Week 8 Response

1. If you were the teacher, how would you handle this situation?
If "by this situation" means the two girls cheating, I would give them both zeroes the test they were found cheating on, as this is clearly a situation that would be considered cheating. However, if it instead refers to the growing problem of cheating using cell phones in the class room, that's a little different story. I suppose I would most likely require students to put their cell phones out on their desks while they took a test. That way I could monitor them much easier than watching to see if students are texting in their laps.

2. As a teacher, would you ban all cell phones in your classroom?
I believe cell phones could definately be used in an educational manner in the classroom. Off the top of my head I can't think of any applications, but I am sure there are plenty. Also, as a band teacher, I'm sure there will be plenty of times where I need to focus on just one group to get a part right. If my other students are texting each other, instead of talking to each other, which they most likely would do if cell phones were banned, would keep the noise level down and allow the students who are having the problems concentrate on what I need to teach them without distractions from conversations going on around them.

3. What should happen to Laura and Jessica?
I don't think anything outside the realm of what happens to other students who cheat using less modern methods of cheating. They were using technology to do things that students have been doing for probably since school started. For the test they were caught cheating on, they should probably get zeroes, but beyond that, I'm sure there's not much I as a teacher could do.

4. Should cell phones be prohibited in schools? If so, how do you make parents feel
that their kids are safe at school? And how can a policy be enforced?
I feel as though cell phones should not be completely prohibited in school. They are a very useful tool in the right context, in an academic perspective. Plus, students are just going to sneak them in anyways if they're prohibited. However, I think certain measures need to be taken to prevent the misuse of cell phones. For instance, having students place their phones on their desks durin tests can help eliminate texting answers to classmates. And I think that if there really is an emergency where a parent needs to reach their child, the cell phone is the perfect way to do that.