New Hand Phone Policies for the Classroom

We were sitting at the rug at the end of the day, reading our chapter book together. It's always a difficult time for the kids to be quiet, no matter what book I choose. There's always a few who would rather chit chat than listen. One, in particular this day, was holing his hand up to his ear like a phone and having an ongoing conversation with himself while I read. I nudged and reminded, and finally I sent him off to his desk to sit with his head down until he could decide to be quiet on the rug.

He is always broken-hearted when I have to send him to his desk, but instead of going and sitting with his head down for a short-stay, he sat with his thumb and pinky still extended, talking into his make-believe phone. I gave him the "evil teacher glare" a couple of times, before using the words our students use themselves to stop unwanted behavior from others. "N, please stop, that's bothering me," I said.

N glared back at me with a look I've seen from my teenager a time or two, before focusing back on his hand-phone. I heard him say, "I have to go. I'll call you back later." Then, still glaring at me, he slowly hung up his "phone" on his desk as though I were the rude one for making him end his call so soon.

It was all I could do not to bust out laughing right then and there.