Reply to MCPS teachers - what would you tell parents in your class(es) if you could?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Parents of middle and HS students - your kids are on their cell phones way more than you think during school despite what they tell you.
Please advocate for tougher cell phone rules in schools. Private schools are doing a much better job of enforcing cell phone rules and their kids are getting a better education because of it. Also, for high school, I don’t mind the early start but period 1 is a waste because kids are either half asleep or arrive late. If I was a high school parent I would advocate for a later high school start time. Many states have adapted to a later start time. I feel so bad for high school kids who look so tired in school but not much I can do about it. [/quote]

THIS THIS THIS! I can't think of any two changes that would have a bigger impact on my students' success than this.

Honestly, the biggest advantage kids may be getting from a private school education is the ability of privates to restrict phones in the classroom.

-- public high school teacher whose child just graduated from a Catholic school.[/quote]

If it were not phones it would be something else.  Stop blaming phones and learn classroom management.  When we grew up teachers were clear of expectations, no non sense and not trying to be our friends.  [/quote]

Tell me what you would like me to do. How should I enforce a no cell phone policy in the classroom? I am constantly telling kids to put away their phone but at my school we are not allowed to take the phone away or deduct any points. We cannot call security or send the kid to the office. We cannot do lunch detention. I don’t think parents want to face the reality of phones in schools. If you cannot control it at home, trust me it is not better at school. And I wish I could invite you to my classroom to see for yourself what first period in high school is like.[/quote]

DP - does the principal prohibit you from taking away the phone, or is it central office? That policy needs to change. In my view, if a kid has it out and they're not allowed, that phone goes away and they can get it at the end of the day. [/quote]

We are not allowed to take phones away, and frankly, I don't want to be responsible for keeping them safe. I have 36 students in my room for most classes, and I am one person, without eyes in the back of my head. Teachers sometimes get their own phones stolen.

I don't think PP appreciates what we mean when we say kids are addicted to their phones. I watch their fingers twitch while they try not to pick them up. I see their sheepish looks when I tell them for 10th time to put them away. I listen to them during conferences sincerely promise their parents they will keep them put away. Many of them admit to me they have a really hard time not constantly checking them. There is research that shows just having the phone with them lowers their ability to focus on tasks, even if they don't check the phone itself, because they are thinking about what texts or whatever they are missing. It is insidious, and we are not giving the kids the tools or policies they need to deal with it.

I will say, I have not had the disruptive behaviors so many teachers talk about, and I think that, too, is because of the phones. The kids who would normally be acting out because they find academics boring or frustrating are mostly just on their phones instead. I secretly appreciate the kid who talks too much or skips class to hang out outside because at least he's not a zombie.[/quote]

Mcps does not really have parent conferences after es and they don’t include kids.  Do you work for mcps.   You set the tone in your classroom.  [/quote]

You are absolutely delusional. Just stop.[/quote]

Where are the conferences for older kids?   They have one day, limited spots and it’s 5 minutes a teacher.  [/quote]

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