How Can Teachers Control Cell Phone Usage In Their Classrooms?

Cellphone Telekinesis


You can find out more about Dan’s book at That’s Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching or go on Dan’s website on thatspecial.co.

I started to take away cell phones in my fifth grade classroom because of the constant disruptions. To trust my students to leave them in their backpacks was no longer an option. As a teacher, texting is a constant distraction during any lesson. As a teacher in the 21st century one problem I face are necks constantly bent downwards, while faces glow bright with the latest digital download. 

The students with bent necks, all have the same bland expression. Similar to an apocalyptic zombie event. Lifeless feet drag emotionless corpses into the school, with a never ending quench to download, not blood, but social updates. Are these cell phones making these students any happier?

I see one of my students talk to Jamie in the main hallway of the school, “Dude, do you want to meet up tonight to hang out?” “I don’t know, text me tonight and ask me.” Jamie your friends are right in front of you, ask them in person for heavens sake!

This gadget, which supposedly has limitless entertainment opportunities, makes me fearful for the future of interpersonal relationships. Sending notifications and updates instead of playing outside with friends. Is that where this culture is heading? Yes, probably.

Even in silent mode, the cell phone is deadly to instruction. Cell phones never seem to die! If you are familiar with zombie theology, the double tap is necessary to make sure the zombie is really dead. Bam! Straight to the cell phone processor’s head. Pow! Pow! 

Remember don’t tell students to silence their phone, tell them to put it on airplane mode or power off. Double tap! 

Beyond killing the zombie cell phone virus with the double tap method, you need to quarantine the disease. If there is money left over in the school PTA budget a strict cardio after school program needs to be implemented in case the children rebel and the zombies take over. Please bring this line item up at the next parent teacher conference meeting with full sincerity. 

Cell phone zombies, combined with my fear that my students might turn on me one day, (exacerbated by a late night watching of “Children of the Corn”) led me to realize: I need to confiscate these devices. Remember, the lifeless bent over zombies can only be contained by mass community support.

How can mere teachers contain this epidemic in our classrooms? I would begin by searching our educational systems secret weapon: Pinterest. I found a pin on Pinterest and go with the  suggestion to have a cell phone jail in my classroom. I purchased a large clear plastic box to be placed on my desk, so that every student could see their social life was not going to run away. Each child is required to place their cell phone in cell phone jail upon entering the classroom. 

The first few weeks are met with the un-enthusiastic responses from the zombies, I mean students. The worst part is not the confiscation of the devices, but the vibrations. I have to keep reminding the children to double tap it! In a box of twenty cell phones, it is hard to distinguish who’s social life is jingling. Twenty eyes of longing status updates would stare intently into cell phone jail as the whole jar vibrates. Alas, your status update is #HendersonsHouseOfHorrors #IHopeICanRedGood #TheyFedMeDogFoodInHereOnce.

Three child are the worst cell phone villains, Rick, Jamie, and Claudia. They will hold up the line so they can send last minute selfies, or create a talk to text message that we can all hear.

“No, mom I like the ham and cheese hot pockets, gosh!” Jamie yelled, knowing that this last minute text stands between him and ham heaven.

These are my two favorite talk to text moments right before the cell phones entered cell phone jail.

The socially popular Claudia yells to her dad. “No, that’s not my hair in the refrigerator that’s the dogs.” With an obvious look to say that this has happened before. Followed by my second favorite. “Shut up, I don’t have a mangina!” By the pimply Rick.

As the week progresses, Rick, Jamie, and Claudia do not always surrender their cell phones willingly. Some students do not have cell phones, and we have not had any incidents to date. I began to believe I could trust my students and began to trust they would always surrender their cell phones in the morning.” 

I was wrong. These three culprits would lie. Straight to my face. The worst part is that I know they do not regret it, but Mr. Henderson always comes up with a plan for sweet justice.

One by one, their glowing faces give away hidden cell phones tucked under their desks. 

Week two of the school year, I have my first cell phone offender. Jamie, the proud owner of a processed cheese stained shirt, is the first to get caught. 

I spotted a hunchbacked Jamie, bent over looking culpable at a cell phone. I have described this behavior as the lurk. Jamie lurked under his desk. Jamie’s head is still bigger than his body in these developmental years, so the light from the phone glowed brighter on his face. He does not often talk, but when he does the crackle in his voice gives Jamie away. I catch Jamie saying, “I sent you the picture, check it later.” I pick up on his Jamie’s voice, thanks puberty!

