Get Schooled

By jim d

October 22, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this

I’m not certain this is really an issue at many schools since some do already jam cell phone signals. Let me also comment that with the technology today cell signals can be effectively blocked through methods such as;

By HS Teacher, Too

October 22, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

Students text each other over silly teenage nothings, and they also text each other to cheat. By that, I mean that Amy, who has math first period, will text Billy, who has it third period, information about material or exact problems that were on the test. Teachers can work to protect against this by having different versions of tests, but that’s not always foolproof. Texting DURING an exam, of course, could only be viewed as cheating, in the same way that picking up a cell phone and calling someone would be, or in the old days, passing a note would be. The note or conversation might be completely unrelated to the exam, but the presumption is that the action is cheating.

Generally speaking, a student texting won’t bother me other than when it reaches the point of distracting to me, or to their classmates. And of course I have no tolerance for cheaters. But otherwise, if it’s quiet and isn’t harming anyone, it’s not any different than passing an innocuous note here and there, and I don’t have a problem with it.

By TheBlogger

October 22, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

Oh no!

Teachers are instructed to take away these electronic devices if seen any time during the school day. We are told to do this to encourage quality instruction and to minimize distractions during the day.

Now, students are allowed to text?

I can hear it now…..

Teacher: Put away that cell phone! Student: I am texting the police, so shut up . Reality: Student was texting their best friend to go to the movies tonight.

Teachers will again be put in a bad place due to horrible policies and rude children - what a shock.

By Ernest

October 22, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

Good information provided by JimD! This is a tough one because while I can think of ‘legitimate’ reasons for a student to have their phone on them during the school day, I’ve ‘heard’ of cases where many use them for personal use. As a result, I would support policies that prohibit use of cell phones during the school day. Students can put them in the lockers at the beginning of the day then retrieve them at the end of the day. Parents/Guardians can leave messages on the phone if needed. If an emergency arises during the day, they can always call the office. That has worked for many years prior to cell phones becoming vogue.

By jim d

October 22, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

Thanks Ernest,

Let me also mention that some types of building construction, such as used in Gwinnett, reduces cell availability all by itself. I know I’ve attempted to use mine in some of the newer schools and found I must either go outside or be close to a window in order to get a decent signal.

The college my son is currently attending changed policies this year allowing cell phones (eliminating a total ban) However, they may not be used in any of the academic buildings and ringers must be silenced. They have networked to alert students in the event of an emergency due to the unfortunate events that took place in Virginia. Kudo’s to them for taking student safety issues to the next level.

By Jeff

October 22, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

On the one hand, as a former teacher, I say ban student cell phones from school campuses completely. There are very few valid reasons for ANYONE having one at school, and adults are FAR more capable of knowing what those are than kids.

On the other hand, as the tech specialist for a District Attorney, I also know of how much evidence students put on their cell phones thinking we can’t get to it, when we can. Many of these cases would go unsolved if not for the evidence we recovered from the cell phone.

So, a convenient compromise IS jimd’s Farraday Cage (which is exactly what his methodology creates). Conveniently, our job is made even EASIER if all schools would adapt this technology. And remember, the easier our job is, the safer your streets are.

By Leah

October 22, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

jim d’s information came from here

Cell phones are supposed to be off and not visible during the school day in Gwinnett County schools. I have only experienced the phones to be used for bad, not good. “Bad” meaning used for threats against another student, cheating, or planning to meet for sex or a fight. If there’s a true emergency, parents can contact the front office and have a message sent. I’ve actually had a parent text a student that her grandmother had just died, and then got angry with me because she wasn’t allow her to retake her midterm exam, since she was upset. That kind of information should not have been texted at all!

By jim d

October 22, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

Yeah Jeff,

Those pesky camera phones can make life easy when attempting to determine if a teacher acted inappropriately as well as determining what actually took place in student on teacher or student on student incidents.

You tube is loaded with footage

By mmmm

October 22, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

TheBlogger:

You make me laugh. “Quality instruction”in schools? If that’s not oxymolon, I don’t know what it is.

Anyway, this whole thread makes the metaphor of “schools as prinsons” more and more realistic. Teachers are the wardens, or even more “senior” prisoners. Schools worry too much about cheating. Cheaters will eventually have to face the consequence. Let them pay then.

