Teachers around the world, rejoice! Together, we have made it through the craziest most challenging year of teaching that any of us could have ever imagined. You did it. We did it! But as quickly as we celebrate our accomplishments, teachers are also laser-focused on dealing with the upcoming school year and all the new challenges that will be faced in education post-pandemic. One major challenge that teachers will have to deal with this next school year, is the unwarranted and unwanted cell phone use in class by students. Over the last 12-16 months, students have become more reliant, dependent, and addicted to their cell phones on a personal level and surely as a tool to help them with their academics. Around the world, the pandemic has turned smartphones from a luxury to a must-have. Prior to the pandemic, according to a 2017 article in the WSJ, about 73% of teens have or have access to a smartphone. Now we can only assume that coming out of the pandemic teachers can expect a drastic increase in the number of cell phones being used by students in the classroom and students being very reluctant, or even unable, to put their devices away during class instruction. And, we all know, that cell phones are here to stay. The problem is pervasive but there is a simple solution, PLUGGED IN.
Until the creation of PLUGGED IN, the only option schools and teachers had was prohibition. Students across the U.S. and the world are being forced to lock their phones in pouches, or lockable storage units, or asked to not bring their phones to school at all. The only problem is that prohibition doesn’t work. History has clearly proven this. Schools that have adopted the prohibition approach to cell phones are finding themselves in constant litigation. Parents are more than willing to sue school districts that are taking cell phones away from their students. Cell phone prohibition is creating an adversarial relationship. Schools, and their teachers, are now pitted against the students and their parents. This hostile relationship is not going to be conducive to student learning or student success. Schools should focus on improving student learning and teaching positive student behaviors. The prohibition of cell phones will result in increased student anxiety and the result of that will be less student learning. Prohibition will also teach students negative behaviors as they are now encouraged to find ways around the mandated prohibition of cell phones.
PLUGGED IN takes a completely different approach to managing cell phones allowing teachers to take back the classroom. Empowerment. PLUGGED IN empowers students to voluntarily put up their cell phones through incentives. Unfortunately, a teacher telling students that “if they put their phones away during class, they will learn more”, is just not incentive enough for students to actually do that. So, the incentive must be the right incentive! The amazing thing about PLUGGED IN is that every teacher using the system can decide what the “right” incentives are for their individual classes and students. Class by class, student by student, teachers can now tailor the incentives that will work best to motivate students to disengage from their phones and engage in learning. Schools could also create their own incentive programs, assisting in the success of PLUGGED IN on their campuses. Empowering, not prohibiting, our students is what teachers and schools should be focused on doing. PLUGGED IN is an empowerment tool. Head on over to www.pluggedin2ed.com to see how our solution will empower our students and take back the classroom for our amazing teachers.
How do you manage cell phone use in class? Share in the comments below!
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Christine Weis is a passionate educator, classroom management coach, wife, and mom of two busy boys. She enjoys teaching, writing, and creating resources for teachers.
Sounds like a great idea and thanks for sharing this wonderful post with us.
Hi Lyanna. This is James, the creator of PLUGGED IN. Thanks for the comment. PLUGGED IN works! I’ve been using it daily in my classes for the last 3 years and have witnessed the positive changes in my classroom. Other teachers who have used it have reported the same positive results and impacts PLUGGED IN is having in their classrooms. If you are a teacher, or know someone who is, message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and have them subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact them and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
Thanks.
James
Well, home schooling really changed the game because of the pandemic. I think this is less of an issue now. I remember when a cellphone rings, it’s such a distraction during class.
Hi Emma. I believe that the Pandemic really showed the glaring problems with home schooling. Across the U.S., the data is overwhelmingly showing that students struggled to find success while learning online and at home. The number of students who failed one or more classes during the pandemic “home schooling” increased tremendously. Parents are realizing that their kids need to be at school to be successful. I teach at a school that had 2200 students before the pandemic, and I expect that number to be the same in the fall. Luckily we will be back to in-person learning next fall, and the challenge of cell phones in the classroom will still exist. PLUGGED IN will be there as a solution for teachers. If you are a teacher, or know someone who is, message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and have them subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact them and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
Thanks.
James
What an excellent solution for unwanted cell phone use in class! I can only imagine how kids these days are with their mobile usage even at school.
Hi Mae. It’s James the founder of PLUGGED IN. Thanks for reading the blog post and leaving a comment. As a current teacher, I have first hand knowledge of just how pervasive of a problem this is. I was so frustrated with seeing students on their phones that I had do something more proactive. PLUGGED IN is the ultimate solution. Teachers in my area are using the system with amazing results. Students are engaged, learning, and benefitting directly from PLUGGED IN being employed in their classes. If you are a teacher, or know someone who is, message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact them and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
Our school district has issues with this as well. Perhaps this solution would work in our district. What a great idea!
Hi Dominique. It’s James the founder of PLUGGED IN. As a current high school Economics teacher, I understand just how challenging unwanted cell phone use in class is. That’s why I created PLUGGED IN. Instead of banning cell phones, PLUGGED IN empowers students to make better decisions regarding using their phones in class. Myself and many other teachers in my area are using PLUGGED IN and the results are amazing! I would love to introduce PLUGGED IN to you and your colleagues. Message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact you and anyone else from your district and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
When we were kids, only toys provided distractions to us. These days, however, phones in classrooms can be exceedingly challenging because of so many things that kids can do with them — watch videos, scroll through social media, send messages. The distractions phones create are unimaginable.
Hi Ivan. Cell phones are one of the biggest challenges that teachers will face coming out of the pandemic. Prior to PLUGGED IN, I have seen students watching full length movies during class. There is no way they are learning or engaging with their peers while on their cell phones. If you are a teacher, or know someone who is, message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and have them subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact them and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
Thanks.
James
I can’t imagine how irritating it must be to be a teacher and have kids not paying attention because of their phones.
Hi Heather. Unwanted cell phone use in class has become a huge problem for teachers and a distraction for students. Unfortunately, coming out of the pandemic the problem is going to be even worse! If you are a teacher, or know someone who is, message me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and have them subscribe to our site. I’ll personally contact them and get a PLUGGED IN system into their hands.
Thanks.
James
This sounds like an excellent way to control cell phone use in class by addressing the issue up front rather than trying to correct it later. Great idea.
Hi Kuntala, it’s James from PLUGGED IN. Thanks for reading the blog post and leaving a comment. I’ve been using PLUGGED IN for the last 3 years and have had amazing results in my classroom. Instead of banning cell phones, let’s empower students to make better decisions. That’s the power of PLUGGED IN. If you are a teacher or know anyone who could benefit from using PLUGGED IN please reach out to me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and subscribe.
Thanks.
James
This is such an amazing idea! I wish our school had that. I try to stay on top of my kids about the importance of not using their phones in class, but I have still gotten a few notes sent home.
Hi Brianne, it’s James the founder of PLUGGED IN. Thanks for the positive comments on our tool. I would love to get PLUGGED IN into your hands to try it out this coming school year. Please reach out to me at james@pluggedin2ed.com or visit our website at http://www.pluggedin2ed.com and we can discuss getting you the system for your classroom.
Thank you.
James