Easy Ways You Can Turn Cell Phones In The Classroom Into Success

I’m a month into 7th grade… Not a Bad start so far, I have a different teacher for every subject, all women teachers this year, no men.

When we arrived at our new classrooms there was something different hanging at the front door, it kinda looked like a pocket calendar. But then I saw the sign above it…
NOTICE! Hang up your phone!

So, we are supposed to put our cell phones in these pockets?
I assume they weren’t asking us, they were telling us!
It wasn’t an option…

What is your school’s Cell Phone policy?

I have heard numerous stories from kids who attend different schools?
Some schools don’t allow you to bring one at all.
I don’t think that is realistic as most kids/adults are used to using a cell anytime they want & not only to text but to check email, weather, (Phillies Score) in my dads’ case…

I heard Some classrooms are giving extra credit if you put your cell in a basket at the beginning of class.

Cell phones are our access to the entire world & beyond & it sits right in our pocket. It’s not just used for games as most parents & teachers think we are doing with them.

Me, I track storms. It may sound funny, but I like to know if a storm is coming. Yes, I have some anxiety about storms but so do a lot of people.
My mom always uses her cell to take pics of what it’s like being around her 4 Generation Z kids of all Ages.
My brother is currently in Law School & he is 22 & my twin sisters are Juniors in college & are 20.
We could all be sitting in the living room together but are on our phones doing different things. We also share lots of what we are looking at.. My brother is constantly on ESPN watching sports etc.
He also looks at funny videos on YouTube. My sisters are usually texting their boyfriends or looking up Shopping stuff or also watching funny animal videos on Instagram or Snap chatting or watching what they have posted for sale on Craig’s List or if something was won in an eBay auction.

I’m usually watching car videos on YouTube or watching funny animal videos on Instagram.
My Mother told me she was using her cell at Back to School night & kinda felt embarrassed to use it in front of the teachers.
My Mom uses her Notes app on her cell to take All her notes. This is just how she takes notes, but last night she said she felt awkward typing the few notes on her cell even though it was regarding what the teachers were talking about.
She wasn’t being rude & texting a friend or anything like that.
I guess to today’s teachers it looks a lot better taking notes on paper with a pen. That’s what my dad did & that didn’t look rude. My mom felt badly taking the notes on her cell as she didn’t want the teachers thinking she was distracted or ignoring them.

Generation Zers would Never think it was rude to take a note on your cell. We don’t judge others the way we are judged.

Cell phones have become our Wooby or security blanket for most people who own one. They are sick if they lose it. They can’t leave the house without it and actually feel lost without it like something is missing, almost like you left a kid at home.
This is a way of life for us, most of us.
It’s like, in America we call Chinese food “Chinese food”, in China, they just call It food…
Well, cell phones are a part of generations Z’s life & it will never go back to the way it was before them.

You can make us put them in a basket or pocket during class but we will have it right after class.

I can tell you, if schools don’t start becoming more engaging & interesting… There will be no stopping students from looking elsewhere for brain stimulation. We can multitask like No other generation. Maybe not the way our parents think we should be but we can be texting, watching videos, posting to snap chat, Instagram, YouTube at the same time we are researching for a new car, basketball court or hottest New Lebron’s coming out!

This is our life.. we are good at it!

It’s time for the rest of the world to get moving to keep up with Generation Z.

Sorry, we aren’t going to be happy sitting quietly reading chapter 29 in a Science book about planets…
There are other more interesting ways, How about putting on the Space Station Channel & let us see it in real time!!
Make school more hands on & up to date & interesting & get the kids involved & they will put their phones down because you peaked their interest & introduced them to something real, something we can relate to.

In order for you to hold our attention, you must be creative.
How about using apps like https://www.polleverywhere.com to encourage class participation and receive instant feedback about student learning.

Kids are learning & moving faster than ever before in life…Schools are moving slower or the same as always.
If you have 17 out of 23 kids in your classroom with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) doesn’t that tell you there is something very wrong with teaching today’s kids?
Schools need to get moving, literally, or we will find engagement somewhere else to suit our needs.

And btw, most teachers are guilty of texting, playing games & checking email on their cell phones throughout the day as well as parents.
I have seen adults at the Dr’s office & my mom’s office, that are worse than kids.
So, are they going to have Cell phone pockets at work offices & for teachers?
This isn’t just about the kids, it’s our entire society.
Life has changed, there is no fighting it.
As my Mom taught us, be respectful with your cell phone usage, We, know what that means.
It is like having Cell Phone Manners. (That’s another Post)..

My Mom doesn’t tell us NOT to use them, she Taught us HOW to use them properly.
Just Like good internet usage.

It’s Not time to take the Cell Phones away from kids, that’s like Shutting off the internet if your kid is playing on the computer too long..that teaches us nothing.
It’s Not the answer.

Everything has changed.
And at the same time, Nothing has Changed.
It’s time to embrace this Generation Z & learn from us…

You really have No idea just how much we know.

Isn’t it time you asked us??