Cell phones in class? - What should teachers do?

I think this is a good idea,and I support you.In my opinion,taking on my cell phone in class is not respect for our teachers and even for ourselves.For another,it will distract our attention from classes.So our students should take off our cell phone self-conciously.

There are many arguments supporting either side of having cell phones in the classroom. If more students had the attitude of Gail, then there would be fewer problems about the use of cell phones in the classroom. Sometimes it might be wise to consider the situation if the problem was reversed. That is to say, the teacher would his his/her cell phone in the middle of class time to play games, talk to others, or do texting, rather than doing the instruction. Then the students could experience the teacher being impolite and ignoring them. What do you think?

We students should respect teachers . And in class , what we need to do is to focus on your teaching .

In fact,I consider that students should turn off their cell phone.Because we students acquire knowledge from the lesson.And the price of every lesson is extremely expensive.In addition，we should respect our teachers.

Well, interesting subject? I reember in one school I was at there were that many celphones or chargers plugged into the outlets during class that it really was a fire hazard.
It seems many agree that they should not be used in class, but at the same time should not be banned? Unfortunately not every student has the self discipline or manners to restrain themselves, use a dictionary to look up words that's what we used to do, and by the way, cellphones are a recent piece of technology, only maybe 10 years ago they were almost non existent, certainly for students.
Emergencies were still handled in a civilized manner,the teacher can always be contacted if there is an emergency, and people waited till lunch break to talk face to face with friends. I have seen many instances of students txting friends who were just outside in the corridor, is this good for human relationships. Me thinks not!
One Chinese teacher at the school would confiscate the handpiece for 3 days! This resulted in screaming and yelling, tears and outrage, as if a body part had been removed.
Everyone in China seems to have at least one of these devices, they have become part of the culture. Can you survive without them? History would indicate that you indeed can.
Will the day come when nobody speaks to anybody except on the phone? We used to go and visit friends, a much healthier idea I think?

I think it is ok.It is obvious that we can't live without cell phone now.But i think if u use it to play game during the class,read the novel,send message,or go through mini blog, i think this kind of behaviour is impolite.Sometimes i would use the cell phine,but I use it to find the translation of some words,so i think is ok.Nathan,u can shout at them if u find someone use it to entertain,haha.

From my perspective,I don't agree with the idea that constraining the use of cellphones in class in campus life.Maybe it is effective and necessary in high school,but college students should have some kind of consciousness of using it.You can use it for many application,but you should recognize when and where is appropriate.In my opinion,colleges students should have such ability to do things right.It it juse be banned,they will never know how to cope with other things.

It's no use collecting all the students' cellphone in box.The scient technolgy always brings about mixed impacts.Although it provides us convenience in daily life,sometimes we're misleaded not to make good use of it,such as indulging in playing cellphone.And a few people can be themselves in control to resist in scient attractability.Thus,interesed as a teacher's class is,there're still some students to be lured to play their cellphone.

In my view, phones can be allowed in class but only when it is kept in silent.
Playinng phones should be banned because it will distract our attention.

Now we,college students,should not be banned not to take a mobile phone.Because almost all of us are adults,we should have freedom,but I don't mean we can use them when in class more often.We'd better use them as little as possible.Sometimes it can save time for us to find the meanings of some new words,but if we actually want to learn the words,the best way is turn to dictionary.Also,when we use our phone,basically,we can't concentrate our attention.Tell you the truth,for me ,if the class is very dull,I would rather use my phone.It is obvious that I am a little rebellious.True?But this situation scarcely happen in my major courses.

I believe us foreign teachers can say much about this controversial issue, but I'll refrain from that as I'll take a whole page to say what I want to! I too have experienced situations where the University office would communicate with my class monitors while in the classroom. Disgusting, to say the least. The following should suffice:

1. Most students commenting here have expressed their support to NOT using a phone in the classroom (I noticed that most of them are from the South ... such lucky teachers!);

2. Using a phone in the classroom shows your disrespect of the teacher - most students commenting here said that themselves;

3. University authorities, be it from admin or other teachers, should act more responsibly and not dispatching messages to students during class hours; that's is totally unacceptable and also disrespectful toward the teachers;

4. If phones could be banned in the High School classroom, there is no reason for it not to be banned from the University or College classrooms too! Oh you say it is different now because you are adults?! Then explain to me why many students act so immaturely at times?! Only when we can trust you in the smaller things, can we trust you with responsibilities too.

5. Best is, from the very beginning, make your class rules very clear. And then, apply those rules and dish out punishment where necessary. Not easy, I know (I often fail myself). But despite many students' good intentions, they still bring their phones to class, and they still keep their phones turned on, and they'll still use their phones when they think you can't see them, knowing that actually their action is showing that disrespect to you. But at that moment it doesn't matter to them (that's how I perceive that).

Ha, nearly half a page! Bottom line to me - it is a matter of attitude and general respect toward people. Nothing more and nothing less. :)

Using a cell phone in a classroom is really a kind of bad behavior . Because it can not only influence you but you other classmate .so I hope those students can be more conscious .

I am a foreign teacher, teaching English in China..
Firsty I dont care if a student has a phone and personaly I believe its wrong for a teacher to take the phone away and hold it during class.
When I was teaching oral English in Northern China, a teacher took all the students phones and kept them at his desk in a box until class was over,and at the end of class each student picked up their phones and left. One student got his phone taken and the teacher assumed no responsibility for it. Later that week the students father came in and spoke with that teacher which then turned into an argument then turned into a hand to hand fight.(the teacher deserved to be beaten)
I believe a students phone is private and nobodys business.
In my oral English class if a studnets phone rings I let them answer it, As long as their speaking english then its ok~

And its needed for a dictionary and so on..

Treat college students as adults, and not as their children in grammer school or high school

So, My athoughts are; You or your parents paid for that phone, And your parents paid for that college and the teacher doesnt own nothing in which you paid for.

Next term If I join yr class, I won't play the cell phone in yr class.Please don't worry about it.

Although I understand that some students use their phones to look up the meanings of different words, I always make it clear, at the start of each semester, that I don't want to see (or even be suspicious) that a cellphone is being used in my class. There are other methods of gleaning the meaning of a word, without risking looking like a student who's texting, surfing or gaming on their mobile phone in MY class!

But despite that (and my best efforts to keep EVERYONE engaged in the lesson), it's still something that I see quite regularly!

My method of dealing with this is to make a note of which student is 'misbehaving' (whether it be texting, talking or even sleeping) and then DEDUCT FROM THEIR GRADE at the end of the semester. If I see a 'repeat offender' or someone is so bad that I feel they are setting a bad example, to others in their class, I make an example of them and express my disappointment in their behaviour (and then deduct some more from their score!).