I have designed a system that includes some little locking mechanisms and other unique tools for my classroom, hopefully creating less hassle around cellphone use during class. I would like to have feedback on whether this is a good idea or not. Here is a short synopsis of what I am planning: The student's materials and the piece they are working on are all locked away on a shelf. To access their materials and piece, they must slip their cellphone in a slot by their shelf. Pushing the cellphone into this slot locks the cellphone inside and unlocks the student's materials and their piece. The materials and art are in a shallow tray or on its lid. They bring their tray over to the worktables and slip it into a slot that unlocks the chair so they can sit down. The tray is now locked in place, but they can still access its interior. The tray's lid becomes their work surface flush with the top of the table's slot. To unlock the tray, they must push in their chair and return the tray and lid to the shelf, unlocking their phone. What do you guys think?
It sounds like it would cost a lot, but luckily I have a lot of the materials. Also, I am a woodworker and welder, so the mechanisms for the various latches and locks I am building out of scraps. I will post pictures when Im done. Thanks for commenting.
I have designed a system that includes some little locking mechanisms and other unique tools for my classroom, hopefully creating less hassle around cellphone use during class. I would like to have feedback on whether this is a good idea or not. Here is a short synopsis of what I am planning: The student's materials and the piece they are working on are all locked away on a shelf. To access their materials and piece, they must slip their cellphone in a slot by their shelf. Pushing the cellphone into this slot locks the cellphone inside and unlocks the student's materials and their piece. The materials and art are in a shallow tray or on its lid. They bring their tray over to the worktables and slip it into a slot that unlocks the chair so they can sit down. The tray is now locked in place, but they can still access its interior. The tray's lid becomes their work surface flush with the top of the table's slot. To unlock the tray, they must push in their chair and return the tray and lid to the shelf, unlocking their phone. What do you guys think?
Everyone teaches, post: It sounds like it would cost a lot, but luckily I have a lot of the materials. Also, I am a woodworker and welder, so the mechanisms for the various latches and locks I am building out of scraps. I will post pictures when Im done. Thanks for commenting.
In independent study rooms, I have found that students do better if they are allowed to tune into what they are doing with the help of music on their phones. I draw the line at them staring at images and texting (and have been known to photobomb kiddos on FaceTime), but I would not want to impede student learning by removing an accommodation.
I want to let the students have the freedom to be on their phones. Because like you said, it is nice to listen to music while making art. But we all know how hard it is to monitor phone use, and my classroom is pretty open, and I let the kids work in three courtyards. The students do start each class in the main classroom. But after the roll is taken and any class info is shared, they often spread out a bit. I mostly look at teaching as a conversation, so I am not very strict in the class structure. I sit with the kids in my classes, and we go over their work and look at artists together. We also talk about other courses they might be stressed about, etc. But lately, I find kids texting and playing games on their phones much more than before. I find that Im becoming a nag, and it's tiring. This idea that I have will hopefully take me out of the equation.
Your final posts speaks volumes. If you think you can build it out of spare parts, and you don't mind investing the time, by all means feel free to try it. Don't be surprised, however, if admin shuts it down the first time a parent complains that their child "needs" their phone while you have it locked up in phone "jail". Believe me when I say that I hope I am wrong about the outcome I "see".
I hear you - and it might be a wacky idea, and other teachers make the kids put their phones in various places when they enter the room, so it's not that different. They can access their phones, but they will need to put their supplies away before they can access them. I might not act on this idea at all. I want the kids to have freedom and enjoy a relaxing room. Luckily I'm pretty good at building things, and I can change things up if it doesn't work.
It sounds like a lot of trouble to me. What is the option for kids who don’t have a cell phone? How will they unlock their materials? What about a kid who refuses to put their phone into the device? I know that some kids would take a zero for the day before they’d hand over their phone. Who accepts the liability for the phone while it is in the case? What would keep a kid from taking a phone that doesn’t belong to him/her?
