long ago that kept us in the building until well into the evening. There are not land line phones in every room and the parents were worried sick. The kids who had phones were passing them around so everybody could make contact witha parent to let them know that we were all okay and update them on what was going on inside the building. If we had a rule about bringing them to the office or whatever, they wouldn't have had access to them. I'm firmly in the "as long as they're not being used, I don't care" club.
I'm in high school, and I constantly have my students (mostly girls) with their giant purses on the top of their desks, obviously texting inside. When I call attention to it, of course they feign innocence and claim to just be looking for a pencil. As soon as I start walking towards them, they conveniently drop the phone in the bottom of the bag so I have no proof. No more bags/purses on desks now.
My students will put them in their pockets and text without looking at their phones. Yes, they are that good. I understand the emergency issue, but we have also been told my our local law officials to discourage students calling in the case of an emergency (granted of course that someone has called) because it floods them with calls. I have a cell phone in my room and as the responsible adult in the room I could make a call.
Buduka, let me clairify. I did NOT let them use the phones until it was nearly 5pm. There had been an armed robbery less than a block away and the suspect was hiding in a house 2 blocks from there. I allowed the students to call out only after the situation outside became a standoff with the police and so the parents would know that their babies were all okay, but we had to stay in the building until the standoff was over.
Heavens no! Not in my case and that is for sure!!! I'm 19 and I absolutely HATE it when people use mobile phones in class, not only the classes that I student teach, but when I was in high school and the teacher was trying to teach, people would be next to me as well. But what REALLY gets on my nerves, is people who text when you are trying to talk to them. I stop talking and walk away, I think it's rude and so disrespectful. At my old school, teachers should have been confiscating mobile phones, but the teachers were really lax about them, so now everyone uses them. But when I am a teacher, I believe and will confiscate mobile phones in class. They are a distraction, they distract from what we are paid to do... my
I had to take one away from my little first grade student last year! Now please tell me why a 6 year old needs one and why would a mom call her 6 year old at school?!?!!?!?!?
They do not belong in the classroom. I don't (yet) have to deal with the issue, though, being in second grade room. I emphasize the YET, though!
I was subbing in a first grade classroom earlier this month. I took away TWO cell phones from students! OH - and this was in a very "economically challenged" school district. Hmmm.
Our school has a lot of below poverty-level kids, and nearly all have cell phones. One student last year came in bragging that he broke his phone at lunch while talking to his mom because he got mad at something she said. He came back the next day with a new cell phone. The story to get a new one? He told his mom he got mad at ME and that he broke his phone. He ended up with one of those Razr phones. Anyway, our policy (which is new this year) is no phones at all are allowed on campus for students. If they have them, they are to be turned off or on vibrate. If a phone is seen or heard, it's to be taken up. A couple of weeks ago, I kept hearing a student's phone vibrating. I ignored it the first couple of times it went off. By the 4th or 5th time it went off, I was asking for her phone. She told me that I couldn't see her phone, so I couldn't take it up. I told her that I HEARD it, so I could. She kept arguing with me, and I ended up telling her to just turn it completely off. I'm sick of seeing students with cell phones at school. I have no problem with a student using a phone after school or before school. It's when they have it out during class that's a problem. Our school doesn't even allow students to use their phone between classes or at lunch. If it's during school hours, and they're on campus, they're not to use them. I could keep going on and on about the cell phone thing, but we'll be here a while. I'll leave it at that.
One of my 5th graders had his cell phone go off at 8:30 today! I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to have them in school, but I know they all do. He said it is his mom's and he keeps it on him so it doesn't get stolen. (We do have a theft issue so that makes sense). I asked him to turn it off. He said he didn't know how, so I asked for it & turned it off for him. I also showed him how to turn it back on AFTER school. I explained if he got caught with it it would be confiscated by the principal so he was OK with it. I've only had a couple issues with them this year. I under students may need them for AFTER school, but they should be off during the day.
No cell phones at school, no cell phones in class, no excuses. The district policy is that if they are seen during lunch or passing period, a teacher or campus supervisor must ask for the phone, then take it to disclipine. Student gets Saturday school first time, 1 day suspend second time, three day third time, five day fourth, up for expulsion fifth. In class, if it is visible but not on (like on a desk) I have two options, tell them to put it away, or take it - really depends on the student. Most of the time, it is open, then that is mandatory take away. If they are texting, have their hands in the bag texting, or on their lap it is taken away. Cell phones have no place in class - I don't even own a cell phone now! I can see the point of one, and if I was under 16 again I would probably have one, but most use is not for emergencies - BTW my younger (much younger sister), sends almost 100 text messages A DAY!!! Now that is not for emergencies only! More like DRAMA!!! BTW another reasons for no cells - they have cameras - and one little video can cause worlds of hurt if something is not going 100% right in the class (or if someone pulls a prank)!
You are so right about the drama! Our girls like to hide out in the bathroom to text between classes!
I had a kid last year (3rd grader) who would call his mom or grandma every time he got mad at me (pretty much every day). He would run down the hall with his phone and would refuse to turn it over, even though I had every right to confiscate it. The kids were not supposed to have them in school, and I got no administrative support-I wasn't surprised because administration never supported teachers with any disiplinary problems. The parent had the nerve to complain in front of the principal about me always calling her. I am not one to hold my tongue, so I told her that I never called her, it was her son and if she made him keep his cell phone at home or show some self control at school she wouldn't have a problem. I was NOT FOND of that family.
