Article: The Distracted Classroom
“Like every faculty member these days — and like most high-school and even middle-school teachers — I am in a constant battle with cellphones and laptops for the attention of my students in the classroom.“
This quote most certainly speaks to the main theme of this week because it is the basis of this weeks focus. If this was not such a prevalent issue in classrooms nationwide then we would not need to do two readings and have a class discussion about it. For example, I got my first phone, the Apple iPhone 5, during the summer before I went into sixth grade. Back then, I would never be caught breaking the rules and for that reason I was never on my phone, but that would change when I got to high school. In ninth grade, I found out that the majority of teachers would let you use your phone for assignments and even for personal use if you finished your work early. Similarly to the student “Kate” in this article, I was a bright student and would often finish my work ahead of the others in my class. Therefore, I got comfortable being on my phone during class time, however, this then bled into times when I was not done with my work. I would feel my phone buzz and would momentarily check it to see who or what the notification came from. This then led me to where I am now, actively responding to certain text messages on my laptop during class time (but of course not in this class…). I have never meant it to be disrespectful in any way, but I know that it comes across that way. In my head, I am still listening and actively getting all of my assignments done, so what’s the harm? While it may not have affected my schooling up to this point, it is still an unnecessary distraction inside of the classroom. Technology has the ability to be extremely helpful in the classroom, but if we as educators and future educators do not pull in the reigns, we are going to have an issue on our hands. Personally, I aim to practice what I have just preached.
“How can I keep students away from their distracting devices in class?“
I chose this quote as part of the article that raised a question for me because this was a question that I had asked myself quite a few times while reading. Personally, I do not want to be the teacher that bans cellphones completely. My high school attempted to do this by putting little bags, which were very expensive, on each desk that would block any reception to the phones that were put in them. They wanted every student to use these bags, but unfortunately many of the students phones would not even fit into them. Not only was this a complete waste of money, but it also made the students very mad at the school. So, what is the alternative? Well, I think one way to discourage cell phone use in the classroom would be to assign lunch detention to those who are caught and then if it happens too many times give them ISS. However, this just does not sit right with me because as the article stated this is an issue that roots in each and everyone of our brains. Furthermore, removing students from the classroom defeats the purpose of getting them off their phones so they can pay attention. Maybe a positive incentive could be given so that students stay off their phones. Everyday that students are not on their phones, they can earn an extra credit point or a sweet treat or something of that sort. This then begs the question, should students be rewarded for doing something that they are already supposed to be doing? After bringing both of those alternatives to my mind and then dismissing them for one reason or another, I am left with no solution. The article says that setting goals will help, but I know that all of the educators I have had and I as a student have goals, and yet I still find myself distracted. So what can we do?
Article: 4 Things You’ll Miss by Banning Cellphones In Your Classroom
“If I ban cellphones outright, I can’t have this conversation about what the future may hold for my students.”
While there are a plethora of reasons listed in this article that support not outright banning cellphones in the classroom, I find that the one that applies to the quote above is a point worth further exploration. Being able to have conversations with your students about the amazing capabilities and the dangers of their devices is something that an educator could and should do with their students. However, an educator can not properly do this if they do not allow cellphone use in the classroom, especially if they do not even let their students keep their cellphones on them. This is especially important for those who are wanting to teach high school students because that is the group that is most likely to engage in dangerous online behavior. We have an opportunity to prepare students for a digital world that is in some ways very unwelcoming and scary. This current society often encounters leaked sexually explicit content which could very well belong to high school students who think that it could and would never happen to them. Furthermore, young students might post themselves underage drinking or using drugs or making harmful comments that could come back and haunt them when they are no longer like the younger version of themselves that did those things. All of the following decisions that these students could make when their brains are not fully developed could prevent students from making the most of the future. While phones and social media were created with the good intent of keeping people connected, they can now be used to bring down peoples lives if they are not careful. While students should not be engaging in those behaviors, it is hard to be mad at them for doing something when they can not grasp the full ramifications of it.
