I ask my students to turn their phones on vibrate or set to silent. I do not allow texting in class and I ask that if it is an emergency that they excuse themselves from the room to handle any situations that may arise.
I would go over the prospectus again with the student, that states NO phone use in class, and the penalty that will happen the next time he/she is caught using a cell phone in class.
I have always felt that having a student leave class for the day for a cell phone violation created as many problems as it solved. By having the student miss class for the rest of the day they may miss inportant information and will be behind at the start of the next day. They then tend to ask questions on that missed material which slows down the entire class again. I do however like your suggestion of asking them to leave class till the next scheduled break. Makes the point but the student won't get to far behind. I think that's something that I can implement in our school. But I still don't understand the need to be so connected.
Putting them out of the class is the only way to show them you as an instuctor will not tolerate the diruptions they cause. Other students are there paying good money to get the best possible experience that does not include a disruptive atmosphere.
Hi Pascale,
If they disregard the policy, dismiss them from class for the day and mark them absent. If they continue to do this, remove them from your class permanently. Make sure you have backing from your department head. In the workplace employees are reprimanded if they do not follow policies.
Patricia
When you have a policy that states "no cell phone use except for emergencies", you run into too much gray area of what consitutes a true emergency. In my experience, students will try and explain even the least non-emergent issues as an emergency if they think it will keep them out of trouble. It is hard to stay consistent with emergencies unless they are clearly defined in black and white.
In my opinion, it is best to go with a blanket "No Cell Phone" policy during class time. I inform students of the proper method they need to use if they need to be contacted when a true emergency exists; which is having the third party notify our school receptionist and then adminstartion will pull the student from class to take the call. This process takes less than 2 minutes and has worked quite well for my classes and students. It has drastically minimized the abusers of the policy and keeps the class on task. I also inform students that they may use their cell phones during scheduled break times if needed. Any student that violates the "No Cell Phone" policy is asked to leave class and cannot return until the next scheduled break to avoid classroom interruptions. If they continue to violate the policy, I have the right to confiscate their cell phone or device until the end of class (yes, this is clearly defined!). In my program, we clearly define all of the classroom expectations and have students sign off on them the first day of class. This helps protect the intergrity of the classroom and helps enforce professional standards.
When this was first implemented in my class and program, it was a little challenging, but within 10 weeks time it become a lot easier to manage and students respected the policy. The most important thing is to stay CONSISTENT with the policy you set. You can not sway or change your mind from student to student or you may be accused of playing favorites.
