I would have to say I agree with the side that is against cell phones in the classroom. I believe they have no place in helping out with education. There are plenty of other smart devices that benefit student learning with less of a distraction than cell phones. Graphing calculators, laptops, even the use of classroom ipods for videos and other features they have. I feel when you allow a cell phone to be openly used into a classroom you allow for all kinds of distractions that can be more harmful to learning than good. With the use of cell phones you can look like you are doing your work but you could really be sending text messages or instant messages or even playing games.
My opinion was the same before as it was after reading the articles. I listened to the points on the other side but none of them seemed strong enough to get me to want to allow cell phones in my classroom. My cell phone policy someday will be simple. I won’t allow them to be used in class. Students can have them on them but they better be on silent or vibrate. The only time I would allow it is if I needed to check something online during a class and a student’s cell phone allowed the best opportunity for finding that out. Consequences for not following the rules would start out with a verbal warning. From there I would confiscate the phone. If the student still won’t comply I’ll start sending them to the principal and getting the parents involved.
I really can’t think of any ways I could incorporate cell phones into my classroom. I want to teach PE most of all and I think cell phones would hinder teaching in a physical education classroom more than they could ever help. Video games could help but cell phones would be too difficult. In health the only use I could get out of cell phones would be the use of videos. Still not a lot I would want to use them for. There are plenty of other teaching tools out there I would use before incorporating cell phones into my class and many which can teach the skills better than the use of cell phones can.
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Your comments made my think about my students when they are in PE. I have one girl who would love to attach her cell to her permanently, and who has a really difficult time participating in PE, mainly because she doesn't want to! If she was allowed to have her phone, she would probably sit along the wall during class and text the entire time! I agree...no cell phones in school!
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