Just how clueless are you? It's worse than you think.

Cell phones, once billed as a “necessity for student emergencies,” have now evolved into a major player in the game of "cat and mouse” between many students and their classroom teachers. I asked my university students to share school and classroom texting strategies crafted to fool some clueless educators. 

I will never look at a hooded sweatshirt the same way again.

My sister is 16 and an obsessive texter. Her phone rarely leaves her hand. She has the numbers and the letters on each button/key memorized so she can be completely looking at someone and still text her friends without even looking at what she is typing. She knows each button that well.  She uses her phone during study hall or lunch.  --Danielle Davis


Classroom Location and Seating

Our teacher sat on the right side of our room and we sat close to the left side. The student had his cell phone conveniently located in his left pocket. When our teacher wasn't looking, he would pull his phone out.  Our teacher was never completely aware of what was going on. He almost always read a book when we were taking our tests, so it was easy to “text-cheat.”
--Kari Roberta

 
Location

I found that when students went to their lockers in between class, they were texting, pretending they were looking in their lockers. There were also a couple instances when I found girls talking on their phones in the bathroom. Cell phones were a big battle, but honestly I think it was just because there was little disciplinary action that followed when students were caught on them. 
--Abigail Thomas

Eye Contact With the Teacher

I have friends who can maintain direct eye contact with a teacher and  conduct a text conversation the whole time.  --Jenna Schone

The Opposite Leg

I sometimes hold my phone next to my leg and make sure the teacher is on the opposite side of me than my phone. This way it looks like my hand is just resting at my side but I'm actually texting. This is more risky than the hooded sweatshirt strategy but it still works. The hardest part of any of this is keeping your eyes up so it isn't obvious that you are texting.
--Jesse King

 
Using Thumbs

Students hide their phones behind a book and pretend they are reading.  They hold the book and text with their thumbs. In middle school, students could hide it with the desk if they have the ones with the cubby hole in them or with a flip top.
--Monica Head


Texting During Tests

I have actually observed a student texting during a quiz and having someone look up the answers and texting them back.  The teacher sat at her desk during every test.  
--Kari Kattler


Use the Book

When reading in a text book, students simply put the book in front of the phone and text away.
--Brian Homan

 
The Whole Package

My sister will hide her phone in the pocket of her hoodie. Since she has the keys memorized she is able to just keep her hand in her pocket and type out the text. She waits for the teacher to turn to the board to write something before she looks at any messages she has received.
--Greg Croskey

Dr. Douglas Brooks is a Professor in the Department of Teacher Education within the School of Education, Health and Society at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in classroom management.  His research on the first days of school is referenced in Harry Wong’s popular book “The First Days of School.”

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