I marched over to Jamie’s desk.

“Jamie! How long have you had that cell phone?” I demanded in an authoritative tone.

“Uhhh, for awhile.” He shrugged.

“Does awhile mean before the start of the school year?” I ask with my hands crossed. 

“Well it depends. I mean I got it this summer, It’s still summer until September 21st.” The excuses are often worse than the crimes.

This lame excuse made me recall a jingle for Jamie inspired from a hot pocket commercial, “What is Mr. Henderson gonna pick?……………de….ten…tion.”

“Jamie, you did not hand in your cell phone with everyone else. You will have after school detention this week.” 

After this stunt, and Jamie’s subsequent time in detention, I think the texting is under control. I hope that parents will teach their kids that the unlimited data plan does not mean you have to text unlimitedly. Your wireless carrier does allow you to eat, sleep, and even communicate with other humans without a screen being glued to your face. 

This day, I contemplated quitting teaching. To give you some context, I have been bitten by a student, spit on, and cursed out, but then Rick decided to pop a pimple right outside my class and take a selfie. I was so grossed out I turned my back on the cell phone jail as the pupils enter the classroom.

I hear one student say, “Awesome!” They say if you’re the smartest person in the room, leave the room. When zit selfies are considered awesome, leave that state. Rick decides to keep his cell phone since he saw me look away in disgust.

We start the morning message and a math lesson I wanted to review. Rick sat at his desk with his hands under the desk. Rick is a teaser, a jock, and a prankster. Naturally my eyes kept going back in his direction. Rick could not exhibit self control when someone dared him. I hear whispers for Rick and his classmate Jeff to be quiet. 

I must warn you to never turn your back as a teacher. I only turned slightly to my right to pick up a marker and then I hear: Click.

“What was that?” I turned around and Rick’s hands are further buried under his desk. That was clearly a cell phone camera noise.

“Did you just take a photo of me? Let me see your hands.” I demanded.

I check the photo and it’s a close up of my butt. 

I gripped the phone tightly and stare at the craters on his cheeks. 

Rick's face reddens, only intensifying the bright pimples around his face. I extended my hand to take the phone and my glare signals that he will be in detention with Jamie’s hot pockets. Rick, Jamie and their Proactive facial scrub would join his fellow cell phone junkies in detention.

After these two incidents, I assumed that these consequences have some sort of affect. Never underestimate a pre-teen. If they want to send a text, you will need to send in a SEAL team to stop them. Once such teen was a strong willed girl names Claudia.

Claudia had long black hair that hanged gracefully straight reaching the middle of her back. Her fingernails were either pink, black or purple on any given day. Claudia wore increasing shorter clothes to gain the attention from the boys newly encroaching hormones and of course for selfies.

“Claudia, Claudia put the cell phone in the bin.” Claudia rolled her eyes and turned her back on me blocking my view of the cell phone jail.

“I don’t think so. In the bin now!” I hear the pink cell phone case drop in with the other phones and she walked with her nose in the air towards her desk. 

We begin practicing long division. The lesson is off to a great start, so I thought.

The class is in groups of four and I passed out the assignment for students to work on. I see hands together and a face glowing with a zombie stare. How could it be? Does Claudia have telekinetic powers? How has she pulled the phone from the bin? 

I go to cell phone jail to check if Claudia’s phone is present. It’s in the bin, or at least it appears. She took off the pink case and took the cell phone to her desk. Sneaky little one. I proceeded cautiously across the room, to not give away my position and to scare the life out of her.

“Claudia! You took the cell phone out of the case and are defiantly texting in my classroom!”

Everyone stopped to look at the commotion and Claudia looked stoic. She stands up and sticks her nose in the air at me.

“This was a birthday present. You can’t take away a present. Just because I am texting does not mean I am not listening to you. This is not fair. I hate this school!” Oh God, then the tears start.

“Why can’t I have my phone? Why? Why? WHY?” The tears increased.

This is the apex of her miserable existence. Claudia is distraught, the shelter and three meals a day in an industrialized nation are taking their tole. The horror. Maybe I am being to hard, maybe it is as bad as it seems. Could it be that Claudia’s phone only has 3G?

“Claudia, stop crying. Claudia it’s only a phone. You will get it after school.” I declared.

I may as well have said that Claire’s social life was becoming extinct. Claudia hunched over and grabbed a textbook over her head indicating she will throw it at me if I proceed closer. This little girl has lost her mind. 

