FCPS cell phone policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed a huge change in cell phone use in high schools over the past few years. Really, they are not an issue. Occasionally students need reminders to put theirs away but the vast majority of my students have not been distracted by their phones. I do not mind if they occasionally send a text and put it away. That’s the world we live in.

The laptops and other types of technology have made my job extremely difficult. They are the distraction. Whenever I’m using them in class, students are openly trying to do something else and no longer trying to hide it. I spend more time trying to manage these behaviors than teach. I’m hoping thrill wears off in a few years like it did with cell phones since students are also using laptops earlier and earlier and we can actually focus in class on instruction.

Not sure what high school you teach at, but my FCPS high schoolers report kids being on their phone throughout class much of the time. My daughters best friend’s boyfriend is at a different school and he would literally be on the phone with her via air pods during class sometimes. These are not the slackers, either. These are all honors and AP students with great GPAs . It’s a huge issue and no, kids are not being as mature about it as you think. They’re just getting better at hiding it via apple watches and air pods. My son was at a private school until 10th and phones were completely prohibited throughout the school day. The kids actually had conversations at lunch. He actually misses that.

this seems like a contradiction. If they're getting good grades and they're hiding it well enough not to be a distraction to class, then I'm not sure that it's a huge issue as you say.

Further, the technology is going to keep coming. Apple watches etc. Are we going to ban watches next? Thee best we can do is recognize like anything else, some kids are going to obey the rules and some kids aren't teach them how to be good digital citizens are good students and honestly, most of them are going to get it.

[Anonymous]

It seems that public schools are just too timid to say no and enforce it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed a huge change in cell phone use in high schools over the past few years. Really, they are not an issue. Occasionally students need reminders to put theirs away but the vast majority of my students have not been distracted by their phones. I do not mind if they occasionally send a text and put it away. That’s the world we live in.

The laptops and other types of technology have made my job extremely difficult. They are the distraction. Whenever I’m using them in class, students are openly trying to do something else and no longer trying to hide it. I spend more time trying to manage these behaviors than teach. I’m hoping thrill wears off in a few years like it did with cell phones since students are also using laptops earlier and earlier and we can actually focus in class on instruction.

that’s great...especially since FCPS is issuing every student in our HS a laptop to use in class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have noticed a huge change in cell phone use in high schools over the past few years. Really, they are not an issue. Occasionally students need reminders to put theirs away but the vast majority of my students have not been distracted by their phones. I do not mind if they occasionally send a text and put it away. That’s the world we live in.

The laptops and other types of technology have made my job extremely difficult. They are the distraction. Whenever I’m using them in class, students are openly trying to do something else and no longer trying to hide it. I spend more time trying to manage these behaviors than teach. I’m hoping thrill wears off in a few years like it did with cell phones since students are also using laptops earlier and earlier and we can actually focus in class on instruction.

that’s great...especially since FCPS is issuing every student in our HS a laptop to use in class

If you reread my post I’m saying it’s the laptops that are the issue. In my school students have them and they are on laptops constantly doing things they are not supposed to be doing. They try to take out laptops to “take notes” when they do not need them and insist they have some sort of accommodation that allows this. They are openly watching videos. Cell phones are not the issue. Laptops are.

[Anonymous]

^this is mostly directed at the other poster who said students are not as mature as I think with using their phones and are trying to sneak them. They are no longer sneaking ear buds in class. They are watching videos on another tab of a laptop.

[Anonymous]

Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

You are annoyed that your child has to concentrate on school at school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

Why would that annoy you?

You are getting annoyed at the wrong things

[Anonymous]

My DC was in 6th last year. And the availability of the phones differed by teacher. But, I can tell you that in checking my kid's phone, there were kids on IG, making Tik Tok videos, etc. during the school time (and not just at recess).

I'm FINE with no phones in the class. In MS, we will be given a pouch for the phones in an "Away for the Day" program. Kids cannot have the phones out of the pouch in the halls or in classrooms. Only before/after the bells and at lunch. Otherwise, it stays in the pouch.

This is the first year for our MS, so I'm told. We'll see how it goes.

[Anonymous]

As a veteran teacher, I say keep the phones in backpacks all day. To be honest, what upsets me more is seeing teachers and IAs on their phones, especially at recess and while supervising kids who are quietly working. Principals are very lax about cracking down on that and it is a safety issue. I turn off my phone before school and pull it out after school. If there is a family emergency, the front office can take a call and find me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a veteran teacher, I say keep the phones in backpacks all day. To be honest, what upsets me more is seeing teachers and IAs on their phones, especially at recess and while supervising kids who are quietly working. Principals are very lax about cracking down on that and it is a safety issue. I turn off my phone before school and pull it out after school. If there is a family emergency, the front office can take a call and find me.

They do this even on their school laptops. My DC had a teacher who was good teacher. But, she spent a lot of time shoe shopping online during the day. I thought my child was exaggerating but, no, other classmates confirmed it. SHe'd leave her "cart" open and everyone could see it. It got to be a joke among the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

You are annoyed that your child has to concentrate on school at school?

My child uses his phone to take notes and reminders among othwr important things and yes at lunch to play games with friends. Why would the school care if he used it in a hall between classes or at lunch. How does that affect the classes? If anything it hinders them. Like most adults he does better with apps from his phone for organizing than paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

You are annoyed that your child has to concentrate on school at school?

My child uses his phone to take notes and reminders among othwr important things and yes at lunch to play games with friends. Why would the school care if he used it in a hall between classes or at lunch. How does that affect the classes? If anything it hinders them. Like most adults he does better with apps from his phone for organizing than paper.

Seriously, it causes problems.

Policoes are designed for the majority...not the exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a veteran teacher, I say keep the phones in backpacks all day. To be honest, what upsets me more is seeing teachers and IAs on their phones, especially at recess and while supervising kids who are quietly working. Principals are very lax about cracking down on that and it is a safety issue. I turn off my phone before school and pull it out after school. If there is a family emergency, the front office can take a call and find me.

I think it depends... The “phones” are more than just phones. Often my students ask about the temperature before we head to recess if I don’t mention it first. They want to know if they need a coat or not. I pull out my phone to quickly let them know the temp. I use the timer when doing a DRA. I use the clock to know when it is time to end recess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this true for all middle schools that kids won't be allowed to use cell phones in hallways, study hall, and lunch? One parent who is very annoyed.

You are annoyed that your child has to concentrate on school at school?

My child uses his phone to take notes and reminders among othwr important things and yes at lunch to play games with friends. Why would the school care if he used it in a hall between classes or at lunch. How does that affect the classes? If anything it hinders them. Like most adults he does better with apps from his phone for organizing than paper.

Seriously, it causes problems.

Policoes are designed for the majority...not the exception.

Public School in a nutshell. Not a positive comment.