Here is a story I wrote for TheDailyWestport.com about the use of cellphones at Staples High School. When school gets back in session in Norwalk, I plan to follow up with teachers and principals about this issue. Teachers, are cellphones, texting, laptops a problem in your classrooms and do you have any classroom policies? Parents, do you talk to your children about how to appropriately use cellphones at school? Do you think strict rules about cell phones in the classroom are required? As the parent of elementary school kids, I'm curious--at what age do you give your kids a cellphone?
Staples Chief Asks Parents to Help Silence Cell
By Moina Noor, The Daily Westport
Cell phones are everywhere these days, even in classrooms. Last week, Staples principal John Dodig sent an e-mail to all Staples parents with the subject line "Phone Use Problem in Schools." In his message, he asks parents to remind their children to be respectful when using cell phone in school.
In the email, Dodig writes that it is innappropriate to text during instruction and that teachers are frustrated by the distraction that cell phones cause. He writes: "Story after story of teachers having to stop students from sending and receiving text messages, playing games on laptops, or even watching movies on iPhones all while the teacher is trying to teach has caused real concern." He continues: "I think what we are seeing at SHS is what we are seeing in the general population. Too many of us are tied to our phones and laptops at all hours of the day and night. We cannot wait to read the text or e-mail that just flew in from someone. While I accept that this is almost commonplace in the general population, it is still an annoyance and a major distraction to our mission of teaching and learning. We need your help. Our rules are simple: “Don’t use any electronic device where instruction is taking place.”
In a phone interview, Dodig said that in general he is an advocate of technology. "Kids need access to technology and I encourage my staff to use technology in their classroom." Dodig's problem is with the disrespectful use of technology. "It's really a question of ettiquette and being respectful. And really, the kids are behaving no differently than their parents."
Dodig does not think that a cell phone ban is the answer. "I don't think draconian rules like no cell phone at school is the answer. The texting culture has developped quickly, we have to figure out how to manage it as educators."
Dodig points to examples of how different teachers are managing cell phone in their classrooms. One math teacher requires for calculators to be on the right hand side of the desk and all cell phones to be on the left. Another teacher, Kelly Garrity, a health teacher, incorporates cell phones into her instruction with polls and anonymous texting of questions. "The kids get such a kick out of it. They love using the cell phone in class and not getting into trouble for it."
Garrity says, though, that she shares Dodig's concerns and has strict cell phone policies in class. "Cell phones are attached to the kids hands." Garrity says. "My policy is that don't want to see them, if I do, I put them on my desk until the end of class."
A parent of a senior at Staples, Hina Hafiz, said that she recieved Dodig's email. 'I told my son that he better not be one those rude kids." Hafiz, a school teacher herself in Stamford, say that she's "old fashioned" when it comes to technology and learning. "I'm just not convinced that all this new technology helps us to concentrate and think more deeply. It's all a bit distracting."
Monday, April 12, 2010
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P.O.T.U.S. requires all his staff to write their name on a post it, stick it to the cell phone, turn off the ringers and deposit the devices in a basket in prominet location. Of course this occasionally leaves one a bit flummoxed when one discovers aboard A.F.1 they left their dick tracy communicator back at the W.H. in the basket. Fear not, it will be there when ya get back, unlike the one left in the taxi or the one left on the train or that one, well we get the idea. But generally the policy, accomplishes its mission. Uninterupted dicussions. Now that does not say that P.O.T.U.S. aint hip to the tech scene himself. Using these devices in creative ways to incorporate the materials presentation in ways that interact directly with the student is where we are headed. Pop quiz everyone! Where ever you are, what ever you are doing. As a teacher, this is very promising and very exciting indeed. Hey if ya cant beat em, ......
ReplyDeleteI use it daily and text my kids excerpts from The Times "on this day" and try and tie it into something current event or an orgin of a name of street or place. I admit its pretty cool to have access to my children this way.
