Actually an Improvement

Tuesday. High school art, second period. 

They're really cracking down on cell phones, and so Ms. G had asked me to make sure to collect their cell phones at the beginning of the period. I did. And, the students gave them up easily. 

Towards the end of the period, a pleasant ring tone rang out. Calm. Melodic. A ring tone I would choose for my phone. (Is it new? I must go and check my phone to see if it has it.) 

I looked around. The ringing phone was in the box of cell phones. Where it was supposed to be. 

I continued my circuit of the room. 

The students? Looked panicked. Whose phone was ringing? They had to stop it. 

As far as I was concerned, the phone would stop ringing soon enough, and the students would be more aware of making sure their phones were on silent before turning them in. 

But one student came up, searched through the box, found their phone, and silenced it. 

I mean, this was a win as far as I was concerned. 

Thursday. Eighth grade English, fourth period. 

This was a co-teaching day, and the kiddos were doing some standardized testing. Phones were put away in backpacks which were stored at the front of the room, or they were on a charger in the back. 

Midway through class, a phone on the charger started to speak. Clearly a ring tone. Ms. C (the general ed teacher) started to comment that the phone was where it should be and the kiddos should ignore it, until the phrase continued with an F-bomb. Oops. 

Ms. C made a comment about ignoring the profanity, and she said something about phones on silent. But, again, mostly a win. The phone wasn't in the possession of the student, especially during standardized testing. 

So, so far this year, no major problems with kiddos giving up their phones as required. Now we just need to teach them how to put them on silent. 

Baby steps.