How to Earn it and Why to Give It
Have cell phones become the new classroom menace? For most educators, I believe it is fair to say the answer is a sure “yes!”
Let me paint a picture: In an 87-minute, inclusive English classroom at a high school, consisting of 12 students, the whole class was dedicated to workshopping on their projects. The term “workshopping,” in reference to this classroom means that two teachers offer opportunities to support and provide one-on-one assistance for the whole class. During this time students have the opportunity to work by themselves, with a partner, in groups or with one of the teachers. In addition, students are able to use their laptop devices as a means for research and project production. This is a common teaching philosophy within a high school classroom that offers a significant amount of time and opportunity for students to be focused, creative, insightful, metacognitive and successful by completing a project or assignment. Here was the problem: During that 87-minute time span, students impulsively interacted with their phones 212 times. Yes, 212 times! That is mind-boggling!
So, what constitutes an “interaction” with the phone? For the purpose of this observation, when a student was engaged in accessing their phone and viewing the screen, that was considered an interaction. Something as simple as a time check to a more intensive time-consuming action, such as taking a Snapchat break, writing a text or scrolling through Instagram. Whether the interaction was quick or longer, their focus was still interrupted. Some interactions ranged from a second, and some, up to two minutes. If you divide the number of interactions by the number of students it comes out to 17.666 times – close to 18 times per student. Eighteen times throughout the block, each student interacted with their phone! Although in this observation, there were students who were more frequent “interactors” than others.
It’s a constant!
Let’s be realistic, this is just as much of a problem with adults as it is children. When teachers model instant access and an ability to check a missed call, Facebook update, or a text message in the middle of class, what message does that send to students? The saying goes, and it is true, “What we permit we promote.” Although, what if we could decrease cell phone use and set strategies to remedy these issues in the form of increasing productive habits and executive functioning skills, all while directing and steering that internal compass within students to actually want to eliminate distractions, and instead, build success. Is this possible?
The Pros & The Cons
The debate over the cell phone topic has been a revolving door in how educators and school districts perceive this battle. Before continuing, it is important that we consider both sides of this issue by entertaining pros and cons.
Pros of Phone Use
Instant connectivity to information and sources that enhance understanding of content.
Offers the ability to stay organized, keep reminders and plan ahead by using calendars.
Incorporates the practice of self-monitoring and impulse control skills.
Creates opportunities for collaboration both inside and outside of the classroom.
Cons of Phone Use
Social and emotional well-being could be affected and negatively impact learning.
Distracts intentionality and purpose on assignments, learning and focus.
Decreases opportunity to reflect, build creativity and practice metacognition.
Feeds the “addiction” that cell phones pose via YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
By considering our students’ strengths and weaknesses, executive functioning skills and metacognitive abilities within the learning environment, I believe it is safe to say that we need to monitor cell phone use by developing a plan. Not just a typical cell phone policy plan. This plan needs to be intentional. By intentional, I mean building the skills, actions and behaviours in forming an internal compass within students, as well as on how to be productive in learning when in the vicinity of their cell phone.
How do we make this change?
The Plan of Action
One message to all educators, “Make the cell phones part of the skills, not the problem.”
This is how we do it. Look at it as a daily goal, objective or standard for the classroom. Find a place in the room, post this message and live by it.
Below is the goal statement I would use:
By infusing Habits of Mind along with Executive Functioning strategies in building more positive actions and behaviours, with and without the cell phones, our classroom will increase the opportunity to present the desired skills needed in order to be effective in learning, focusing and being overall successful within the course.
Below are strategies that will elicit this goal in order to build a more effective, focused, intentional and productive learning environment. All while learning the skills demanded in a world full of technological distractions.
Habits of Mind and EF Strategies
1.Hyperfocus and Persisting
Set a reasonable amount of time to hyperfocus on an activity. By Hyperfocus, I mean, “working solely on one activity or assignment with no distractions.” That entails the phone being put away somewhere out of sight, no talking and physically being in a spot within the classroom where productivity and focus can shine. When the time ends, students then have an opportunity for a break to do as they please.
For example, in a Spanish classroom, students are given ten minutes to review their vocabulary words for a quiz at the end of the block. After an opening warm-up activity to begin the class, the teacher sets a timer for the ten minutes. Students are then instructed to put away phones, laptop devices, take a minute to get mentally focused and find an area in the classroom ideal for optimal focus in order to practice persisting through Hyperfocus. Once everyone is ready, the timer begins. It is all about the vocabulary note cards and the student…nothing else. When the timer goes off, students can feed their urge for technology…you know, check Snapchat!
2. Planning and Organising your Goal Setting
A golden rule of teaching is that any activity, project or assignment in class should be related to a goal. In order for students to reach that goal, a plan and organisational strategy needs to be put in place. Without planning and organising beforehand, an in-depth assignment could lead to failure. No plan, no organisation, often leads to no success. So, what do the planning and organising look like in order to meet a goal?
Here is an example of an organisational plan. In a math class, students are given 60 minutes to complete ten word problems. A student’s planning and organising of their path to success may look like this (And, they should write it out like this):
Complete 4 problems in 20 minutes.
Take a 5-minute phone break.
Complete 3 more problems in 15 minutes.
Take a 4-minute phone break.
Finish the last three problems.
If time remains, it is open game for the phone!
It is important that children learn to take breaks, disconnect, rewire their brains, and then get back on task. This is something everyone can find valuable.
3.Thinking Interdependently While Resisting Urge
It is safe to say that even when students work together in groups they can still easily find ways to digress from the main task. One way to hold groups accountable while building unity is to offer a Group Phone Bin. It could be a metal coffee can, basket or box placed in the centre of the table which holds every group members’ phone. No one can reach for their phone until they have met the goal(s) the group set.
For example, a group of four students in a science class takes 5 minutes to design a work schedule for how they are going to successfully finish their rock classification lab. This schedule allows for two 5-minute phone breaks throughout the class. As a group, everyone agrees that they will not check their phones and instead solely focus on working and thinking interdependently to finish the lab with success.
It’s amazing what accountability within a community can do!
4. Pull from Working Memory Files
How about a smooth transition into learning by pulling on working memory? Simply direct students to use their phones to inquire about a subject, topic, question or idea connected to prior class learning. Recapture learning through instant connectivity. This is a great way to feed the “urge” while transitioning to storing phones away and getting ready for instruction.
5. Remain Open to Continuous Learning with a Daily Share
Life is all about learning. And, even more important, we all can learn from each other. Why not capitalise on these opportunities? For example, instead of making a transition into another activity without a break, offer up a 3-minute tech share opportunity. It can be about anything related to a news link, intriguing site, Snapchat of a celebrity or a new app that somebody found interesting. You would be surprised what kids have to offer.
The teacher needs to be the leader in this endeavour by modelling and promoting the need for Remaining Open to Continuous Learning.