Well, it is a work in progress, but here's what I am thinking - What is the option for kids who don't have a cell phone? How will they unlock their materials? I will unlock their materials for them if they don't have a cell phone (but the kids always have cell phones - LOL). If they are not being truthful and have their phones - I will deal with that situation as it arises. What about a kid who refuses to put their phone into the device? I know that some kids would take a zero for the day before they'd hand over their phone. They often give up their phones in other classes at my school. They might be required to place them in a box or on a shelf when first entering the room. I have done this as well, and it often becomes a pain for them and me because I will need to remind some kids each day, and then they dilly-dally, and class time is wasted. They wouldn't be able to sit at their work table until their phone is locked away, so hopefully, that will motivate them to put their phones away quickly. Who accepts the liability for the phone while it is in the case? They often give up their phones in other classes at my school. They might be required to place them in a box or on a shelf when first entering the room. So my idea would actually be safer for the phone because it could not be tampered with while the student is working in class. Also, they could always put their tray away and retrieve their phone whenever they like. The students I teach are primarily seniors and juniors, so I want to give them the freedom to make adult choices. They receive grades for meeting various project deadlines. I, of course, will encourage good time management skills, but in the end, I want them to make their own choices. If they want to sit on the floor, be on their phone in class, and not do any classwork, that is their choice. Almost all kids like their projects, so they usually want to work on them, but the "call" of the cellphone is a mighty strong temptation - Ha ha! Also, let's say that they need to contact their parents or that their parents are calling them (or a juicy bit of gossip is going down on social media ). The students can pick up their tray, replace it on the shelf, and retrieve their phones. It wouldn't be difficult for them to do, but their work area would be clean, and they couldn't sit in a chair in the room after retrieving their phone. Hopefully, that would cut down on the time they spend on their phones. What would keep a kid from taking a phone that doesn't belong to them? Well, each student will have their tray and their own shelf where they place their phones. If they want to take another kid's phone, they would need to put their tray on the shelf of another student. They, of course, will only be able to do that with an empty shelf with the kids in their class because the other classes will already have a tray on their shelves. Also, I, of course, would monitor the phones and trays. This idea is about allowing the kids to navigate the classroom without depending on others to remind, nag, or cajole them into making the right decisions. They learn from observing and receiving immediate and future rewards. Immediate: having access to their chair and workspace. Future: receiving high grades and seeing progress on their assignment.
In theory it sounds like a good idea, but in reality, once you take "temporary ownership" of student possessions, I can think of many scenarios of how you could be held liable if a phone somehow goes missing or gets damaged. Just not worth it, imo. Now, if it was a school/district wide policy, that would be a different story.
I hear you. I appreciate your concern. Maybe I should ask the other teachers at my school if they had issues - many of them have been asking students to place phones in boxes and shelves for years.
Hello! As for blocking phones in the classroom, it's definitely a good idea to focus on your studies. However, you should be careful, because while the phone is not under your supervision, various criminals or even close people can set up spy control and watch all your data. To detect or prevent this, you should look here - realspyapps.com/how-to-locate-spyware/. Here you can find step-by-step information on how to detect such a danger on your smartphone and deactivate it.
I have seen it work in some schools but in most the kids don't have the self discipline to avoid using their phones inappropriately, Even in the schools where it seemed to work the rule was only with the teacher's permission and phones had to be flat on the desk in front of them in full view. Problems still thoiugh is kids without phones or with older models who are embarrassed to have them out on show. Flat batteries, incoming calls and texts destroying concentration.
I have found that students do better if they are allowed to tune into what they are doing with the help of music on their phones. Speed Test
Agreed, and there are always students who would rather spend an hour trying to get around the rules of use, when it would only take 15 minutes to actually complete the assignment. I always tell my students that if they do really well following the rules in high school, they can spend as much time as they would like listening to music or having the TV on while studying, at least as much time as they can afford once they get to college.
Why do children go to school - to learn properly. My idea is not to distract children and turn off their phones during the learning process. But how to implement it is another matter. Also, some students use samples for writing works https://writingbros.com/essay-examples/the-wrongful-conviction-of-adnan-syed/ I believe that this can be used. After all, it develops the child's writing skills, thanks to which he will be able to become a successful student in college
