Are mobile phones in classrooms a good idea?

[eyeshade]

I had no idea they were even allowed in the classroom, my gast was flabbered this morning when they said children have them on in the classroom and accept phone calls during the lesson. No wonder some leave without being able string a sentence together.

[sense4all]

I agree , in principal, with you Andy .However, I want my child to have her phone on the walk to and from school but I can't make it evaporate on arrival at school, so a compromise has to be made.

[4getmenot]

I;d say keep 10p in their pocket :-) But most phone boxes have been weed in or dont have a phone :-)

[babybombo]

At my school you are allowed them but they've to be turned off during class times.
I agree that it's terrible to think of people being allowed to take calls in class, if any of us did that we'd be sent straight out!
I think they aren't "needed", in the true meaning of the word, but pupils should have the choice to take them or not.
I often need mine for my mother to tell me where she is, like today she sent me a text at 3.30 to tell me to meet her at tesco. I didn't have my keys today so I would have been stuck outside my home (in this weather!) until she got back nearly two hours later.

If phones are seen, or heard, in class at our school, the it is confiscated until the end of the day, so pupils know to keep them off or face the consequences. I think that this is the best way to deal with it.

[andy-hughes]

Fair point senseforall - I agree that provision for safety is an excellent idea, and your school seems to have sorted out the right way forward.

[taichiperson]

It's not an issue at my boys' school, as luck would have it there is no signal inside the school - just outside!!

[eyeshade]

taichie, there isn't a signal yet!!!! Knowing schools, I wouldn't be surprised if they paid the phone companies to install masts there! Hey ho! I'm glad I'm not at school any more.