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Spoiler Alert – In true Orwellian fashion, the elephant is symbolic of his feelings on imperialism.\u00a0 Furthermore, the essay demonstrates how even agents in charge of enforcing order, are sometimes faced with\u00a0morally ambiguous<\/em>\u00a0scenarios in which, as the essential question hints at, they find themselves torn between obeying their duty to a higher authority versus a responsibility to oneself and one’s beliefs.<\/p>\n One does not have to look very far to witness this conflict in today’s society.<\/p>\n Earlier this week students were asked to reflect on integrity, and its relationship to character and future success. It’s not a far leap to see that a person with a strong character and a solid reputation, is one who demonstrates integrity in spades.<\/p>\n Integrity is not just another buzzword<\/a>: who you are and what you do MATTERS!\u00a0 It matters in moments both big and small.\u00a0 I cannot emphasize this enough.<\/p>\n Students are faced with choices every day – and maybe it’s not whether or not to shoot an elephant to save face in front of a group of people who hate what you represent.\u00a0 Maybe it’s seeing the bigger picture – realizing that the choices you make, daily, big or small, directly impact your future.<\/p>\n Lining up the perfect shot in a pool game. Texting back someone who is spamming you.\u00a0 Being lured in by the siren call of notifications.\u00a0\u00a0And now I am talking about the elephant in the room, perhaps not as insidious as imperialism, but just as dangerous and alarming: CELL-PHONES.<\/p>\n I got my first cell phone was I was a senior in high school. \u00a0It was one of those case phones that stayed in the car. My parents felt more comfortable with the idea of giving me a phone because I was driving my sisters to school. \u00a0I needed to be, according to my parents, reachable. <\/span><\/p>\n Cell phones have come a long way since 1999. \u00a0And, despite the fact that they are now called \u201csmart phones\u201d – the truth is, they do everything but make our kids smart. <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m not here to police the whys and hows of giving cell phones to your kids. \u00a0However, I think it\u2019s worth mentioning that our students are addicted. (Don\u2019t get me wrong, they are not the only ones.)<\/span><\/p>\n I have heard from administrators and tech gurus alike that if the teacher is engaging, then \u201cthe cell phone problem\u201d will be a moot point. \u00a0First of all, that is not a fair burden to place on the teacher. I consider myself an effective teacher – and students still struggle with staying off their phones. <\/span><\/p>\n Confession: I don\u2019t police phones in my classroom. \u00a0It\u2019s not why I became a teacher. From the start I tell my students it is my job to ensure that they are learning. \u00a0If\/when I notice that something or someone is intervening in\/with their learning, that\u2019s when I step in. <\/span><\/p>\n I don\u2019t want to take your phone. \u00a0 But I do want, nay, I need you to tell me\u2026 how is taking a selfie with a filter enhancing you as a person? \u00a0How is watching someone\u2019s Snapchat story preparing you to engage in today\u2019s lesson? How is listening to music during group work helping you learn how to interact with different people in various situations?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you can answer any<\/em> of those questions, then I will stop right now. <\/span><\/p>\n But you can\u2019t. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Oh how I wish students would pick up a book and read, instead of grab their phones when they are \u201cdone\u201d with their work. \u00a0Done is in quotation marks because education has become a sprint to getting back to students\u2019 fix, their cell phone addiction. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, why isn\u2019t there a global intervention to do right by our kids? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to cell phones – we need to be on the same page. And who is \u201cwe\u201d you\u2019re asking? \u00a0We is everyone. We is the parents, the school, administration, teachers, family, friends, cell phone carriers, etc. \u00a0We all have a responsibility to tell our kids, whom we love, that their addiction is hurting them. It\u2019s hindering their ability to be\/stay engaged, to make connections, to interact with their peers, to think deeply. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Teachers have SO much on their plates – and we just want to do our jobs, which is to help students learn and grow and become rich, dynamic citizens of this global society. \u00a0But there is something that is getting in our way – something that is physically, emotionally, and mentally stopping us from doing our jobs effectively. And it has absolutely nothing to do with our abilities as a teacher. \u00a0When we call home expressing concerns about your child\u2019s cell phone habits in class, we are met with one of two responses: either \u201cYou have my permission to take their phone.\u201d or \u201cWhy is this my problem?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Let me say it again, \u00a0I did not become a teacher to police students\u2019 cell phone use. \u00a0I am grateful for the opportunity to impact your child\u2019s life in profound and meaningful ways. \u00a0However, I am shackled by the lack of support in dealing with their cell phone addiction. <\/span><\/p>\n In a perfect world, smart phones could be used to engage students while using technology. \u00a0But we don\u2019t live in a perfect world – because if we did, my honor\u2019s language arts student would not be playing some computer game after taking his reading assessment, when what he really needs to be doing is making up yesterday\u2019s work. <\/span><\/p>\n In a perfect world, I could confiscate a phone – and then as I\u2019m facilitating class discussion, walk by a JV football player who has his hand to his side, looking like he\u2019s on his phone, only to have him smirk at me when I \u201ccatch\u201d him \u2026 *gasp* just <\/span>pretending<\/span><\/i> to be on his phone. <\/span><\/p>\n In a perfect world, I wouldn\u2019t have to confiscate a kid\u2019s phone because he is a literal danger due to not paying attention, only to have another student pick his phone off my desk in some elaborate scheme to get me in trouble for \u201closing a student\u2019s phone.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And I could go on – but the thing is, how do <\/span>any <\/span><\/i>of those scenarios I just shared enrich a student\u2019s life? Further their education? Make this world a better place? And the truth is\u2026 they don\u2019t – and that\u2019s when we know we have a problem. <\/span><\/p>\n And I am not saying anything you haven\u2019t heard before.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Long story longer – I care. I care about our students and their education.\u00a0 I have high expectations for them – and I feel the weight of that responsibility. All I am asking is that they shoulder some of it too.\u00a0 We are all aiming for the same thing; let’s make the kinds of choices that help us get there together.<\/p>\n Thank you for reading.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week students are reading George Orwell’s 1936 essay “Shooting an Elephant.” From a curriculum standpoint, Orwell’s essay tackles the essential question “What compromises to…<\/p>\n![\"Elephant](\"https:\/\/www.freakingnews.com\/pictures\/118000\/Elephant-Using-a-Big-Cell-Phone--118006.jpg\")
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Just last year, France moved to <\/span>ban<\/span><\/a> cellphone use in school. Harvard University just completed a <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> \u00a0And it\u2019s easy to talk about the problem, and harder to manage it or even solve it. \u00a0But WE have to\u2026 for our kids.<\/span><\/p>\n