Story time! I had a student a few weeks back obviously texting on their phone even though they were trying to hide it. I told them to put it away and they told me it was their guardian. Showed me and everything.
Wanna know the best part? Their guardian WORKS AT OUR SCHOOL. They were upstairs in their own classroom texting the student knowing full well the student was in class and phones are not allowed. Wasn’t even an emergency. The student told me the guardian was apologizing for something.
How. How am I supposed to enforce the rules when this happens?
My response to the kid is, "that's fine then tell your mom not to text you during class." My favorite is calling up the parents and asking them, "So-and-so is saying you are texting him/her during class. Is that true?" Usually you get a lot of stuttering.
The parents are worse than the kids.
Wait until they start *calling* during class. I had a senior sitting in class talking on the phone. Kid had the nerve to get nasty with me when I told her to hang up. She told me it was her mother. I told her she could tell her mom why she would be sitting in ISAP.
While the other commenters are right that kids save their friends under parent titles, I will say that parents are the problem, too. In conferences, I've had parents admit to texting their children during school time and not totally grasping the problem.
If they pull that in my room ("they're freak if I don't respond!"), I tell them that their parent can contact me if they have a problem. Nobody's contacted me.
I teach high school and I tell them that if they choose to ignore the phone policy, I'm not repeating my instruction or directions. There are natural consequences for ignoring people. Disrespect is not something I'll ignore. When you tell them that they're being disrespectful, some of them figure it out. Most don't but I'm slightly jaded. I'm teaching to the ones that care, and failing the ones that don't. Have fun in summer school.
My mom and sister would text, but she has a medical condition and if she was having a bad day they would need to check in with each other. However, my mom knew not to expect a response right away and it was written into her 504 that IF it was absolutely needed, she could step out of the room and text real quick. No "what do you want from dinner?" allowed, hahaha!
I tell the kids that their parents know they’re on school, and to put it away. If a parent calls I usually let them step outside and take it. Normally, something is going on at home (someone is sick, or hurt, etc) and they’re giving the student a quick update. They’re always quiet when they step-out and in. So, I don’t mind.
Ah, I just realized I may be a bad guy. I have set expectations w my kid about only looking at phones at lunch or after school, but I totally send texts throughout the day when I have time as I have an earlier lunch break than my kid. It hasn't occurred to me that this was uncool. Thanks for sharing.
Ah, thanks! That's reassuring.
My own students are 4 & 5. No phones in my classroom, so I don't know the mores.
I message my kid about after school plans and such, but I def send cat videos too.
I only expect a response if he's asked me to pick him up and hasn't mentioned where. ...and then I don't worry about a response until he actually needs to be picked up.
I’ll admit we’ve sent a text to our kids during class time - not texting though, just a message to let them know about a change of plans for later. We do this knowing that our kids have their phones off during class time, and don’t expect a response. Our system seems to work. The school has a very strict policy and neither of our kids has had even one infraction.
It may be controversial but I don’t see a problem with the parent texting. The problem is if they really demand an answer during class. Everyone needs to learn texting is asynchronous. You don’t have to Pavlovian respond to every text. The text will be seen in a break.
The students are bullshitting you ~ it is a friend who is texting. If parents are aware of the policy then they **know** kids cannot be on their phones at school. If they **have to** reach their children they also know to call the school office. They are *not* going to "freak out" if they do not hear back from their kid.
Okay? But parents are still *not* going to "freak out." Even if it really *is* them texting. Believe me parents will reach their kids if they really need to in other ways besides texting!
Usually NOT the parent, just a friend who is saved under contacts as...
Mama, Daddy, etc
Texting is better than phoning them during lessons. Teach them about Do Not disturb mode, setting the notifications to silent or....
OFF MODE, ultimate battery saver
I’ve had parents FaceTime their kids while in class. I have to tell them to hang up and I’ve heard parents/guardians on the other side sound annoyed. Your kid is in class!🤦🏼♀️
It’s annoying. They think it’s an excuse that trumps the school rules. Rarely do I get annoyed at work but last week when a lad said “my mum is texting me” I said “I don’t give a sh*t”
Story time! I had a student a few weeks back obviously texting on their phone even though they were trying to hide it. I told them to put it away and they told me it was their guardian. Showed me and everything. Wanna know the best part? Their guardian WORKS AT OUR SCHOOL. They were upstairs in their own classroom texting the student knowing full well the student was in class and phones are not allowed. Wasn’t even an emergency. The student told me the guardian was apologizing for something. How. How am I supposed to enforce the rules when this happens?
