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cell phone & texting policies

while auditing a fellow teacher's classes i could not help but notice how many students are texting during class. UGH! they are very careful and not obvious. this seems to be the norm, the teacher did not seem to notice and none of the students seem to mind. have any schools or teachers implemented policies regarding texting and cell phones?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karen M. Hobson, LMT, CMT, NCTM on November 29, 2010 at 8:16am

Absolutely, but as you note, if students are careful and instructors are not, it escapes the notice of the instructor. I have a firm policy at my school, but individual instructors vary from militant to oblivious.

It really only takes a little effort to get compliance. First, state your policy about classroom use of phones up front in writing and on the whiteboard. Second, if it is a lecture class, don't just lecture from the front of the room; wander the entire space and look at the students. Third, on a first offense, talk to the student immediately after class and ask them why they are texting during class, and explain why it is important to reserve class time for learning and leave texting for breaks. Finally, for repeat offenders you may have to take firm disciplinary action, such as loss of participation credit or documented student advising.

No one wants to get to that last point :) It usually takes only a time or two talking to the student to get the point across, and if necessary you can always stand in front of the texting student until she or he puts the phone away :)

Warmly,
Karen

Permalink Reply by Jeff Sims on December 1, 2010 at 3:09pm

Thanks Karen ~ you make excellent points... I will take your advice.

Incidentally, I caught Rod Stewart on the Jay Leno show. He has seven children (the eldest > 40 yrs old) and an eighth on the way. He described his frustration of taking family out to eat. Because the texting was a problem, he imposed a policy. Everyone must turn off their device and put it in a the middle of the table. You and Rod are my heroes!

Karen M. Hobson, LMT, NCTM said:

Absolutely, but as you note, if students are careful and instructors are not, it escapes the notice of the instructor. I have a firm policy at my school, but individual instructors vary from militant to oblivious.

It really only takes a little effort to get compliance. First, state your policy about classroom use of phones up front in writing and on the whiteboard. Second, if it is a lecture class, don't just lecture from the front of the room; wander the entire space and look at the students. Third, on a first offense, talk to the student immediately after class and ask them why they are texting during class, and explain why it is important to reserve class time for learning and leave texting for breaks. Finally, for repeat offenders you may have to take firm disciplinary action, such as loss of participation credit or documented student advising.

No one wants to get to that last point :) It usually takes only a time or two talking to the student to get the point across, and if necessary you can always stand in front of the texting student until she or he puts the phone away :)

Warmly,
Karen