“Calm down Claudia, calm down” I try to ease the tension in the room, I think, if there were 100 books in my classroom and if there are twenty students, Claudia could throw five books at each of the students….. I could use this equation in my division lesson. Dan, Dan get back to your first world problems: a pre-adolescent girl is having a cell phone crisis. 

“Jamie, call down to the security officer and ask her to come up to our classroom.” I patiently said, as I pushed down my hands in the air to signal everything is calm.

The security guard came and uses the not so subtle yelling approach that most security guards use. It scared Claudia enough to drop the textbook in her hand and she is escorted to the principals office.

After the book throwing, detention, and the principals office, you might assume her attitude would change. Nope. 

Mom took away her cell phone for a week and then Claudia got her cell phone back. The class files in one by one, dropping off their cell phones. Claudia stood their texting away, lurching, leaning onto the screen. 

“Claudia, Claudia put the cell phone in the bin.” No response.

“Claudia, oh Claudia, class is starting.” She turned her back while rolling her eyes.

The class looked at me for leadership. I calmly get up and look her straight in the eye.

“It seems like you want to be on your phone all day talking to someone. Would you like for me to make that happen for you?” Claudia stared at me puzzled, but then followed me.

“Yes, come with me. You will be able to talk to someone on your phone all during class.” Like a french butler escorting a royal guest into a fabulous four star room, I walk briskly across the room with a big smile. Everyone wonders if Mr. Henderson had gone mental.

“Claudia, let me use your phone for just a minute.”

“Okay.” She says reluctantly, but figured, What can I lose?

I searched the contacts until I find the one number that will settle this little dispute. Mom. I call Mom.

“Hi Mom, it’s Mr. Henderson. I am calling you from Claudia’s phone. Listen, it seems that we might have had a cell phone incident again.”

Mom talked for awhile and I relay what has just happened. As mom started to get upset I say, “I know, I know.”

“Listen, since Claudia wants to be on her phone with someone why don’t we let her be on FaceTime with you. Yes, she can be on the phone all day with you watching to make sure she is working in our classroom.”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Mom says enthusiastically.

The other students start to giggle and Claudia looked like she is going to die. I put a desk in the corner with the cell phone pointed straight at her during the course of the whole lesson.

One student turned around and laughed at Claudia. I pick up a spare cell phone from my jail and ask to the whole class:

“Anyone else want me to FaceTime mom?”

Do you have problems with cell phone usage in school?

Do you have an interesting story of catching a cell phone culprit?

You can find out more about Dan’s book at That’s Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching or go on Dan’s website on thatspecial.co.

Email me at [ Dan ] [Henderson ] danhendersonthatsspecial@gmail.com

Website: www.thatspecial.co

Reviews from That’s Special A Survival Guide To Teaching:

If you were considering a career in teaching special education students and read Dan’s stories, you might think twice. After reading about his tools, however, you should see how it can be a rewarding option thanks to his tools and your own hard work and caring.

-Dr. Doug Green

Like the Facebook page at 

https://www.facebook.com/thatsspecial

*Disclaimer: All names have been changed to protect their identity.  All specific geographic indicators have been removed from these stories. Additionally, these stories are written about incidents that happened one year or longer from this date. @ That’s Special December 2015

3 Strategies To Promote Positive Reinforcement

3 Strategies To Promote Positive Reinforcement

by Dan Henderson, Author of That’s Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching

Check out the article on TeachThought

3 Strategies To Promote Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is the act of rewarding desired behavior by offering a desired reward. The goal is to promote desired behavior in the future.

What are some strategies to accomplish this in the classroom? Below, I’ve included 3 strategies to promote positive reinforcement, and beneath that shared a story about the kinds of behavior in the classroom that can benefit from such strategies.

1. Experiment with grading and feedback.

For example, studies have shown simply having students read an increased number of minutes per day has no bearing on academic progress. Plus, that is not teaching. For example, you might start by using a baseline, track progress towards mastery, and let the students know the mastery level so they know what they are working towards. If mastery is 100%, then students should be able to complete all problems with 100% accuracy before moving on. If you read a book for twenty minutes on a Monday and then 21 minutes Tuesday, what does that really prove?

Another possibility is grading backwards.

2. Exercise their academics endurance not by length of time, but my quality of that time. 

This might sound counter-intuitive to what I just mentioned. However, I award attempts at completing a problem. For example, a student will complete a math problem and misses a step. I will tell them there is math error in the second step.

