3 Tips For Managing Cell Phone Use In The Classroom
3 Tips for Managing Phone Use in Class Setting cell phone expectations early is key to accessing the learning potential of these devices and minimizing the distraction factor. By Liz Kolb
September 11, 2017
Two students look at their phones in class. ©Shutterstock.com/Syda Productions
Ten is now the average age when children receive their first cell phones, and those phones quickly find their way into classrooms. While cell phones have extraordinary potential for leveraging learning, they can quickly become a hindrance in the classroom, diverting attention away from learning. How can teachers harness the learning potential of students’ phones while also keeping them from being a distraction?
I have learned that rather than trying to be reactive, the best defense when it comes to cell phones is a well-planned offense. Teachers who implement a proactive management plan developed in collaboration with the students at the beginning of the school year may have fewer issues as student cell phone ownership increases throughout the year.
The first few weeks of the school year often focus on creating classroom routines, and thus are a perfect time to set up cell phone expectations. Teachers can help their students develop a positive mobile mental health in the first weeks of school by discussing their ideas on cell phone use, setting up a stoplight management system, and establishing a class contract.
OPENING THE CONVERSATION Part of teaching digital citizenship is knowing where your students are in their understanding of privacy, safety, etiquette, identity, empathy, and security online. Build a digital citizenship curriculum that includes mobile device use. Talk to your students about their cell phone use (and share your own experiences). You may be surprised at how little they have these conversations with adults.
Before assuming you understand why, how, and when students interact with cell phones, find out from them. Ask your students questions such as:
What do you like to do on your cell phone and why? (If they don’t have one, what would they like to do?) What are the most popular apps and websites you use? What do you think are inappropriate ways that cell phones have been used? What is poor cell phone etiquette? Why? How can cell phones help you learn? How can cell phones distract from your learning? How do you feel about your cell phone and the activities you do on your phone? What should teachers know about your cell phone use that you worry we do not understand? Do you know how to use your cell phone to gather information, to collaborate on academic projects, to evaluate websites? How can we work together to create a positive mobile mental health?
USING A STOPLIGHT MANAGEMENT APPROACH The stoplight management approach allows teachers some flexibility to use cell phones when the situation warrants, but also to keep cell phones from becoming a diversion from the learning. This is how it works:
Post a red button on the classroom door: Students know when they enter that cell phones should be put in their off location. The devices will not be used that day. The teacher should decide on the off location—the upper right-hand corner of the desk and turned face down, or away in backpacks, or in pocket holders on the teacher’s desk—the cell phone parking lot.
Post a yellow button on the classroom door: Students know their cell phones should be on silent (vibrate) and placed face down in the upper right-hand corner of their desk. They will be using them in class, but not the whole time. Having the phones in plain sight—a bit out of reach and turned over—allows the teacher to easily scan the room to see who doesn’t have their device where it should be. It also makes it difficult for students to quickly peek at their text messages because they’d have to turn the phone over and move it from its correct position—which is more difficult than when cell phones are hidden under desks.
Post a green button on the classroom door: Students know they should have their phones turned on (either silenced or set on vibrate) and placed face up in ready position to use throughout the class.
ESTABLISHING A CLASS CONTRACT Ask your students to help you develop social norms for what is and is not appropriate cell phone use during green and yellow button times. Should they be allowed to go on their social media networks during class? Why or why not? Talk to them about what to do with their devices in different social scenarios in the classroom. Ask them to brainstorm consequences and write them into a class contract. Send the contract home for parents to read and sign with their children, so everyone is on the same page. After a couple of months, revisit the contract with your students to see if any amendments are needed.
If you take the time in the first week of school to establish a management system and a social contract and to open up dialogue about student cell phone use, expectations are clear. As more cell phones enter the classroom throughout the year, the students immediately know where to place them and when and how they can use them. In addition, the community is focused on a safe, healthy use of cell phones, rather than being distracted by them.
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Commenting period (May 29, 2019 14:20 – July 02, 2019 00:00) is closed
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Looks like the main takeaway is that addressing cell phones in the classroom early is the key to effectively managing them
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The author believes that cell phones could have a potential benefit to the classroom environment if approached correctly
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To reinforce the main theme, proactivity and tackling the problem early seems to be the best way to address cell phone usage.
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Tip #1 appears to be, starting a conversation about phones with your students
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I am not sure how I feel telling students about how I used cell phones in class. May be a better idea to share professional examples of cell phone usage
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I am not sure if I want to know what the students are using their phones for
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I think starting a dialogue about the positive aspects of cell phones in a classroom could be helpful. It comes off as trying to work with students and hopefully also establishes health examples of good etiquette.
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I feel like the idea of sometimes allowing phones may lead to bargaining from the students. If it is okay some of the time, why isn’t it okay all of the time?
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I like the idea of a cell phone caddy (jail) to have a specific location for kids to place their phones when they know they will not be allowed that day.
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I do not know if I am comfortable with phones being out but not being used. Feels like this would be the easiest avenue for abuse by students, or the hardest to manage
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I feel my expectations for phone usage would not include having phones out and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Would need to specifically plan for phone usage in the lesson?
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I think this is a great idea. Establishing classroom norms and cultures early, especially with regards to phones, would set a great precedent for the rest of the year.
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I think the idea of informing parents about cell phone expectations is also a great idea. The more people that are aware and on board, the more likely norms and cultures should be followed.
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I am not entirely sold on the idea of “non-distracting phone usage”. Would need to see examples or ideas of healthy cell phone usage in the classroom
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