I like the elegance of the solution. If you’re going to have a policy that students can’t have cell phones on at all, then this is a great way to enforce it.

Nice.

1) Teachers and administrators explain the policy at the start of the year. Students can possess cell phones but they MUST be powered OFF in classrooms, including study halls. Cell phones are allowed during lunch/recess in the cafeteria or outside. Use in the hallways between classes is discouraged but has no consequence, which is fine.

2) If Sarah’s cell phone is ON in my class or being viewed or used I simply email her name to our AP after class. Without confrontation I will simply let Sarah know that she was in violation. She already knows that the limit for violations is 3.

3) When the AP receives 3 notifications that Sarah’s phone was ON (this includes all her classes/teachers) in classrooms, he will randomly appear in some other class or even in the cafeteria and calmly confiscate it — as per the policy. Student never refuse this request. They get their phone back at the end of the day.

4) On the second violation, now 6 instances of Sarah’s phone not being powered OFF in the classroom, her phone is randomly taken and returned.

5) On the third infraction, now 9 violations, the phone is taken again, however a parent or guardian must now come in to reclaim it.

Students are reminded that if they forgot to power OFF their phone before entering class, they can raise their hand and request a moment to do so.

The success of this policy has worked wonders to eliminate cell phone use in my building. Teachers absolutely love it because both distractions (phone use and the ensuing confrontation) have eliminated after a brief period of strict enforcement at the start of the year. As long as teachers remain vigilant, cell phone use in the classroom remains a non-issue!

Bahhahaaa! How ’bout Papyrus? #FontSnob

Matt – I introduce this concept on the first day I meet students as we are getting to know each other. The whole conversation is centered on mutual respect and the fact that I had a cell phone since before they were born. We talk about appropriate vs inappropriate times to use a cell phone. I explain that I won’t use my phone while they are conversing with me and I expect them to extend the same courtesy to me and their classmates. I also explain that I understand that they likely just came from a summer break where they used their phone most hours that they were awake. We do use cell phones for taking pictures of student work from the whiteboards, search information from the Internet, check grades and use apps such as Desmos. Students do truly understand the concept of distractions vs labeling objects as “bad”. And, yes we do practice smiling and I have a student demonstrate the proper way to react when they need to put a distraction in the box. The trick is to make that student interaction “less of a distraction” to the whole class. At some point I am able to make eye contact with a student and they will put their distraction in the box without interrupting the class discussion. This truly has changed the “you” vs “me” interaction I had when I asked a student to hand me their phone.

Working with us is akin to herding cats. We are each the masters and mistresses of our own domains when it comes to what happens in our classrooms. I’m of the philosophy that whatever works for you and your learners should be applauded…and sometimes copied.

Unsure of the best cellphone policies for teenagers because I work as an ESL instructor with adults. What has worked in reducing cellphone distractions in my newcomer language class is making everyone pay a loonie ($1 Canadian…so a quarter American ;-) when the cell phone ringer or audible notifications ares heard during class. I then take the loonies and spend them on classroom treats prior to a potluck party or for something to provide everyone with at the end of the semester or school year.

The only time it becomes an issue is when someone simply doesn’t know how to adjust their phone settings. This usually necessitates a short explanation and demo from a more tech-savvy learner (sometimes repeated over a few days) before the offender can consistently turn of the ringer and notification noises on his/her own.

I allow my learners to use their phones during class. We have free Wi-Fi and phones can be used for translation, looking up word meanings and Googling for information. Occasionally some students will find video and music content that is much more exciting than our classroom work and activities, but I’m happy to say that it isn’t very common. And if they are listening and watching with earbuds, it isn’t distracting to their classmates and instructor.

I am sometimes guilty of forgetting to turn my phone to vibrate. Whenever the ringer goes off in class, I am quick to pay the loonie. Having the same policy for everyone in class certainly makes collecting the ‘fine’ less contentious.