The babble of a middle-aged lunatic.
Published on December 28, 2006 By Xythe In Blogging
What on earth is the purpose of our children having a cell phone in the classroom. For that matter, do teachers need phones in the classroom as well?

We send our kids to school to learn, not to chat on the phone. We pay our teachers to do a job, teach our children, not to worry about who is trying to get ahold of them during class time.

As I see it, cell phones are little less than a nuisance in the classroom. A distraction that disrupts both the teachers ability to effectively teach, and our kids ability to effectively learn.

I can see that safety or medical school personel carrying a cell phone, but not any teacher or instructor that is on our kids time in class.

Kids should have use of their phones on their personal time, for needs such as making travel arrangements and what not, but not during their learning time.

I heard from one of my friends children that a new ringtone, which is not audible to adults, but only to children has now been developed. Where will it stop?

My feeling is that if a kid gets caught with a phone in the classroom, their parents should be fined. Increasing infractions should result in larger fines, to suspension and perhaps even expulsion. If kids cant respect this, and simply dont care to learn in a classroom, let them find another place to "hang out".

Teachers shoud receive disiplinary action as well. Fines and misconduct reports may do just the trick. If a teacher dont want to teach, perhaps they would be suited to some other occupation.

The classroom is a place of learning, not telephone conversations and what ever media teachers and childeren have access to over their cell phones. Kids need to learn, and teachers need to teach. After all, isnt that what we expect out of our tax dollars?

Comments (Page 1)
4 Pages1 2 3  Last
on Dec 28, 2006
Kids need them after school, to call their parents to pick them up from after-school activities, from friends houses, etc. Parents would certainly want to be able to reach their children, even track them, when they aren't in school. The problem isn't the phones in school, it is the kids using them.

So long as they are turned off, there should be no problem with a kid having a phone in school.
on Dec 28, 2006
Okay going with what Baker said, the kids should hand their phones in at the office then and pick them up on the way out?


I agree they should not be allowed in the class room - on the kids, however....in light of the attacks on schools by gunmen etc and some of the stories we have heard here on Ju about lock downs, teachers should have cell phones for such instances - to be used only at those times to keep in contact with police or something..
on Dec 28, 2006
I don't really see what the uproar is. Especially about fining parents. If a child is distracting the class, the teacher should be doing something about it. If the child isn't paying attention, the same.

IMHO, if a teacher has to tell a child more than once to put a phone away, she didn't do her job the first time.
on Dec 28, 2006
Thing is they do a lot of texting one another and the teacher does not always see it, they are a distraction.
on Dec 28, 2006
Then they fail. If something is so hard to notice that the teacher misses it, I doubt it is bothering the other kids much. If the kids want to waste their time, let them.

I don't see being draconian about things like that. The teacher's job is to put the material out there, and make sure the classroom is a good learning environment. I think we've gone way to far trying to mandate success.

It isn't possible, and kids won't learn the skills they need that way. If they fek off, they fail, no different than in college or in their future jobs. If they are taught at an early age there will be someone snapping their fingers at them to make sure they are paying attention, then life will be unfair to them from now on.
on Dec 28, 2006
Cell phones serve a very useful purpose for the child and parent. They are useful in emergencies and for whatever important reason the child or parent need to contact each other. I see no problem with them as long as they follow the rules with them, such as having them off during class time.

As for teacher use, well, I'm a teacher...and we would be disciplined at my campus if we used cell phones during instruction time (we already have regular phones for campus and teacher to parent use). We are to have them turned off...and are only allowed to use them during our breaks (lunch-30 min, and conference time-45 min).

However, we are still encouraged to have cellphones for emergency use (such as for lockdowns, school evacuations, etc....in case we need to contact our students' parents or our own loved ones).



on Dec 28, 2006
I'll give you a good example of when cell phones did prove to be useful at school:

We had a storm back in September, with bad winds and rain, during school hours. Power and phone service was knocked out.
There were throngs of parents coming to pick up their kids (which really didn't make sense, since it was more dangerous to take them out during the storm, but I digress).

The kids who didn't have parents picking them up were scared and wanted to talk to their parents...and the only way they were able to do this was by borrowing the teachers' cell phones.

Again, as long as a child (or teacher) is following the school rules of cell phone use, there should be no problem. If they aren't following the rules, every district should have disciplinary steps in their handbook sto deal with it.
on Dec 28, 2006
The problem isn't the phones in school, it is the kids using them.


