Bell-to-bell cell phone prohibition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If FCPS was serious about banning technology, they would also ban laptops. Kids are gaming, doing YouTube and chatting with other students back and forth on Google documents. Not to mention the emails.

Yep. And we can't even tell them to close the laptops because literally every single thing we need is on them, including bathroom passes.

Of course you can. I do everything on paper in my room. There’s no reason to ever have the device out because of that. It’s not related to my content in any way, so I will always make them put it away or even take it. If they need to use the restroom, I make the pass. On the rare occasions they need to be on the device, such as during Iready diagnostics, I watch their screens with Lightspeed and ensure they’re on task. And yes that means I’m equally as strict with the phones. It works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If FCPS was serious about banning technology, they would also ban laptops. Kids are gaming, doing YouTube and chatting with other students back and forth on Google documents. Not to mention the emails.

Yep. And we can't even tell them to close the laptops because literally every single thing we need is on them, including bathroom passes.

Of course you can. I do everything on paper in my room. There’s no reason to ever have the device out because of that. It’s not related to my content in any way, so I will always make them put it away or even take it. If they need to use the restroom, I make the pass. On the rare occasions they need to be on the device, such as during Iready diagnostics, I watch their screens with Lightspeed and ensure they’re on task. And yes that means I’m equally as strict with the phones. It works.

+1. Everything is on paper. Laptops need to be in their bags or I shut them off and put them on my desk for the rest of class. If they have to be using screens for an assessment, I'm checking Lightspeed. If I can't see the student's screen that means they're using some kind of blocker. They have one chance to knock it off before I call home. Same with phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tell kids to put laptops away (or I take them) all the time. You’re caught watching YouTube instead of graphing on desmos?

Cool, guess you’re solving polynomial equations by hand for the rest of class and you can wait to go to the bathroom until passing period. Make better choices next class.

NP. Bad example, parents can’t relate. I’ve gone back to paper tests. No more Schoology assessments. They were not good for math and an educational fad we were forced to implement.

This means they can’t use Desmos (the online calculator that solved too much), will need to go back to problem solving and I’ve done back to adding a TI-84 or equivalent to their supply list. You will need to buy one for their HS class.

Online tests were nothing but problems and they found a way to cheat. They need to work out problems for math. And yes, they played games, watched YouTube and everything else despite all of our lockdowns.

[Anonymous]

does this mean they can have their phone before 1st period starts?

[Anonymous]

NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

Are you for real?!?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

So your DS has already broken the rule and no one knows. The irony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tell kids to put laptops away (or I take them) all the time. You’re caught watching YouTube instead of graphing on desmos?

Cool, guess you’re solving polynomial equations by hand for the rest of class and you can wait to go to the bathroom until passing period. Make better choices next class.

NP. Bad example, parents can’t relate. I’ve gone back to paper tests. No more Schoology assessments. They were not good for math and an educational fad we were forced to implement.

This means they can’t use Desmos (the online calculator that solved too much), will need to go back to problem solving and I’ve done back to adding a TI-84 or equivalent to their supply list. You will need to buy one for their HS class.

Online tests were nothing but problems and they found a way to cheat. They need to work out problems for math. And yes, they played games, watched YouTube and everything else despite all of our lockdowns.

That sounds amazing! Thank you for actually trying to teach these kids!

My kids are younger, but I've been appalled by how much time they spend on the computer at school in elementary school. Glad to hear there is hope yet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

Are you for real?!?!?

Yes. This is state law - no phones at all, except for during lunch. Not in class, not in the hallway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

Are you for real?!?!?

Yes. This is state law - no phones at all, except for during lunch. Not in class, not in the hallway

And not in the bathroom!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

I'm sorry, your DS "had to" text you from the bathroom telling you about this oh-so-important news? They couldn't have just waited and spoken to you verbally at home in the late afternoon or evening (or texted you once school is out)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

I'm sorry, your DS "had to" text you from the bathroom telling you about this oh-so-important news? They couldn't have just waited and spoken to you verbally at home in the late afternoon or evening (or texted you once school is out)?

I noticed that too. Bizarre. Lol.

Talk about cutting the apron strings!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO PHONES AT ALL. DS had to text me from the bathroom telling me, they are going over the rules every single class period.... Some kid in his class was testing it to see if it was real or not and got his phone taken away. FHS.

This is a sign of a child that is far too dependent on their cell phone. This is news that could wait. Your son should have had his phone taken away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

How does not having a phone in passing periods affect your class?

HS teacher: it’s huge. They cannot snap each other to arrange ditching class at the same time, share where the vape is stashed, text each other what was on the test. They will have heads up so collisions in busy hallways will lessen. They will be on time more often because they won’t be trying to squeeze every second of phone time before coming to class.

The problem is students just use their school computer to do this. FCPS currenttechnology controls are useless. Students know how to disable lightspeed, use proxy servers, and use school email to bully, Snapchat, buy/sell vapes, and more. The cellphone ban is an excellent start. Parents should not send phones to school. FCPS needs better tech controls and monitoring. This generation is suffering with learning and mental health because of technology dangers.

It is super easy for me to say it’s a paper/pencil day and we aren’t using laptops at all. I rarely have kids on devices in my room.

But even when I do, 90% of kids are using computers for schoolwork. 2% of kids were using their phones in the same manner.

90% of kids are NOT using their school computer for schoolwork. What grade levels do you teach? The middle school school kids have block scheduling, do the work with plenty of time to spare, then get on computers to stream, use social media, and email. And then they take the computers home for more tech access, which parents falsely assume is safe. The FCPS technology controls don’t work.

You are a parent and you don't know what you're talking about.

Wow. You could not be more wrong, and parents do know what they're talking about. I would say that you as the teacher- with tons of students, busy with a million things, and don't want to deal with admin or parents- are the ones who "don't know what you are talking" about when it comes to individual needs and issues going on. The students are not using laptops safely or appropriately, because they can. They can and they do.

I hope my children don't have teachers like you who think parents "don't know what they are talking about." Wow.

Uhhhh, I'm not a teacher, lady. If you hate teachers so much, you should home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If FCPS was serious about banning technology, they would also ban laptops. Kids are gaming, doing YouTube and chatting with other students back and forth on Google documents. Not to mention the emails.

I have to laugh at this. Did you even have friends in high school? I was passing notes back and forth with my friends constantly. In fact, a group of us had a notebook we would pass around all day long with notes. And I was a high achieving, top of the class kid.