The classroom policy is clear.

Phones are not allowed in Mr. Palowitch’s classroom.

Your student knows that phones must be away and out of sight during class. You and your child signed the syllabus where this policy is stated.

If I see a phone, I will take it. I will attach a piece of tape to the phone with their name and period written on it. The phone is turned into the attendance office where the student can pick it up at the end of the day. The attendance office records the offense, and on the second occurence, you will receive a phone call.

There are rare times I allow phones to be used for schoolwork. Emphasis on the word “schoolwork“. When students have time in class to complete their math work and there is time remaining, I will clearly state that students may use the rest of the class to do schoolwork. Mine is a working classroom; not a gaming room, not a social gathering, not a music sharing party. They can look up their grades on Q, look up assignments, do research, and read. That is schoolwork.

If I took your child’s phone it is for one of two reasons.

1. During class, the student was using their phone. Usually they are using it in a manner where they think I can not see them. Really. They really think so. They’ll learn quickly enough.
2. When phones can be used for schoolwork, they were using it for non-schoolwork. Again, they are using it in a manner where they think I don’t know what they are doing. Really. They really think so. It is obvious what gaming behavior looks like. It is obvious what facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram user interfaces look like. It is obvious that showing/sharing your phone in a jovial manner is not schoolwork. It is obvious that when you are wearing a hoodie you just might be hiding your earbud wires or airpods.

You can help by letting your child know you understand and support the policy 100%. Let your child know you expect them to utilize the entire class time for learning. Make sure your student has a book in their backpack to read in the unusual event they have no homework.

If your student comes home and exclaims “Mr. Palowitch took my phone!”, it might just help to say, “Good for you!”

 

 

Chromebooks, the Internet and applications are used in Mr. Palowitch’s classroom.

For a larger context of my classroom, know that we are using Chromebooks, the Internet, Google Classroom, and many math and language applications. PUSD provides Chromebooks for each student in my classroom. These laptops are used only in my classroom and remain there.

The students know for what purpose we are using the Chromebooks, and they know the appropriate use of the Chromebook for their other classes. The key policy is:

Use the Chromebook for only the schoolwork you have been assigned. Use of the Chromebook for personal use is not allowed in Mr. Palowitch’s classroom and will result in removal of your privilege to use the Chromebook.

Points 1) and 2) above about phone usage apply to the Chromebook. Students think they can swipe away their game or social media browser tabs without the teacher noticing, that gaming finger postures are not noticeable, or that more than one person laughing or joking around a computer is schoolwork.

You can help by letting your child know you understand and support both the cell phone and Chromebook policies 100%. Let your child know you expect them to utilize the entire class time for learning.

Together we can create a classroom learning environment where every student thrives.

“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” — Murphy’s Law

Last Fall, Murphy called, unannounced, as usual.

I was in the second week of being a new high school Algebra and Geometry teacher. Ten minutes into a ninety minute block period in the middle of a lecture using a computer and projector, the power went out in the classroom.

Most power interruptions are brief. “Class – let’s wait a few seconds for the power to come back on.” After checking a few of the other outlets and sixty seconds later I went to the next door classroom to see if they have power. They do. When I return, the classroom was in the beginning stages of out-of-control buzz.

Grabbing the textbook I said “From what we’ve just covered, you should be able to do the first 5 homework problems. Take out a sheet of paper and begin.” That should last about ten minutes I said to myself. The vision of going the entire day without power was starting to form.

I placed a call to the administration office and requested (probably demanded) the maintenance staff come over to help. When they arrived, I asked they run a long extension cord out the window from the neighboring classroom into my classroom window and up to the front desk. All I need is the computer and projector to run.

The maintenance staff went off to get started and I stood in front of the class. Most of them had finished the first five problems. “Alright, let’s see if I can remember my lecture!” The projector screen was rolled up and the marker started to fly across the whiteboard. The students settled back down.

I don’t remember if I made any sense. In those early days of teaching I had my ‘script’ down to the sentence and practiced the night before. I am sure I skipped a few key points. The maintenance staff returned and proceeded to run the extension cord between the two classrooms out through the window. I assigned the remaining homework problems so I could assist with the power cord.

With a little climbing, acrobatics and disappearing beneath dusty desks, I had power to the computer and projector. I thanked the maintenance staff and resumed class. We went through the powerpoint lecture and sure enough, I had indeed skipped several key points and needed to review a few problem solving examples.

The power cord out the window remained in place for most of the day.

I learned later the classroom on the other side was undergoing electrical system maintenance. An electrician had pulled the circuit breaker for that classroom and unknowingly cut power to my classroom.

One of my colleagues I spoke to about Murphy’s unannounced visit remarked that students respond well when the teacher is ‘in control’. I can imagine teachers everywhere encountering situations far more exciting than losing power.

The learning here is when Murphy calls, be flexible and ready to improvise, while demonstrating problem solving to your students.

When has Murphy called on you? Tell us your story of how you answered his call!