...and you're wondering why you're not doing well????? What could possibly be sooo important that it can't wait until break? Maybe the fascinating conversation went like this:
Girl A: Hey, what r u doing?
Girl B: I'm in chemistry. I hate this class. It's sooooo hard.
Girl A: I'm in such-and-such class. Just got test back. Got a C-.
Girl B: You're doing better than I am! Lol!
Girl A: (hugs)
Girl B: I can't wait until break. The girl next to me keeps giving me dirty looks.
Girl A: Tell me about it. My teacher just glared at me. *****
Girl B: Time for break. Gotta go.
Girl A: TTYL
I feel better...just needed to vent a little. I just wish the instructor had better control of the class...is it just me, or is rudeness the norm these days?
So did you get up and move to a different seat, or ask her to stop texting?
I didn't want to distract others by moving or having a side conversation during lecture, but if she sits near me again I will definitely move prior to the beginning of class. Luckily she hasn't been back to class since then...so maybe I won't have to worry about it.
If the student in the original post is being irresponsible then that's on her and one day she may be sorry but it is her money and as long as she wasn't interfering with my work ... I wouldn't make it my business.
But that WAS the point of many responders: texting is very distracting to the people around the texter. Sure, who gives a rat's backside if someone is sitting in class daydreaming or not paying attention? They're not interfering with the rest of the students' ability to concentrate or listen. Texting is another thing altogether; it isn't silent. And RUDE (to teachers and other students alike), as the OP stated.
I don't think that ANY rule can be applied so liberally it's a do or die situation. People have lives, emergencies, etc.
For example, my cell phone says on throughout the class..I put it on silent, it's on my desk, so only the light flashes when it's ringing. The only people that call me during class is on rare occasion my husband, but if it's my sister-in-law, she won't be calling unless it's an emergency, and I will pick up the phone and go outside to answer it...and the two times it has happened has been the two times I have had to take one or the other child to the ER.
Our main school line is too heavily automated and the nursing faculty secretary is away from her desk 1/2 the day, as well as she never checks her voice mail...so I have absolutely no confidence that I can be reached in a timely manner if I did not have my phone with me.
We also have several students that work the night shift at the hospital as LPN's or PCT's. A couple of them have very long commutes (over an hour), so they come to class in the morning. This is very, rarely a problem with people coming in late. However, when it does, you can rest assured there is a reason for it.
However, these aren't the situations we are talking about. No student should be kicked out of class for having their cell phone on if there is a reason for it..nor should that student feel that they have to announce the issue to the entire class...it's none of their business if I have something personal going on that I may need to take care of during class time, but this has very, very rarely happened.
Nor should students be locked out of a class...especially at my school b/c our instructors never show up on time and in some cases, don't at all. We even had one that cancelled clinical and didn't tell anyone and her students drove an hour to the hospital...with no instructor.
If you have a student that is walking out of the classroom several times a day...then that is a problem. If you have a group of students who are late every day...then that is a problem.
However, in the real world, I have never worked anywhere that wasn't accomodating. Life happens and no matter how important something is, no matter how much you value it, sometimes you can't be everywhere you need to be at once.
First, hello to everyone...this is my first post, but I have been on the site for quite some time. I am proud to say that I am taking steps toward becoming a nurse!!!
Back to the subject....
