Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Where I Unload About Cell Phones

With May, comes a new level of impatience for teachers. I've reached a sort of Zen this week. Whereas last week, I was ready to snap at anything and everyone in my way (I found myself asking friends, "Is this something I should choose to be angry about?"), this week I know I am stressed and nasty and treat all of my actions and reactions to a filter.

All except my reactions to cell phones.

Now, the policy at my school is that they aren't to be out. The first time a teacher sees a phone, he/she takes it and returns it at the end of class. The second time, we're to give it to the Principal's Secretary who holds it til the end of the day. If you're thinking that the secretary shouldn't be the one to handle this, you don't know ours. This woman can live a long and happy life without students liking her. She doesn't care a bit and takes no crap. I love her, and my life's goal is to live forever on her good side.

Now, how many times have you tried to take a child's phone only to have them respond, "You can't take my phone!! This is my mamma!!"? You've learned to handle this, haven't you? I take it anyway, encouraging the child to make mamma aware of the cell phone policy.

Are you ready for the next wave, though? How are you going to handle it when you attempt to take a child's phone only to have them scream that their text message is from the Pope?

How I wish he'd just gotten a MySpace.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

O.K. sorry for the poor link above. Here is a better one....I hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hut3VRL5XRE

Shan said...

I hate cell phones at school, too. We have the same policy as you--they are not to be out, on or seen (at all) during the day. We fight such a losing battle with it that it isn't even funny.