By V for Vendetta

October 22, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

Which is also illegal JimD. You can’t post pictures and videos of people in a public forum without their consent.

As for the phones …

I don’t have a problem with them really, as long as they’re not out during tests. It’s the cameras I worry about more than the texting. It is very easy to photograph a test and send it as a text attachment (with or without answers). Other than that, I don’t really care. They can make excuses for what kids are doing that might be wrong, but the bottom line is that they could do the same exact thing using paper and pencil notes. It’s not worth worrying about.

Of course, that’s assuming the kids are respectful and not texting during my class time. We all know that’s not the case, so the questions becomes, where do we draw the line?

By xxx

October 22, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Leah,

Who are you to decide what information should or should not be texted? It’s none of your business, as a teacher or as a person.

By jim d

October 22, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this

well xxx,

Since Leah obviously works in a GCPS, I highly suspect she maybe a direct decndent (daughter) of King Napoalvin himself. Which would give her that authority by the way.

By jim d

October 22, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

Triple X,

Here’s a question for you.

If Leah is in fact King Napoalvins daughter, would that make her Princess Leah?

By Steve-o

October 22, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this

This would just give kids an excuse to text more, and simply say they were texting an officer. This is a horrible idea.

By concern parent

October 22, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this

Thank God for cell phones…I remember last year when they had a BIG incident at my son’s high school…and he begain to text me and inform me of what was going on…Even thou the school said that everything was until control….Having cell phone in school isn’t the worst thing…

By Tony

October 22, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this

While cell phones pose problems for schools, I still find it humorous that schools continue the tradition of shunning technological advances. I had a discussion with a colleague recently about the use of calculators in classrooms. Why do we do this?

The last time the cell phone issue came up in this blog, I stated that we, as educators, should find ways to make use of the technology. Most anything is used for bad purposes by some people. Paper is frequently used as a medium for threatening notes, pornographic drawings, disruptive paper airplanes, spit wads, and so forth.

Why do parents feel the children should have a cell phone in the first place? It is a status symbol. Many parents will say the kids need it because the school won’t let the kids use the school phone. Many parents will also say things like they MUST be able to contact their children at any time - as if there is a constant life and death struggle.

I like the radio signal blocking paint idea. Many buildings are Faraday cages anyway. The metal frames interfere with the transmission and reception of signals.

Does Princess Leah have a brother named Luke? If I recall correctly their father was Darth Vader! Wow, jim d, what an analogy.

By C.C.

October 22, 2008 6:11 PM | Link to this

texting is merely the modern version of note passing.

i do believe that there is a time and place for everything and texting during a lecture and esp. a test is unacceptable. although, we all passed a note or two when we were in high school. so some of it is simply that.

texting a cop. i think it would probably give someone a chance to speak up that might not do so in person. so, i think it is a good idea.

By Tommy

October 22, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

Is it to much just to ask a kid to go to school and do the assigned work? When I see a group of teens or even pre-teens 90% of them are on the phone, either texting or talking. What is wrong with just going to school to learn? Is the phone the fifth limb? My friends daughter threatened sucide when her parents told her they were taking the phone away when she ran the bill up to $900.00. They gave in and she kept the phone … I would have smashed in front of her and whipped her butt twice once for the bill and once for the threat.

My dad would have strung me up. And beat me for days for that kind of disrespect. Kids don’t need these phones 24/7.

By luvs2teach

October 22, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this

ah…the cell phone…what did we ever do without it? I know I and my kids made iththrough school without having to be in constant communication…yet some of my worst “offenders” are parents texting their kids during school - I even had one call during the CRCT a couple years ago (after the speech about how they needed to be off and in lockers) to wish her child good luck on the test!

Our official policy is that it’s not to be seen or heard. If you’re caught with it out once, it’s a verbal warning. Second time, administrative warning. Third time, mom and dad come to pick it up from the administrator.

Like CC said, texting mostly is just like writing notes in “the old days” - same kind of off-task behavior. The first thing I would check if my child wasn’t doing well is his/her phone records. I even had a student tell me today that SHE called the phone company herself and had texting added back on after her mom had it shut off - lol.

I have actually allowed them to use their phones to take pictures of cool things we’ve done in class as well as text their parents a summary of the day’s events. The kids aren’t quite sure of what to make of my telling them to use their phone like that.