I understand what the original person of this thread is feeling. As a teacher, it is very disrespectful to carry on a conversation during class whether on the phone or by text. Now, I am not talking about someone who quickly texts and is done, but any more than that and you should be polite enough to excuse yourself out of the class and handle your business...and if receiving an important call don't answer it in the classroom, hurry your booty into the hallway and again handle your business before returning. I would have laid a couple ground rules on the first day of class to prevent things like this, so you would not be surprised when I asked you very kindly and lovingly to leave. Now, before you say "but I have kids and it may be important", well I have kids and I have my phone on quiet and glance at it from time to time to make sure that I only take the important calls and if needed I too hurry my booty into the hallway. I am enrolled in A&P I and was disgusted by the fact that in the middle of the lecture a young lady in the class decided to get her newspaper out and read it then turned the page to read some more...are you serious? Now, I do admit the teacher side of me gets extra annoyed at the habits of my fellow students like the girl in the class that must keep clicking her pen or the guy that just loves to pop his gum or the girl that keeps sitting at my lab table and does absolutely nothing...and yes I had to handle that as if she was my student by assigning her something to do. Okay, I didn't mean to vent...the point is respect that others should not have to deal with your "important" phone call/text, and if late enter quietly. Yes I have kids and emergencies and life throws many punches my way, but my personal life does not negate the fact that in class I must always be a respectful and responsible student for the sake of my instructor and fellow classmates.
When I was in school, we had several lecture halls with those long rows of seats that are attached together, and if you have a leg shaker or someone who constantly rocks back and forth, it can nearly cause motion sickness.
More than once, I have had to tell someone to sit still, or heard someone else do that, and if they didn't, I moved to another location, mid-class.
I don't think anyone has a beef with the person who leaves their phone on for an emergency or in case there is a problem with the kids. The complaint is the constant texters who just text all the time, regardless of the situation.
I had a teacher who said if we were waiting for an important call, we had to let her know about it and put our phone on vibrate. And then when the call came, we had to go out into the hall to answer it. A reasonable compromise; one that doesn't punish someone who occasionally needs to answer a call for a very good reason.
I just want to make it clear that in my rambling and venting moment, I am in full support of the original person of this thread. So, I do fully understand that this is in regards to excessive texts or calls, really I do understand. I just added how I felt about it from three sides...as a parent, as a student, and as a teacher. The "you" that I mentioned wasn't aimed at anyone here or at least those of us who understand that distractions should be kept to a minimum. That was my way of talking to the person in my class who just goes to the back of the room and discusses her child's issues, on the phone, in the middle of class. As for telling the instructor, while I understand that in some cases, I think that as adults, unless the situation is one where you know there is a great chance that you will need to leave abruptly, you should not have to tell an instructor your reasoning for keeping your phone on when the ringer should be off anyway...quietly leaving out of the classroom should really be enough...the instructor won't know whether you are making a bathroom run or handling an urgent matter on the phone if you quietly leave out. At my age I refuse to ask to go to the bathroom so quietly leaving the class really shouldn't be too distractive. I do have children and I must keep my phone on but the ringer is off.
Well... this really was interesting. I said earlier that I am a texter that gets good grades but that I have a huge problem sitting still and paying attention in class. I also said that I learn better by reading the material and I never seem to take anything in listening to the teacher. I get fidgety in class. But I really never realized that my texting could be disturbing anyone, and it was probably silly and inconsiderate of me. I always keep my phone on silent and I didn't think that just the action of texting would bother other people. But (ew, someone just walked into my office, still smoking! :barf01:) I think I probably need to listen to my own advice and realize that everyone does learn different, and some people really can't learn with people texting around them. Maybe some of these people are just being rude (and yes, a lot of these people sounded rude, talking, not having their phones on vibrate, and lets not forget the spitting) but maybe you guys should just say something to a person who is texting. They might not realize that its bothering someone. I know I'm not going to be texting in class anymore. I'll just have to suck it up and try writing notes again... Don't know how I'll do it with my 3 hour long algebra class though...
In my chemistry class there are a group of guys that act all wild during lab, and cheat during the exams. My professor doesn't seem to care, it was distracting (until I switched lab partners further away from them which solved the problem hopefully) and so I know what you mean.
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polka-dot, RN
1 Article; 375 Posts
I didn't want to distract others by moving or having a side conversation during lecture, but if she sits near me again I will definitely move prior to the beginning of class. Luckily she hasn't been back to class since then...so maybe I won't have to worry about it.