Teacher using phone in class

[devilinthedetail]

I've been told by another Mum that her DD says the teacher uses her phone while in class. I'm pretty gobsmacked to hear this and not quite sure what to do with this information. I kind of assumed that this would be a big no-no for teachers.

Obviously I have only heard this 2nd hand and it has come from a 6yr old but if it is true, what should I do, if anything?

"I teach sport and I use my iPhone as a timer"

Caught you out! Everyone knows that children aren't allowed to compete in school sports so why would you need a timer.....

I use my iPhone as a camera and video camera at school - I delete the pics as soon as fnished with. I also use it as a sound recorder (been making a video recently and needed to record the children). I have used various apps with children too. I also have my email on there, including my school email so get staff memos and letters on it. I also look at it as a clock as the clock in the classroom is not reliable. I have it on silent at other times though and don;t text my mates or FB etc. But yes - I do sometimes have my phone out.

There have been the odd time I have not had it on silent - with headteachers knowledge and agreement.

Level3 - my head knows I use my camera phone and is happy with this. The school camera is dreadful. I normally have my big SLR but if not I use my phone. She knows how I use it and for what reasons.

LemarchandsBox - many of the areas I work in at school do not have clocks and computers.

yellowdandelion - that is not true afaik. It is permitted in many schools in the same way any camera can be used.

I have answered my phone in a lesson once. Dd1 was walking to school by herself for a trip and was late. Her school had phoned me to find out where she was before school and then rang to let me know she'd turned up. I was actually doing outreach at one of our feeder primaries so there was no way of getting in contact with me other than my mobile, so I was glad I could take the call and not worry all morning.

In 9 years of teaching that is the only time I have ever used my phone in class.

What is it with all the teacher bashing on here lately?

If I didn't use my personal camera no photos would ever be taken in any of my lessons. I don't tend to need to take photos very often but when I do I need to use my own camera (or fight 5 other members of staff for the one camera we have in a large secondary school)

I am perfectly happy that I am contactable at my school but when I was going out to do transition lessons for year 6 in our feeder primaries most of them did not have anyone on reception at all times. Small primaries tend to have reception covered only part time, so an urgent message about my own dcs could have been left on an answer phone for up to 3 hours before anybody noticed it. That isn't really good enough for me (or for any of the staff in those schools) so mobile phones were in the classrooms but never answered unless it was obviously an emergency (ie dcs school, elderly parent's care home, etc)

So where should teachers leave their valuables? Cos I have never worked in a school that provided a safe place to leave them, so they stayed with me.

I also think that I am a mature and responsible adult with many years of training and experience, therefore I can be trusted to have a phone and not abuse the privilege in any way.

Secretaries aren't there to take my personal messages, that is what my phone is for.

And the ONE time I answered my phone it pretty much was life and death, so very glad I took that call.

Why are people so paranoid?

We all had to sign a document last year to say, among other things, that we wouldn't use personal phones or cameras. It was the same document that caused uproar as it mentioned teachers conduct in their personal life.

I'll see if I can find it online.

I use my phone to check the time; not in class but when doing activities outside the classroom as I don't wear a watch. I take it on playground duty and so on in case of emergencies but I never take calls in the classroom unless it's arranged in advance - e.g. a GP calling me about my own child.
I've used it as a stopwatch for timing as well.
Most school policies are along the lines of phone on silent and no calls or texts.
I wouldn't take action based on the word of one six year old.

My dad is a teacher. While my mum was ill with cancer he had his phone with him all the time and was allowed to answer / respond to texts from her even though the school policy was no phones.

What are you worried about exactly?

Lqdywidmerpool- people are worried about any or all of the following facts.

a) a part of their child's soul is taken away every time they are photographed
b) it is outrageous that a teacher should be allowed to do anything a pupil isn't allowed to do.
c) the vast majority of the adult population are paedophiles
d)given the chance, teachers will do anything rather than teach children, so if they have their phones they will be on Facebook all day.
e) any photograph of a child not taken by it's mother automatically ends up being used by a paedophile ring
f) anything which might make a teacher's life easier must be a bad thing

Oh, and 6 year olds never misunderstand, exaggerate or pass on other 6 year olds misunderstanding and exaggerations........