Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
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The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
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Monday, May 10, 2010

Readin', Writin', and Textin'

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I remember when even the mansion-y-est of homes only had one phone.

I remember when no one took personal calls at work.

I remember when students would never have IMAGINED receiving a call while at school.

I remember when the only person who had a car phone was James Bond.

And I remember when a text was a classroom book.

Oh my dear friends - - - I am from another century, perhaps from another planet.

Today, personal technology has COMPLETELY altered the landscape of our schools. Oh sure - - - we have RULES that phones have to be turned off and that texting is NOT allowed during class. However, since the kids are subterfuge texting experts, and since there are ring tones that people over the age of 21 can't hear, we old dinosaur teachers are at a great disadvantage. If we think that phones are off and texting isn't occuring we are the old proverbial ostrichs with their heads in the sand.


So - - - welcome to my classroom garage.


The CELL PHONE garage.

Oh, but even this name has already become obsolete for NOW there are I-Pods which can communicate with Djibuti, so I'm having to turn my cell phone garage into the Electronics Technology Garage!!!

These are the ET items in the garage for one of my Junior High science classes. Yep - - - Junior High!!!

When the ET's are in the garage it means it is - - -


Test day.

Oh, surely none of MY little angels would be texting answers back and forth across the room, or using "phone-a-friend" during a test, would they????

Well, not if their ET is in the garage they won't!!!

And while we're looking at these darling little test takers, let me show you THREE of them up close and personal. These three are the three who have moved into my Cbox and taken up permanent residence there.

I will let you try to figure out which is which. One of them is Carissa, one is Sam, and one changes his moniker nearly comment by comment. For the purposes of this post, we shall refer to him by his most current tag of "Michael Corleone." Go ahead - - - leave a guess as to who is whom in the comments.


Technology guru #1


Technology guress #2


Technology guru #3.

Oh, but do not be fooled into thinking that #3 was SLEEPING - - - he was busy concentrating and earning a PERFECT score on the test - - -and without the aid of any electronics!!!!

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23 comments:

Sarah said...

Cute post for this retired teacher. Believe it or not, some of the little ones I tutor have a phone. I was shocked! I work with K-4th grade.

Julie Harward said...

That has got to be a great challenge for teachers! You've got to be up on it all and ahead of them and the game! And I am sure you are!!! Come say hi :D

I can't find my blog said...

I'm dreading having to get my boys phones. I keep saying I'll hold out until they are 16 and have a license, but who knows...

kyooty said...

And yet I the Mom of this home have no ET! my kids don't have ET either. We're also the Cable Free people.No TV reception. zip nada nothing.

LV said...

I am glad you are a person that is very good at teaching. I could not do it. My patience is not the best. You sound like a super teacher.

Anonymous said...

no cable at my house and no land line but I love my wireless internet and cell phone ..

ain't for city gals said...

I never thought about it from a teacher's point of view..what a challenge that must be!!

nancygrayce said...

I have always said I could never be a teacher, but I'll bet you're a great one!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I can't imagine being a teacher today! I'm not going to guess but let me tell you that I am right there with you when we only had a land line in the house. I too am from the same century as you.

Tonja said...

They still are not allowed to have them in school for amy reason in our public schools. They must be left in car.

I like the garage idea!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Funny, I was thinking about this very thing this weekend, but I never thought of texting during an exam. I can see why you have to have an ET garage.

Look at all of those phones. All different shapes and sizes and prices.

Great post!

Kristin - The Goat

Anke said...

We finally broke down and got our 12 year old a cell phone for her birthday. According to her she was the only one without one! Our youngest will have to wait until she's 12 as well, something she's not all too happy about. There are kids in 1st grade with a cell phone, and personally I don't understand that at all. Oh, Hannah has to turn her phone off in school or we will not let her take it with her. So far so good...

Anonymous said...

I don't see any reason why any child should have a phone with them during class. Not. One. Reason.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
(so just call me an old dinosaur)

Angie said...

Michael, Carissa, Sam? That order? You must be quite special if you can put up with all you have to. I know I couldn't do it. I wouldn't even know how to turn on most of those phones!

We were practically strip searched before we got through the door of an exam......and all they were looking for was SLIDE RULES and sweets (candy), both banned substances! You were only allowed to take in a seee-through plastic bag containing your pen, pencils and ruler -not your pencil case in case you might have written anything on it (as if "4 Tops" might jog your memory!).

Erin said...

That is brilliant! I love the ETG. I miss the days of being unconnected. If you weren't home, you just missed a call. There was no answering machine, and no caller id to even let you know that you'd missed someone. They called back. Or not. I miss that.

lilmomma said...

Haha Oh I know "Michael" quite well...the shirt gave it away seeing as how it was MY shirt at one point. Plus I've seen this thinking posture before when I help him study! I hope he did a good job on your test! :)

ashley said...

speaking of technology changing things....i'm hoping to get IPOD touches to use as at a center next year. i'm leanring that there are many educational apps you can put on them. times....they are a'changin!

Connie N. said...

Love the E T garage idea, I'll have to pass it on to my husband (although he is retiring in June). We need an E T garage during youth group so there is no texting during class. Believe it or not, I caught one teen texting in church a couple of weeks ago! Sigh.

Brenda said...

A clever idea for sure. I couldn't imagine the time teachers have these days trying to stay up on all of it.

Susie's country cottage said...

It always amazes me how kids can text on their phone when it is in their pocket! How do they do it? The phone garage is a good idea but quite honestly, why they need a phone in school is beyond me!
Susie

Whosyergurl said...

oops. I am right there with you...remember all of those things. Scary how times change. But- good, too. I know if there is an emergency, I have my phone. I always feel safer when it is with me.
hugs, Cheryl

Vickie said...

Where are the zoo pics???

Martin LaBar said...

Guress?

And, of course, cheating by electronic communication, like any other type, assumes that you have picked out who really does know the answers.