Cellphone, iPhones, iPods, OH MY!!!!!!!!

I think back to high school, I remember writing notess to my friends often.  We would put the date, time, our favorite song, and then tell what was on our mind. I use to fold my notes in the cutest way possible and give it to my friends during passing period.  Ah! The good old days. That's right "old days!" Even though I haven't had a twenty year high school reunion yet, the times when I was in high school doesn't exisit anymore.

Today students are texting their friends during class, calling them during class, and commenting on their facebook status during class! Instead of including their favorite song in a note, they are listening to it.  In Class!!! When I went to college to become an educator these type of "gadgets" didn't even exisit so there was really no expert to teach teachers how to deal with the problem. However, I have my theory on a solution that will help eliminate these electoronic devices dominating the classroom. 

The Solution:  Parents!

Parents, you are teachers partners in crime.  We need your help! A father came in to parent conference night two weeks ago and he cried when I told him that his son listens to music in my class. His folder was empthy and he has a 0% average.  The father took the ipod away and the boy came to school the next day and did his work for the first time.  He became a model student.  A week later, the father gave the ipod back to his son. Guess what happened?  He stopped doing his work. Even when I made him put his ipod away (which I was lucky he did) he still did not do any work.  When I asked him why, he said his father gave him the ipod back so now he doesn't have to. 

I was lucky he put the ipod away and answered my questions. Sometimes these students would be willing to fight a teacher before they hand over a cellphone or an ipod.  "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

But what I do ask that we have time for is for the parents to talk to their kids about what they are doing in school, look at their cellphone to see if they are texting during class, and take their gadgets if they are using them excessively in school!

If parents and teachers will work together, then together we can improve public education in this country. One parent/teacher pair at a time.

I'm Shira Dillon, a high school teacher in Los Angeles, CA
Like my FB page www.facebook.com/ParentsTeacherandTeens to unite with me to help public education become a better institution of learning.  Our children need it!