Cell phone policies are one of the most debated topics for secondary teachers, and for good reason! They’re tough to get right. In this episode, I’m sharing my honest experiences with different approaches, what’s worked (and what’s totally failed), and the key factors to consider before setting your own rules. We’ll talk about how your personality, classroom values, and admin support all play a role, plus why engaging, purposeful learning is the best deterrent to constant phone use. You’ll also get practical tips for setting expectations, building student buy-in, and using phone moments to teach digital responsibility...so that managing phones feels more doable and a lot less stressful.

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode205

Resources:

Secondary Science Simplified episodes by topic
Culture PD Mini-Course
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Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
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Related Episodes:

Episode 69, Admin Support - Why You Need to Ask, How to Ask, and What to Ask For
Episode 89, Classroom Management in a Post-COVID World with Guest Casey O.
Episode 92, 5 Ways to Have Precise Pacing and Tight Transitions in Your Secondary Science Classroom
Episode 96, Why I Stopped Assigning Homework (And 6 Surprising Results)

205. A Cell Phone Policy for High School Students