And he wasn't the only 3rd grader with a cell phone (see previous post)! I probably confiscated 10 cell phones last year.
priorities are always screwed up in such areas... they probably get free lunch, and wear Baby Phat jackets. I never had either. My kid had free lunch, but never a designer anything..that I bought! I personally don't understand the whole designer clothes thing... at all. And phones... kids don't need them IMO. If there is an emergency, call the school, or go pick them up, period. I think we as a people have become way to attached to these things. I have a bigger issue, teachers who use phones all day! Nobody follows the rules. Who am I to tell some grown person to get off the phone?! :unsure: Everything is an emergency now! What happened to, "A lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on mine?" back in the day, if you didn't wear the red dress or left your gym shoes, you couldn't be in the school play, and you didn't have gym. I think the phones are just part of a bigger issue, immediate gratification. I want it, five minutes ago...WHERE IS IT, bring it now! Nobody wants to wait anymore. I think we are setting up our kids for a false sense of security...when we open this can of worms and tell ourselves, I want him to have a phone for emegencies. You feel safe, they feel entitled, and Lord knows what happens if they have to use a real pay phone, and put in .50 cents. Can you rattle off...your work number, your sister's number, the doctor's number? Or do you have them all in speed dial? Problem solving skills are not developed if I have a phone and can call mommy for help. JMO
and...with all the new area codes...putting a number in speed dial really makes it hard for kids to understand they are in a different area. Children need to learn the 10 digit phone number, and area code. ask any kid in Chicago what his phone number is, and I am sure he will say, 1(773)___ ____. That is because 773 is the area code for Chicago neighborhoods, and if you are downtown or in a suburb, you must dial the 1 and the area code first. Unfortunately, I observed my own mother fell prey to this misunderstanding. She could not call my daughter, because she didn't realize that my daughter was not in her area code. She told me something was wrong with the phone, because she kept getting a message saying the number was not in service. Of course, she has no trouble getting me, because my sisters have stored all of our numbers in their phone. Telling someone you have to dial a 1 first (and the area code) is important, only if you are not in that area code....but 1 is not part of your phone number! Cell phones, IMO have kept kids from memorizing important numbers. What happen to phone books? download the American Red Cross safety information page, and write down an emergency action card plan for everyone. Post it on the fridge. Write down your important numbers. If the cell phone goes out, they can't memorize these numbers! And if somebody is trying to help them in an emergency, they could waste valuable time trying to go thru their phone to find Dadswk or Momsjob! this has struck a nerve with me!
I have known a couple of students who claim that their younger sibling is at home alone sick and that they must keep their phones on in case they call. These were 4th and 5th graders, so that means that the siblings who are home alone are younger than 9 or 10.(wth?) They have them in their backpacks on vibrate, but they check them a few times a day to see if they've gotten a call. I have a 6th grade daughter who claims that "everyone" has a cell phone now. We've told her no, that there's no need for it. We have three now, mine, my dh, and my ds who is a senior. I told my daughter that if plays a jv sport in 8th grade, then perhaps she'll have need for one, but not now. I know many teachers who use them between classes to call parents. It's much easier than making parent calls from the office.
wow mom2sands... I learned a new text word (wth?) texting is a major part of cell phones. my kid will text me, when I am driving! and she knows I can read that itty bitty screen. GRRRRR! She will text me entire paragraphs...and argue with me.. what about this, what about that??? she's almost 25! yes, I like the personal convience of taking a call on the playground with my ear piece... no I have not stepped up to the Star Trek level with the headset blinking attached to my ear. Somehow, that just reeks warnings of radiation to me! phones just weren't allowed in business, because face it...we would do too much personal business at work. so you used to have long distrance calls blocked out, or if it was traced to you, get stuck with the bill. I just don't see where kids have any responsiblities, or jobs, and therefore need to have the luxury of being able to talk to any one any time without adult supervision! What is so doggone important that you have to talk all day and all night about anyway? They are worse than ipods, because God help us, these kids are getting hit by cars and trains since they have their ears plugged up as they are bouncing down the street. With a phone, drivers are just dangerous. They are yelling, crying, eating, putting on makeup,and driving! This is just too much! Chicago has a law againsttalking on cell phone while driving without headset, earpiece or speakerphone! I think this is just another example of the gray fuzzy line that is eroding between adult and child. I say you shouldn't get a phone until you can get a house to put it in, and a job to pay for it. And you live alone or married or have roommate, and can handle your own responsiblities, and have your own insurance, and if God forbid, you are driving, walking, or working while talking on the phone..YOU alone will deal with the consequences... and not us teachers and parents! my two cents! btw...got some awful graphic email that said you should NEVER talk on a cell phone while it is charging. something about power surge can come thru, and showed phone blowing up, burning poor person on the phone, in the bed...sheets, pillows.. anybody else get that? is that some urban myth? yeah pretty graphic... I cringed when my college kid insisted on having the phone in the bathroom! Electricty and water do not mix!!! in conclusion... IMO....children, being under the age of 18...are not responsible nor knowledgeable or gainfully employed to handle all the dymanics of an adult purchase...a telephone!
During dimissal yesterday we had a fifth grader on her cell phone walking out to the bus. (She must have had important business that couldn't wait the 10 minute bus ride home).
