Student suspended over call from mom in Iraq

[Martin Blank]

[quote="SunTzu";p="493451"]And if they can take the cellphones, why cant they enforce the "only talk if its important"? I mean, we dont mind it if someone lifts a phone and whispers "Call you back in 30". Do you?[/quote]
If I were a teacher, and a phone went off, before they answered it, I would require them to bring it to the front of the class so I could answer it. I'd make this policy abundantly clear at the beginning of the course, and any time a student transfered into my class, so that a parent would know why I was answering the phone.

If you let students answer phones in class, even for a brief thing like you suggest, it opens the door to full conversations which, even though whispered, detract from the education of the student and his peers. You're in a classroom to learn, not talk, as we were often told. About the only electronics that should be in most classrooms are calculators approved by the math/science teacher.

But then, I come from the old school, where teachers had real authority. Corporal punishment was largely phased out by the time I went into junior high, but we still listened to the teachers, because what they said, went.

[nukethewhalesagain]

SunTzu, Have you ever been in a class where a phone went off? Didn't everything just stop while the person tookt he phone out of the backpack and turn it off? That's why they are banned. They disrupt the class. Not just cellphones, though. In my school lotso f things were banned for this reason. CD players, game boys, laptops, basically any electronic device that was not a calculator (little loophole if you had a TI and still wanted to play games) and even magazines were banned from classrooms because they were a distraction. Like I said, I went to a catholic school. And I totally agree with it. If you don't want to take it to the extreme that my school did, fine but it really helps.

[StruckingFuggle]

A: How the HELL are magazines "distractions" to anyone but the student?

... And as for cell phones being disruptive, the thing is, its only ten seconds or so of disruption, so unless its chronic ring ring ringing...

[tankkisankari]

[quote="StruckingFuggle";p="493795"]

... And as for cell phones being disruptive, the thing is, its only ten seconds or so of disruption, so unless its chronic ring ring ringing...[/quote]
It's bloody annoying, that's the problem. Luckily most people have the good sense to keep the phone in silence or vibrator mode .

[nukethewhalesagain]

The teachers felt that a magazine was a distraction if it caused a whole bunch of people to crowd around and look at the pictures or article. Not all magazines, mind you, just some like video game magazines, comic books, fashion magazines. TIME and newsweek and other such newsmagazines and science magazines were allowed. Also I forgot to mention that this only applied to school hours (and some were rarely enforced during lunch). They were just trying to keep people focused on class.

[StruckingFuggle]

And what business of theirs was it trying to force 'education' onto the wretched or the unneeding?

[Nekra]

if i remember right my schools policy was not the banning of phones but a detention if it went off in class.

[CyberEd]

first thing's first:
we didn't have cell phones when I was in highschool. now in uni, it is highly frowned upon when someone gets a call in class, therefor the prof doesn't really need to set any rules as the social rule would make the person responsible for that phone apologize for a year after...

as for magazines... it might be a distraction only for that student holding it. but it's a instructors duty to teach all the class. that man reading the magazine may be discracting himself alone. but he too is under the responsibility of the instructor and there for should be scolded...
it's the whole discussion about active and passive distractions...

as for that student I think you really had to be there to judge, both the teacher and that student...

[Deacon]

[quote="StruckingFuggle";p="493795"]A: How the HELL are magazines "distractions" to anyone but the student?[/quote]
...have you never seen girls gather around a Seventeen magazine (or whatever the popular one is these days) and guys around a 4X4 or Skater or whatever magazine?

... And as for cell phones being disruptive, the thing is, its only ten seconds or so of disruption, so unless its chronic ring ring ringing...

Multiplied by 30+ children, all armed with such devices, breaking the flow of the classroom when the students are already feeling like they're climbing the intellectual equivalent of Mt. Everest when they take their vocab quiz?

[SunTzu]

[quote="Deacon";p="493469"]SunTzu, how many kids are in your average class?[/quote]

Round 30 in most.

Posted Wed May 11, 2005 4:39 pm:

[quote="Martin Blank";p="493587"][quote="SunTzu";p="493451"]And if they can take the cellphones, why cant they enforce the "only talk if its important"? I mean, we dont mind it if someone lifts a phone and whispers "Call you back in 30". Do you?[/quote]
If I were a teacher, and a phone went off, before they answered it, I would require them to bring it to the front of the class so I could answer it. I'd make this policy abundantly clear at the beginning of the course, and any time a student transfered into my class, so that a parent would know why I was answering the phone.

If you let students answer phones in class, even for a brief thing like you suggest, it opens the door to full conversations which, even though whispered, detract from the education of the student and his peers. You're in a classroom to learn, not talk, as we were often told. About the only electronics that should be in most classrooms are calculators approved by the math/science teacher.

But then, I come from the old school, where teachers had real authority. Corporal punishment was largely phased out by the time I went into junior high, but we still listened to the teachers, because what they said, went.[/quote]

I dont think you understand, allowing people to answer phones is how we're doing it *right now*. Usually 2-3 phones rings during a normal schoolday, and ive so far only seen one person talk in class, and that person was made to shut it off within 10 sec. Its been like this for me for atleast 4 years, and 2 schools.

Perhaps our kids just behave better

Posted Wed May 11, 2005 4:41 pm:

[quote="nukethewhalesagain";p="493792"]SunTzu, Have you ever been in a class where a phone went off? Didn't everything just stop while the person tookt he phone out of the backpack and turn it off? That's why they are banned. They disrupt the class. Not just cellphones, though. In my school lotso f things were banned for this reason. CD players, game boys, laptops, basically any electronic device that was not a calculator (little loophole if you had a TI and still wanted to play games) and even magazines were banned from classrooms because they were a distraction. Like I said, I went to a catholic school. And I totally agree with it. If you don't want to take it to the extreme that my school did, fine but it really helps.[/quote]

It doesnt ditract in the least at my school. Of course, having an audible ringtone means people start looking at you, and laughing, so noone does We put our phones on vibrate, so that the ring doesnt disrupt anyone. And if you dont have a vibrating phone, you keep it silent and call them back after class. BTW i have a TI myself, got some good games on it

[StruckingFuggle]

...have you never seen girls gather around a Seventeen magazine (or whatever the popular one is these days) and guys around a 4X4 or Skater or whatever magazine?

Well, okay, technically true. It distracts more than the student reading it, but still, it only distracts those who make the choice to forgo their so-called education.

[Metzgirl]

I personally only allow students to distract themselves if they so choose, but they also must pay the price later. They can look at a magazine, sleep, daydream, whatever, just as long as they don't make noises or other distracting things that the rest of the class can see/hear. Normally they pay the price by not having a clue of what we covered in class. Some of them need to work on their cause/effect skills, though.

[Nekra]

That sort of policy will probably end with some student sueing the school for not forcing them to get an education.

[Metzgirl]

Won't win. I tend to document everything in those situations. In my class notes for the day I'll include "Jimmy slept through lecture" or something like that.

[StruckingFuggle]

*gives Metzgirl a big shiny apple*