The student works out the problem again on paper and gets the correct answer. I give the child a check that goes towards choice time minutes at the end of class. Albert Einstein said, “It’s not that I am smarter than anyone else, it’s that I spend more time on a problem.”

3. Use private conference and self monitoring.

In a sea of paperwork and standardized testing, it might seem impossible to conference with all your students in a class. However, everyone wants that human connection, and everyone enjoys praise. I created an activity that lists monthly goals and expectations. While students track their work and keep a binder of their work, I will have a monthly conference to check in.

This usually takes about 10 minutes, but the payoff is astounding. Apathy is replaced by energy while we look through their work and reward students for their efforts. We then talk about next month’s goals and quickly strategize a plan. The payoff is not only academic gains but joyful children.

In Austin’s case, he just wanted attention from his peers. One of the ways we corrected his bullying was to have him present his work in front of the class on a regular schedule. How did I get to know what Austin wanted? I asked him. It’s not rocket science if a child is acting up in class. Your first step to understanding how your students want to be praised is by asking them.

A Story From My Classroom About Behavior And Feedback Of All Kinds

Too little time is spent in the classroom creating and administering positive reinforcement strategies to help our students thrive.

The end goal with any student should be joyful energetic learners who are coming to the teacher seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge. The problem is the social/emotional piece of school often resembles an institution: trays of mystery meat in the cafeteria, silent rows of children filling in repetitive worksheets, and students slowly transforming into zombies. I tried to rectify this night of the living dead scenario by creating a positivity jar where I would fill a jar with positive experiences I witness children make during the day. I made a grave mistake. One day I took some positivity out of the jar; it was a glass jar in a second grade classroom.

The idea behind the positivity jar was for students to be proactive, kind, and motivated. The idea was to have a group goal for the class. I found an old glass jar in the basement and went to the dollar store to buy bouncy balls. There would be select times in the day when we would add bouncy balls to the positivity jar. The balls added up time at the end of the day for choice time. Choice time was time to play at the end of the day; the theory being work hard and then you play hard. If you get your work done, you have earned your fun. Setting expectations and what actually motivates kids is highly subjective to each child. You should adapt the rewards to what actually motivates the child not what you assume will motivate every child.

At the beginning of each year, we started off by creating a classroom culture. We had the students help formulate the rules within the class. Everyone agreed to the rules and talked about logical consequences if they were broken. The positivity jar was a set of rules or expectations that if we worked as a team every bouncy ball stood for a minute of choice time. How we would get choice time was saying positive comments to our friends, everyone completing tasks on time, or collaborative groups assignments completed together.

To get the positive juices flowing the positivity jar was presented in the morning. We had students present a positive event they witnessed among their peers the prior day.

Cynthia would say, “I saw Jon going back into the article to get his answer.” A ball would go into the jar for the class. Jon would say back, “I saw Cynthia helping her friend with her binders when her papers fell on the floor.” Another ball would bounce into the jar. Wide smiles would appear on the students blemish free faces. The positive reinforcement was working, but some poor soul would have to deal with a rebel of an unholy condition. His name was Austin. Austin would prove to be the Arch-nemesis of the positivity jar.

Positive reinforcement only works if the students care. Since Austin did not care about choice time, Austin sought to take the attention away from my positive reinforcement strategy. By hurling insults such as “If you are smart, why are you in Mr. Henderson’s low group of readers?” Austin would purposefully try to get the group from not earning their positive mojo by being “the bad kid.”

If stupid is as stupid does (thank you Forrest Gump), then attention seeking bullies are as attention seeking bullies do. The span of time to which these incidents occurred stretched across a Monday to a Friday. It all started when Austin wanted a laugh from his peers. We started the morning message, and Austin had his turn to present.

With a sarcastic tone Austin says, “I am really happy Cynthia brought her scarf to school so we would not have to see her face.”

“Austin! Apologize to Cynthia.” A few students laugh, but most students are annoyed. At this moment, I would usually grab for a bouncy ball. It would ricochet off the glass jar, echoing gleefully a reward for all. I could not add a ball to the jar. I grabbed for the ball instinctively, hesitated and was meet with shock in youthful eyes.

“I’m sorry class, but I can’t reward that comment.” Everyone glares at Austin with disdain. Austin smug smile shows he is receiving the attention he was seeking because we all played into his trap. Would we take the bait again?