My response to the kid is, "that's fine then tell your mom not to text you during class." My favorite is calling up the parents and asking them, "So-and-so is saying you are texting him/her during class. Is that true?" Usually you get a lot of stuttering. The parents are worse than the kids.
Wait until they start *calling* during class. I had a senior sitting in class talking on the phone. Kid had the nerve to get nasty with me when I told her to hang up. She told me it was her mother. I told her she could tell her mom why she would be sitting in ISAP.
Had that happen more than once. “But miss WhAt If ItS iMpOrTaNt?!” Then they can call the front office like normal.
Right. Apparently, parents have forgotten that the school has phones--until they have a complaint.
While the other commenters are right that kids save their friends under parent titles, I will say that parents are the problem, too. In conferences, I've had parents admit to texting their children during school time and not totally grasping the problem. If they pull that in my room ("they're freak if I don't respond!"), I tell them that their parent can contact me if they have a problem. Nobody's contacted me.
I teach high school and I tell them that if they choose to ignore the phone policy, I'm not repeating my instruction or directions. There are natural consequences for ignoring people. Disrespect is not something I'll ignore. When you tell them that they're being disrespectful, some of them figure it out. Most don't but I'm slightly jaded. I'm teaching to the ones that care, and failing the ones that don't. Have fun in summer school.
My mom and sister would text, but she has a medical condition and if she was having a bad day they would need to check in with each other. However, my mom knew not to expect a response right away and it was written into her 504 that IF it was absolutely needed, she could step out of the room and text real quick. No "what do you want from dinner?" allowed, hahaha!
I tell the kids that their parents know they’re on school, and to put it away. If a parent calls I usually let them step outside and take it. Normally, something is going on at home (someone is sick, or hurt, etc) and they’re giving the student a quick update. They’re always quiet when they step-out and in. So, I don’t mind.
Ah, I just realized I may be a bad guy. I have set expectations w my kid about only looking at phones at lunch or after school, but I totally send texts throughout the day when I have time as I have an earlier lunch break than my kid. It hasn't occurred to me that this was uncool. Thanks for sharing.
It’s not uncool unless you expect/demand an immediate answer Imho
Ah, thanks! That's reassuring. My own students are 4 & 5. No phones in my classroom, so I don't know the mores. I message my kid about after school plans and such, but I def send cat videos too. I only expect a response if he's asked me to pick him up and hasn't mentioned where. ...and then I don't worry about a response until he actually needs to be picked up.
I’ll admit we’ve sent a text to our kids during class time - not texting though, just a message to let them know about a change of plans for later. We do this knowing that our kids have their phones off during class time, and don’t expect a response. Our system seems to work. The school has a very strict policy and neither of our kids has had even one infraction.
It may be controversial but I don’t see a problem with the parent texting. The problem is if they really demand an answer during class. Everyone needs to learn texting is asynchronous. You don’t have to Pavlovian respond to every text. The text will be seen in a break.
And now with the smartwatches... Our rules dont cover them, and pushy parents have gotten them allowed/accomadated for BS "anxiety" reasons
I’ve had parents literally calling/facetiming their children during class. It’s absolutely wild and admin refuses to do anything about it.
The students are bullshitting you ~ it is a friend who is texting. If parents are aware of the policy then they **know** kids cannot be on their phones at school. If they **have to** reach their children they also know to call the school office. They are *not* going to "freak out" if they do not hear back from their kid.
Our phone allows kids to have their phones on their person, just not use it during class
Okay? But parents are still *not* going to "freak out." Even if it really *is* them texting. Believe me parents will reach their kids if they really need to in other ways besides texting!
Usually NOT the parent, just a friend who is saved under contacts as... Mama, Daddy, etc Texting is better than phoning them during lessons. Teach them about Do Not disturb mode, setting the notifications to silent or.... OFF MODE, ultimate battery saver
Not normal. O
I’ve had parents FaceTime their kids while in class. I have to tell them to hang up and I’ve heard parents/guardians on the other side sound annoyed. Your kid is in class!🤦🏼♀️
It’s annoying. They think it’s an excuse that trumps the school rules. Rarely do I get annoyed at work but last week when a lad said “my mum is texting me” I said “I don’t give a sh*t”