The semester is all of two weeks along, and already I am giving curmudgeonly reminders to LEAVE THE CELL PHONES ALONE.
My standard class policy is any behavior that detracts from the classroom—here, you can read it for yourself. . .
Classroom Behavior: During our class time, we should show mutualSadly, this list of what constitutes uncivilized behavior has grown over the years. In my earlier versions of the syllabus, I didn’t specify what examples of rude behavior were. And then I had a student who slept in class. Admittedly, it was an 8 a.m. class, and he may even have worked all night. But when he came to class, he would sprawl across his desk, and sleep. Fine. Well, not really—but I initially thought it was a one-time thing. But he slept the next day too. And this time, his open text book tumbled to the floor with a bang, and woke him up. First, I made an observation to the effect of Nice of you to join us. Then I spoke with him at the end of class. You have to stay awake, I said. I know, he admitted sheepishly. The next day, he dropped the class.
respect for each other and for the instruction presented. Successful learning and dialogue can occur where all participants exhibit civilized behavior. The antithesis of civilized behavior is rude behavior. It affects everyone and affects the quality of our class time together. Among examples of rude behavior are the following:
-- persistent tardiness;
-- talking and chatter unrelated to the discussion at hand;
-- talking while someone else has the floor;
-- sleeping in class;
-- any activity that distracts from learning;
-- ANYTHING involving cell phones except turning them off while in class.
While cell phones were around when I resumed teaching in 2002, they weren’t disruptive at first. If a cell phone merrily sprang to life, jangling who-knows-what “tune,” I would make fun of it, and remind the student to silence the ringer.
And then text messaging became ubiquitous. Or should I say—txt msg? (Certainly explains the woeful spelling I see!) So, two years ago, I inserted the “ANYTHING involving cell phones” line. And I laid the smackdown on touching a cell phone during an exam. My rule? You touch a cell phone during an exam, and you are out of the class for that day, and the exam is forfeited.
Usually, I get to make these dire reminders more than half way into a semester. Not this year. During the second class, a student sat in the second row in front, and TEXT MESSAGED who knows? So, I just looked at her, called her by name, and said—PUT THE PHONE AWAY. This interchange occurred after another student had finished a quiz, then got up, handed me a note and walked out of class. Her note said she had to go home for “an emergency.” I didn’t see her with her phone, but I assume she too got a text message. I talked to her today, and told her to knock it off.
Folks, I really do try to keep my sense of humor where teaching is concerned, as it is the one absolute essential tool to survival. But, two weeks into class—grrrrr! Fume, fume. Could be a long semester.