Jon was a slender boy who was obsessed with playing math games. He eagerly sat crisscrossed on the carpet as the reverberations in the class jar meant he would increase his screen time. At the end of the day, I decide to give Austin another chance at saying a positive comment. Most student sit with their hands in their laps or on their knees in anticipation for the final tally. The positivity jar had a few bouncy balls, and the children were growing restless.

With a devilish grin and a Peter Pan stance with hands by his sides he says, “I want to thank Jon for helping me in my math group.” He sits suddenly on the carpet, and we wait to see if he gives an insult. After a few seconds I say, “Ok, great.” I grab a ball, and it bounces in the clear glass for all to see.

In my peripheral vision, I see Austin cup his hands abruptly. “But what would really help us out is if Jon and Cynthia could cover up their ugly faces.”

“Austin! Inappropriate apologize to Jon and Cynthia now!” I abruptly remove the ball I had placed in the jar for Austin. I unintentionally have associated the positivity jar with a negative consequence, which was what I was hoping to avoid when creating the positivity jar.

Jon and Cynthia grip their knees, pressed firmly to show their anger. Austin was still giving a smug smile, and some of the students giggled fueling the teasing. I looked directly at Austin and he stopped smiling.

“Austin, apologize to Cynthia and Jon”

“Ok, I will, but can they cover up their faces first?”

Jon pushes two hands to the ground and propels his body at full charge. Austin anticipates the attack and is on his feet running away. The boys start weaving in between desks. Austin avoids a right punch, then a left. Next, Austin crawls under the desk to avoid Jon’s blows.

“Stop it, stop it!” I yell, but I get no cooperation. I get up to chase the boys. They have now circled to the front of the room. The children are sitting in a circle around the rug. Jon and Chase jump between two girls. The girls yell, “stupid boys” as their shoes kick them as they pass. Jon stands by my desk near the positivity jar. Austin stands in his Peter Pan stance taunting Jon. Jon picks up the positivity jar and flings it violently across the room straight at Austin’s face.

The jar barley misses Cynthia’s head by a few centimeters. The jar crashes into hundreds of little pieces.  Bouncy balls use their kinetic energy to hop wildly. The students in unison say, “ohhhhh” to indicate they know some student is dead meat.

“Jon and Austin go see Principal Laney and tell him what you have done. Wait, wait, and get the janitor we have to clean up this mess. Nobody else move; there is glass all over the floor.” Jon and Austin trudge out of my class waiting the impending detention. I shake my head slowly. My symbolic positivity is on the floor in pieces.

After the janitor cleans up the glass shards and I get my class going on an assignment, I ask the reading coach to watch my class while I talk to my boys. I walk to the principal’s office and find them at desks with their heads covered by their hands. The principal had to deal with another troublemaker, and they were left alone. I pulled up a chair to Austin to get to the root of the problem.

“Why are you always giving insults to your classmates?” I ask compassionately hoping to bring some sort of recourse.

Austin averts his eyes to say, “I know what I will get when I joke around. Everyone will look at me and that feels good.”

I realized that Jon needs help to determine the correct kinds of attention. Maybe Austin was not just a bully, but a kid who needed to be loved. Over the years I have tried many ideas on positive reinforcement. Why? You need positivity as the base of your teaching. As for the glass positivity jar, it went into retirement. All I can tell you is that plastic makes positivity jars possible.

Students who seek attention through bad behavior are simply tied to a reliable form of social attention. Attention cannot always be distinguished as good or bad in the child’s mind. The student acts out because it is a reliable way to get noticed. The attention is better than no attention. Students don’t always qualify behavior as good or bad.

Pinterest or teaching sites have thousands of different ideas to promote positive reinforcement in your classrooms. I believe the positive reinforcement strategies that work the best tie into the academic rigor of the curriculum.

You can find out more about Dan’s book at That’s Special: A Survival Guide To Teaching or go on Dan’s website on thatspecial.co; image attribution flickr user sparkfunelectron

Email me at [ Dan ] [Henderson ] danhendersonthatsspecial@gmail.com

Website: www.thatspecial.co

Reviews from That’s Special A Survival Guide To Teaching:

If you were considering a career in teaching special education students and read Dan’s stories, you might think twice. After reading about his tools, however, you should see how it can be a rewarding option thanks to his tools and your own hard work and caring.

-Dr. Doug Green

Like the Facebook page at 

https://www.facebook.com/thatsspecial


*Disclaimer: All names have been changed to protect their identity.  All specific geographic indicators have been removed from these stories. Additionally, these stories are written about incidents that happened one year or longer from this date. @ That’s Special 2015