Open Forum

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

Sigh.

What is the school policy on students/phones?  We consider even after school events subject to school rules/policies.  Since cell phones aren't allowed to be out at school, we can do the same things we would in school (take it, give lunch detention, etc.).  However, I'm at a middle school and I see how this can be much harder at a high school. 

I think the issue is much bigger than this though.  Yesterday on Twitter, Lin Manuel Miranda called out multiple people in Hamilton audience for having phones out.

Despite my adorable pre-show announcement at our production of The Lion King Jr. about not videotaping for breaking copyright laws, etc., I was dismayed to see that not one hour after the show one of our very own ELA teachers at the school put a video from the show on her Twitter.  When I walked into the lobby after the show, I saw families openly rewatching footage from the show on their phone screens.

I don't know what to tell you because people seem to think that cell phones are exempt from common courtesy and rules because they swear they "need" them.  We have a society of people addicted to cell phones and addicted to being connected online.  That's why I think live theatre is more important than ever - people need to learn how to live in the moment and connect to what is right in front of them.

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

I  have the same question. These devices are not a part of my past, and I see them as a handy tool when I need them, but when I'm in public, in a meeting, in an audience, dining out...I leave them home or turn them off. Times change, I have many co-teachers in their twenties and thirties who don't think twice about pulling them out mid-conversation, no matter where are or what is going on: at dinner in a restaurant, in a movie, play, sporting event, in faculty meetings (I look around and I am the often the only one without my eyes and hands glued to the little suckers). 

I know times change. I think it's time to address this head on and figure out what the new protocol is going to be. Leaving them home is unrealistic, turning them off might be asking too much - esp for teens whose parents get angry if they cannot contact their kids when they want to contact them (I've often had this issue come up in classes: parents in other time zones, at work, traveling all say this is the only time they can contact their kids). Even putting them on silent seems to be uncomfortable for some. 

My school just did a TOK weekend for IB1s and it was device free (for kids). I was not in charge, so thought nothing of leaving my phone at home (didn't even think of other devices) and was the only adult out of 10 who was not running around trying to find a signal all week-end. Kids were asking why they couldn't have theirs when all the adults would not look up to talk to them. ...

What is the new protocol?

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?

I spent the last two nights back stage during our spring play. It is being performed in large black box theater, with two small backstage areas; a hallway that serves as a green room and a dressing room with a bathroom. 

I was mortified to see all of the students using smart phones backstage. I have talked about no phones backstage for years. Tonight, the kids not only used their phones, but didn't hide the use from me. This feels disrespectful to me, our production, and the theatre, but I think this is a bigger issue.

They are good kids. I choose to believe they weren't intentionally being disrespectful to me. They just don't have a reason to keep the phones out of the theater when they see them used constantly by people of all ages in all parts of their lives.

The last time I was in a show professionally was before smart phones. However, today my smart phone is with me all the time. I use it for many things as I teach and direct high school theatre. It is extremely helpful.

But I also have a sense as to when my smart phone needs to go away. The kids do not share this feeling with me. Even if I tell them, it just doesn't seem to matter. It's how our society functions. This week, I heard a story on the radio about NBA coaches facing the same struggle with their players at halftime of games. At church, I see people with smart phones out before or even during the service. At staff meetings, many teachers are on their phones as we have speakers presenting to our faculty. Having grown up without these devices, it is amazing to see how times have changed. If this happens in all parts of our lives, it is no wonder my students feel they can use their smart phone behind the scenes where it is quite and dark.

I looked in the community for previous posts about this topic. There were great ideas about baskets, parking lots for phones, and door hangers for phones that the stage manager could use to check in the cast and crew. But I don't want to touch another person's phone. They cost too much money. I don't want the liability. And I don't want to be responsible if one is lost or stolen.

So ... here's my question: 

How can we teach students to handle their phone in a way that mirrors what is happening professionally? How does Equity handling this issue? What is being done professionally to handle the distractions from smart phones in the workplace?