Mobile phones
The fight with mobile phones is a losing battle. Our rule is that phones should not be on in class time, or out either. I see them every few minutes, at which time I ask the owner to put it away. We are supposed to take them from the students if we see them out, but if we were to do this, we would have a physical fight and riot on our hands.
If I ruled the world, any student with a mobile phone would be given a warning to put it away and after that I would ask the parent/s to come and collect the phone at the school. This may seem harsh, but they ( the phones )simply disrupt learning.
The kids can have them out at breaks, so it is not like they are not allowed to have them. The fact that they get them out every two minutes in class is simply not necessary.
It's a simply pitiful habit that people have gotten into, the need to check the phone every few minutes. I am not a mobile phone fan, I make no secret of this, but I do not like how these instruments have become almost like an extra organ for some folks.
Students say " What if my mum is trying to get in touch with me for an emergency ? ". I respond that " We have a perfectly adequate telephone system at the school in the event of any emergency. If it's not an emergency then you can listen to your messages at recess or lunch ".
I do not like mobile phones, I never have, and though I own one for when I am driving and out with Morgaine, I very rarely have any charge in it, and if you do leave me a message, chances are I won't hear it until I actually remember to charge the thing.
That's just me :)
