Reflection on Cell Phones: A Tool for Cheating

Reflection on Cell Phones: A Tool for Cheating

Questions for Discussion:

1. If you were the teacher, how would you handle this situation?

I think that the teacher did the right thing by not only taking the phones away from the girls, but also giving them both a zero on the test If I came across this issue I would make it a rule that students must first register that they have a cell phone in their class or the students will receive a zero for class participation. The second thing was on test days, students had to put their cell phones in a box in the front of the classroom and once class was over the students were able to obtain their phone again. However, if the student were caught with a phone they would not only receive a zero for the task that day, but they also received (I.S.S.) in school suspension.

2. As a teacher, would you ban all cell phones in your classroom?

I would personally have a zero tolerance for cell phone in the classroom. There isn’t any reason for phones to be in a classroom. I’m a very traditional person, so only if there was an emergency should a person be contacted via the office during class. (NO CELL PHONES)

3. What should happen to Laura and Jessica?

I would first contact the parents of the students and request a meeting with them. I would address the seriousness of the students cheating and request feedback from the parents. Is (I.S.S) serious enough? What other consequences should be taken if this were to happen again? Unfortunately, I would make the girls be an example and have a zero tolerance of cell phone use in the classroom. If this rule wasn’t followed I would recommend the students stay after school and complete extra credit assignments to make up zeros received in class.

4. Should cell phones be prohibited in schools? If so, how do you make parents feel that their kids are safe at school? And how can a policy be enforced?

I think implementing the policy of no cell phone in school should be enforced. There weren’t any issues of this sort in the past, so process of elimination. How do I ensure that students/kids are safe at school? In the past if there was any issue at school the students went to the office to complain or ask to use the phone. There was also a pay phone if the students absolutely needed to use the phone. In order to ensure that this policy was implemented correctly you would need the help of the parents and the administration at the school. I know that this is an extra step for some people and they may not be happy having to micro-manage students. But in the long run it will be a satisfactory decision for the students and their peers.