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Cell phones are one of a teacher's worst nightmares. Remember the days of just note passing? At least a teacher had a better chance of catching those being passed around. Now in this day and age technology, teachers hardly stand a chance. Tex messaging can be so concealed that teachers do not even realize it is taking place.

Camera phones are also such a distraction from work being done in class. Sometimes a teacher can catch a flash going off and it alerts them that their student or students are not doing what they are supposed to do. It really is not easy. But what is the proper way of disarming the cell phone user while class is being conducted?

About three years ago, I had the chance to experience the habitual cell phone, text messaging, users when I was a substitute teacher in the High Schools. Having daughters myself, now grown, but all the same part of that large group of texting addicts, I started watching them text while I tried to talk to them. I started watching their movements and their body language, hand and arm movements then I started watching that of my students and I was getting wise, which made it easier for me to catch them in the act and take the phones in mid text. They knew I was only a substitute and not a "real teacher" but I was getting just as slick as they were and BAM out of their hands it went into my own.

First the warnings went out. Signs on the chalk board about the rules about cells and texting. Then I would be almost like a magician and it was gone and they did not get it back. I found writing them up was useless. Making it mine was so much more effective. Administration gave me the permission to take them and not give them back, but I would give it back to them at the end of class so it could be some other teacher's headache or they could be the one who disposed of them into the office.

I tried walking around with a basket, so all phones would be placed in it until the end of class and who ever was caught with them in use by other students who had theirs up, they would be the first ones to squeal on their classmate for not giving up their when they had to. I figured making each other the enemy was much easier than having my tires slashed in the parking lot, or my windshield broken and I found that really effective. Thus peace and harmony and their total attention was mine for a while.

But now, with all the school shootings and violence happening in the High Schools, students do not have the option of protecting themselves or their other classmates if a situation would arise, students would not be able to make an emergency phone call to authorities or to their parents if something went terribly wrong. I had then made it a priority to explain to the students that cell phones could remain in their possession, only if they were acting responsibly and only used it in case of an emergency. If they were caught otherwise , it would be taken and there would be no way to use it to make a possible last call to their family or to the police. How would they feel if they could not say good-bye to their parents or maybe even being the hero to save the day, how would their parents feel if they knew that their baby was in danger and they could never speak to them ever again because their child had to break the rules by texing an unnecessary message about where they were going to lunch. The looks on their faces were priceless. For some reason guilt, and self survival took over and after that I did not seem to have any more problems.

Learn more about this author, Helena Stone.
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