Getting rid of the phones was one of the best things we did my last couple years of teaching. The kids complained, a few parents called and bitched, but after a month, very few missed them and we actually got a lot more learning in without kids messing with them.Our educational system continues to "rise."
Was asked to sub for a HS history teacher that simply walked out, minus anything resembling a two week notice. No excuses, just "adios."
About half of the students showed up 15- 20 minutes late, first day.
When I questioned the principal, re: how to handle this, his response was, "As long as they show up within 20 minutes of class time, don't mark them as tardy."
Folks, we have much greater degrees of concern re: education, as opposed to teacher's that f**k their students.
Haven't researched our percipitous US educational "fall" of recent...don't need to.
Ps. Try requesting that students not play on their phone, during class time. If you haven't spent time teaching in a modern day classroom, dissapear.
The one thing that many people feel today is that they do not have to obey what is told to them, that the rules do not matter and the rules are for others, not them. I did not have a problem if a kid showed up 1 minute late for class, but when it starts to happen every day, then it becomes a problem when a kid is abusing it. I was late cause I had to go to the RR, fine, 3 days in a row, now it's a problem, and you will be counted tardy, but I have to go, then come to the classroom and ask and then you can do down. But you will come and ask first, because you have lost your free RR pass.