Fair enough on this note. I'm only wondering how much authority a teacher would have. From what I see a bit of, is kids not listening to, or abiding by the authority of their teachers. Complicating matters even more, is I notice parents seem to be at odds with teachers these days. For some reason, they just don't seem to see eye-to eye. Should a teacher be able to confiscate a phone from a non-abiding student, ahd have the studen pick up his/her phone from the office later on in the day?

So long as they are turned off, there should be no problem with a kid having a phone in school.


Agreed.
on Dec 28, 2006
The answer to both your questions is - no.
Kids shouldn't have 'em in school and neither should the teachers.
As for getting in touch following after school activities, well that's just utter rubbish - parent, find out what time it finishes and then make sure you're there to pick them up, simple really.
on Dec 28, 2006
in light of the attacks on schools by gunmen etc and some of the stories we have heard here on Ju about lock downs, teachers should have cell phones for such instances - to be used only at those times to keep in contact with police or something..


I guess I was a bit lame in describing what I meant. I do understand teachers having their cells in the classroom for emergencies for the better part. But on the other hand, isnt there an intercom in each classroom today, as there was when I was a kid in school? If so, what purpose would the cell serve?

Thing is they do a lot of texting one another and the teacher does not always see it, they are a distraction.


Better yet, what are they texting? Answers to quizes and tests?

on Dec 28, 2006
IMHO, if a teacher has to tell a child more than once to put a phone away, she didn't do her job the first time.


If you instruct your child, and she/he fails to follow your directions, what do you personally do? Would you allow the teacher the same?
on Dec 28, 2006
If the kids want to waste their time, let them.


If the kids want to waste their time, let them do it at home. School is not really a place to waste time, is it? When one kids wasted time interferes with another kids learning, special circumstances might be in order for the offender; such as sending them from the classroom to waste the offices time.

The teacher's job is to put the material out there, and make sure the classroom is a good learning environment.


And to simply eject those that corrupt that good learning environment.

The kids who didn't have parents picking them up were scared and wanted to talk to their parents...and the only way they were able to do this was by borrowing the teachers' cell phones.


I agree, but do kids need to call their parents for rides during classtime? If so, it amazes me how we ever got along before cells existed.

It isn't possible, and kids won't learn the skills they need that way. If they fek off, they fail, no different than in college or in their future jobs.


I see college as an entirely different situation. A college student is "of age" and responsible for his/her own post secondary learning, while minor a minor childs learning is the responsibility of the parents and those the parents rely on.

If they are taught at an early age there will be someone snapping their fingers at them to make sure they are paying attention, then life will be unfair to them from now on.


Im confused here. Are you saying that a child needs no disaplin/"finger snapping"? If so, how does this help later on in life?

on Dec 28, 2006
I see no problem with them as long as they follow the rules with them, such as having them off during class time.


Agreed
on Dec 28, 2006
As for getting in touch following after school activities, well that's just utter rubbish - parent, find out what time it finishes and then make sure you're there to pick them up, simple really.


I'm sorry cind, but I simply cannot agree with you here. The cell is a great innovation when used well. I think it's a great tool for parents and children. It allows a child a bit more freedom, while at the same time helps parents keep better track of there kids in a busy world.

Cells in school are OK, but not in the classroom. Teachers, well they need to use descresion, just as folks do in any other occupation.
on Dec 28, 2006
Do you spend any time in schools? I'm there about every day when it is in session. If a child misbehaves they are removed to the hall, or the office, or home. If the child won't go, they call the counselor, principle, etc., to have the child removed.

I don't know what the situation you are talking about wherein teachers can't take phones that are being abused, remove kids from class, etc. Maybe if you had examples.

"I agree, but do kids need to call their parents for rides during classtime? "


Who said they did? Again, if kids are talking on the phone during class then the teacher isn't paying enough attention. If they are caught, they should have no opportunity to distract again.

"Im confused here. Are you saying that a child needs no disaplin/"finger snapping"? If so, how does this help later on in life? "


No, I don't believe it is the teacher's job to discipline a child. Every minute they spend doing so is a minute taking away from instruction. Kids that distract should be removed and let administration or parents deal with them, and if that doesn't work they should be expelled.

Again, I'd need to see what you are upset about, really. Do you have a child in school? Are you a teacher? What exactly is the root of your complaint?

"As for getting in touch following after school activities, well that's just utter rubbish - parent, find out what time it finishes and then make sure you're there to pick them up, simple really."


And aren't you glad all those parents that you disagree with aren't there to tell you what YOU "make sure" you should do. I wouldn't imagine everything is as clear and reasonable as you make it out to be.

4 Pages1 2 3  Last