S/O phones in the classroom

[Anonymous]

Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

Is there a way to block certain phone features during the school day? For example, make it only possible to text parents during class hours but free to text before school, after school and during lunch?

[Anonymous]

So glad my daughter is in a school where they ban phones.

[Anonymous]

Phones are not the main issue here. You need to call the parents of those kids and let them know. Ours is locked down during school hours and I monitor it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad my daughter is in a school where they ban phones.

Ok private school parent. Go back to your group now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So glad my daughter is in a school where they ban phones.

Ok private school parent. Go back to your group now.

Maybe take some lessons from private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So glad my daughter is in a school where they ban phones.

Ok private school parent. Go back to your group now.

Maybe take some lessons from private schools.

They literally addressed this in the original post. They can't copy the private school teachers because they aren't allowed to dole out the consequences like they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So glad my daughter is in a school where they ban phones.

Ok private school parent. Go back to your group now.

Maybe take some lessons from private schools.

NP. Unfortunately, public schools cannot effectively ban phones. At our private school a girl was caught with her phone at least ten times. She ended up leaving to go to public, but if she had not left, she would not have been asked to come back the following year. You can't expel a kid in public.

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP, this is the issue. We can't kick a kid out of school for violating the rules. My sister's kids attend a private school in NC and their phone policy is strict! 3 violations and you're out. They have a nearly 100% compliance rate because parents aren't willing to lose their tuition money over a phone.
Unlike at my public where parents argue with us about phone use. I had a father threaten me for trying to tell "his daughter what she can do with her phone"
Whether parents want to admit it or not the phones are a major problem and students know that they don't have to listen to us.
I teach AP Chemistry my kids are "fairly good". Most of them want to be there and still they're distracted by phones. Can you imagine what is happening in the classes where the kids aren't motivated.
Parents please talk to your kids about the importance of not being distracted by a phone when in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.

[Anonymous]

I am sorry, OP. You are right. There is no classroom management anymore. Kids come in high, or get high in school. They certainly aren't going to care if a teacher tells them to put away their phones.

[Anonymous]

For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

[Anonymous]

OP, what do you suggest parents do? I am genuinely asking. I have a rising freshman. All communications from the school say that phones are to be put away during class, unless specifically required by a teacher.
Our child has most notifications turned off and phone is always on silent. They’re generally a rule follower so I expect their phone will be out away during class.
Is this not enough? If not, what can we do? I don’t think sending them to school sans phones is realistic at this point.
FWIW, I teach early elementary so I have an appreciation for the realities of the classroom vs what a non-educator thinks is realistic.
Most parents do sincerely want to help, so how can we do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what do you suggest parents do? I am genuinely asking. I have a rising freshman. All communications from the school say that phones are to be put away during class, unless specifically required by a teacher.
Our child has most notifications turned off and phone is always on silent. They’re generally a rule follower so I expect their phone will be out away during class.
Is this not enough? If not, what can we do? I don’t think sending them to school sans phones is realistic at this point.
FWIW, I teach early elementary so I have an appreciation for the realities of the classroom vs what a non-educator thinks is realistic.
Most parents do sincerely want to help, so how can we do that?

Why would having the phone away during class not be sufficient?