Cell phones in the classroom

This week in class we discussed the hot topic of technology in the classroom with the emphasis on cell phones.  Cell phones have become a daily necessity of life for many individuals; however, is it appropriate to be using them in the classroom?  Not only are they distracting to students and disruptive to teachers, but they can be used for cheating or even bullying.  As a teacher, I would be inclined to prohibit the use of cell phones within the classroom with perhaps some exceptions.  Cell phones are not all bad.  They have many functions such as time, calculators, recorders, cameras, and some can connect to the internet.  These are all functions that can be extremely helpful tools in the classroom.  Today’s students are immensely influenced by technology and will almost certainly be using it in their future careers.  Allowing the use of technology in the classroom is, in my opinion, an absolute must for students to be able to compete in the work world.  If cell phones provide helpful tools to assist learning, and perhaps working later in life, then I can see how its use may be beneficial to students.  Now the major issue is how to allow students to use their cell phones for the betterment of learning and not for inhibiting learning.  As a teacher I want to prohibit students from using their phone to talk or text in class but I don’t have a problem with them checking the time or having it on their desk to record discussions.  Although there may be some fine lines to these rules, it isn’t too difficult to tell if a student is distracted by texting.  As a teacher, if I see a student texting I might just make eye contact and ask them to put it away.  If a student is using their phone to text then this could be an indication that they are bored.  If they are bored then clearly the lesson is not engaging them and perhaps the lesson needs to be altered.  I hope to be a flexible teacher who cares about the learning of each individual in the classroom.