By TheBlogger

October 22, 2008 7:21 PM | Link to this

Gee - didn’t students and society in general survive without any cells phones just a few years ago? Now, they are suddenly considered to be life-saving or maybe even required?

Give me a break!

By GLAMDiva

October 22, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

Tommy - Your blog response made my day:)

By Leah

October 22, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this

To those who inquired - it is my opinion that the death of a grandparent deserves more dignity than to be relayed via text message. I would never do that to my child. And, it is my business that a cell phone was used in my class during an exam because I was the teacher, and the rules are clear - phones are to be off and not visible during the school day. It is so sad that the parents call the students during the day and the student is the one who has to serve the Saturday school when they get caught. Too bad the parent doesn’t get the consequence…

And jim d - you are probably more closely related to Wilbanks than am I! You look like you could be his older brother now that I think about it. I, on the other hand, look NOTHING like him! (hint, hint!)And, I’m only a princess in my home! Don’t get angry because I busted you plagiarizing again! A question for you though - since you are so adamantly opposed to GCPS rules and regulations, why did you send your son to school here?

By mmmm

October 22, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this

What I see here is very typical teacher reactions to keep wanting “good old days” that never existed. Yes it is true that we existed without cell phones, so what? Maybe you guys just join the 21st century. We probably existed without paper and pencil either, so should we prohibit them as well? Get real and learn to live (and teach) in the 21st century. Well, maybe we are asking too much…

By clyde

October 23, 2008 3:35 AM | Link to this

There seem to be more legitimate reasons for texting than for banning texting,so let the little darlings text.It’s their world and they’re the ones who will have to deal with the consequences.Cheating on exams didn’t originate with cell phones.Not paying attention in class didn’t start with texting.Who knows?Maybe there’ll finally be a generation of people who can actually multi-task.

By Not just the students

October 23, 2008 5:49 AM | Link to this

I worked in a rural school system where the TEACHERS spent a ridiculous amount of time texting and surfing the internet during instructional time. It was so bad that the administration had a student keep a log of one teacher’s “activities.” The no cell phone policy didn’t seem to apply to the teachers.

By Leah

October 23, 2008 7:22 AM | Link to this

mmmm - I actually embrace technology more than the average person, so, your comment about us not being in the 21st century is ridiculous! If the cell phones were used to enhance instruction - I’d be all for it. For example - I create podcasts for students to use so that they can download lessons and videos onto their iPods. The activities that the cell phones are used for are not for instructional purposes - and that is why they’re banned from use.

By Lee

October 23, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this

Much ado about nothing….

Cobb established a “whistleblower” line which provides a number that students can use to report directly to the school’s resource officers. This number is monitored by an answering service who will relay the information to the officers.

Cobb also recognized that this new policy conflicts with existing policy regarding students use of cell phones during school hours. As a result, they provided an exception which permits texting to this reporting line.

That’s it. It merely prevents a student who reports “There’s a fight behind the gym” from getting in trouble for violating the cell phone policy.

The way some of you alleged educators get all bent out of shape over stuff like this merely highlights one of the main reasons schools are in the mess they are in.

Jesus. Get a grip.

By mmmm

October 23, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

Schools are places for students’ learning, not teachers’ workplace. Somehow many teachers are under the mistaken impression that they run the school and try to make rules that will be convenient for them. As Lee put it, “Get a grip.”

By Huh?

October 23, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this

mmmm - Schools aren’t teachers’ workplaces? Um, yes they are! And, teacher do actually run the school! Additionally, some rules are actually to make life easier for teachers to teach. I think you should get a grip!

By Huh?

October 23, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this

mmmm - Schools aren’t teachers’ workplaces? Um, yes they are! And, teachers do actually run the school! Additionally, some rules are actually to make life easier for teachers to teach. I think you should get a grip!

By jim d

October 26, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this

Leah,

sorry i missed your post October 22, 2008 9:49 PM.

since you are so adamantly opposed to GCPS rules and regulations, why did you send your son to school here?

You really don’t get it do you?

I know many here have strong disagreement with many of my parenting methods, but few if any, that know my child,can dispute the results.I have not raised a child, what I have done is to raise a principled leader capable of making choices and living with the results.

That being said—suffice it to say, I did not SEND him to public school. As a matter of fact I SENT him to a private school. The choice to return to public school was his, just as the choice of the college he is attending was his. These choices would not have been mine for him.