Oh, I understand. Really, I do. You think just because I=m a teacher that I don=t understand. You just got a text message from that cute guy in second period, and you=ve got to text him back, right away. And it=s got to be clever as well as semi-charming. This may take some thought. You=ll have to zone out of my lecture momentarily. You=ll zone back in a second. Of course, since my policy regarding cell phone use mentions my hurling them out the fifth floor window into the dumpster below, you=ve got to be careful. No sudden movements. You slowly reach for your back pack, eyes trained on me, your teacher, with a thoughtful look on your face, as if you are totally engaged in what I=m saying. Believe me, I know the look. Your thumbs are lightening fast. You=re really quite impressed with your own speed and deftness. How could this possibly be considered disruptive? While it=s true that you can be as quiet as a rock, I want to go on record as saying that if you are using a cell phone in my class, you are disrupting both my right to teach and your chance to learn.
Sure, there are times when it=s appropriate to use your cell phone. I can think of a few. I=ve had students ask me at the beginning of class if they could leave their cell phones on, so they could find out about a family member=s surgery or the birth of a baby. I was always happy to oblige, but the incessant use of cell phones in my classroom for social purposes is driving me crazy! Now, you=re going to have to put yourself in my place for a second to really understand. I went to college to learn how to be a good teacher, where I was a taught to think about a thousand different things while I=m in front of my class. Yes, I=ve prepared for the day. I know the content of my lesson plan, but there are so many other things rolling around in my brain besides that. For instance, I=m trying to concentrate on your learning style. Can you see the board? Can you concentrate with that kid next to you tapping his pencil? Is everyone in the class being friendly to you, so you can worry about learning? Is this activity going to run long? Are you comprehending the information? It may come as a surprise to you, but I care about your success in my class. And, yes, I am easily distracted. Your phone use bugs me! It puts me off kilter. It causes me to lose my train of thought. It disrupts my teaching more than you could possibly know.
What=s more important than my right to teach? There=s a simple answer to that. It=s your right to learn. I understand what a temptation text messaging represents. I use it a lot myself. Now that my kids are older, I do a great deal of parenting via text message. It=s great! But if you cannot wait until after class to use it, you are not only being rude, you may actually have an addiction. Yes, an addiction. You are not focusing on learning. You are selling yourself short. For the past sixteen years, I=ve watched thousands of kids go through the school system, and I have a theory. The successful ones are not necessarily the smartest ones; they are the ones who have developed their ability to focus, to hone in on a task and maintain concentration. If you can=t go ninety minutes without texting, I=m saying you have got a problem. You are missing out on more than just my lesson for the day. The ability to focus is like a muscle you exercise; it gets stronger and longer the more you use it. You are going to need a strong one to get you through college and to be successful in a career.
I appreciate the fact that most of my students have the ability to wait until class is over to text their friends. Thank you. You know who you are. To the rest of you, I have a word of advice. It=s not too late for you. There is hope. A nationally recognized twelve step program cannot be too far away.
