Improving Classroom Engagement with Device Pouches: A Teacher’s Experience

Why, yes. These are device pouches. I finally got mine and we started last week. Let’s talk about it. Bang it. Kids are kind of addicted to the phones, as we all are, let’s be honest. These are supposed to deter them from being on their phones during classroom instruction time. These are just velcro, right? Once they velcro these, the signal is blocked. They get no signal. I have alarm set before the end of each class, and I tell the kids, hey, when the alarm goes off, that’s your cue. And it’s like a cacophony of Velcro ripping as soon as that alarm goes off. It’s hilarious. Smart. They know if we see that phone once it’s supposed to be in the pouch, it’s an automatic referral. So you would be amazed at how much they are just going right along with the program. They can get them out and access them in case of an emergency. They’re not locked. Okay. But I will tell you right now, just in the week that I’ve had them, the engagement and the participation and the classroom attention has gone through the roof. So also, I set the example. I put my phone right up on the wall in a hanging cell phone pocket holder. Because I tell the kids, hey, if I tell you to do it, then I will do it. I am not gonna make you do anything I wouldn’t do myself. Whether they wanna admit it or Not their grades are gonna go up. I, I guarantee it. So, yes.