ReplyDeleteCan't get them to listen to me but they read what I text. How cool is that? Dropping that taxt, "I have my eye on you" during those times they are "off the leash" has great effect. Wonderfull tool. And for 5 bucks extra to see on a map where they are at any moment.
How awesome is that? Everyone needs to adapt here, this is a wonderfull teaching tool. How about a robo call/text to students on the civil war, make it a challenge to see who can get it right. Little creativity and courage is needed.
@Moina
ReplyDeletere: "...at what age do you give your kids a cellphone?"
I'm going to say age 5. I say age 5 because that is the first time by law you're required to give up some control of your child's life. If you choose to send your child to school a cell phone is a tool that can keep you connected to that child in case of an emergency. It also gives you the ability to track their whereabouts in real time. They don't even have to be aware they have it.
It might sound extreme but if the host of America's Most Wanted knew his six year old son would be abducted and murdered in 1981 and such technology was available at the time then you can be sure his son would have had a cell phone. Now that the technology is so cost effective you can almost eliminate the threat of losing a child in this manner with a simple small device. I realize this is an upsetting thought but my point is to illustrate how irrelevant the actual technology is (in this case a cell phone)and how important its purpose is.
You have to examine the "why?" of any technology before you can judge it's effectiveness. Technology by definition is simply a manner of accomplishing a task. Therefore it is also important to examine alternatives before judging the effectiveness of any single method.
What's alarming to me is the ignorance of the statements made by Principal Dodig and Hina Hafiz. "Kids need access to technology and I encourage my staff to use technology in their classroom." Then he goes on to say, “Don’t use any electronic device where instruction is taking place.”
I'd be curious to know what he thinks the definition of technology is. I'd also be curious to know what his definition of electronic device is because by Webster's definition the lights in the class room should be off during times of instruction.
If you think I'm being overly critical of the principal then you're missing my point. While I am pointing out things that could be interpreted as faults I am also demonstrating the effectiveness of a device connected to the Internet versus simply accepting his words as truth.
So while technology deals mostly with "how?" the metabolic nature of our brains dictates the "why?" Naturally he asked himself why a group of his students are ignoring their teachers. His explanation, "I think what we are seeing at SHS is what we are seeing in the general population. Too many of us are tied to our phones and laptops at all hours of the day and night...While I accept that this is almost commonplace in the general population, it is still an annoyance and a major distraction to our mission of teaching and learning." It may be an annoyance to the teachers and principal but perhaps the students don't feel the same way and he admits himself that the general population agrees with the students as well. Perhaps the students are learning more from their electronic devices than they are from the teachers.
If you've made it this far I hope you have a greater appreciation of the need for critical thinking when making choices regarding technology. We can create simple explanations for everything we experience in life but hindsight will inevitably reveal all the shortcomings of our decisions. We have powerful enough technology to avoid these shortcomings but we either choose to ignore them or we choose to never fully explore the available alternatives.
Why?
http://www.slate.com/id/2244198/pagenum/all/#p2
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp
http://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/3228379
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/PUB/Titles.htm
http://www.gps-practice-and-fun.com/kid-phones.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticize
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proactive
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foresight
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindsight_bias
We gave our son his first phone at age 8. It had no texting and could only dial out or be dialed in from certain parental controlled preprogrammed numbers. He is starting to be dropped off at group sporting practices and events more and more often when a sudden change in the whether or an injury could need me back immediately. Also, there are no working public phones and i don't want him appraoching strangers with a need that could be exploited.
ReplyDeleteGiving cell phones to very young children provides all involved with a false sense of security. Why aren't you with your eight year old? He's still a baby for goodness sake. If he gets seriously injured, will he have to go digging through his backpack for the cell phone to call you?
ReplyDeleteI have had parents drop off little girls at my school, way before the opening bell and all alone on the street, and told them that they are placing their child in danger since no adults are on duty to supervise. The answer? "Oh, she's fine. She's got her cell phone." Scary.