LOL...Suzy, many many times....it's incredibly common.

We all across different disciplines came up with strategies on how to deal with it; there's only so much one could do. But one policy I had, was if you are taking a test - you leave your phone with me before you go to the bathroom -- they would use those opportunities to share or look up answers.

Technology made it easy in ways and much harder in others....it came at a huge cost.

One philosophy I had to work on was: how do I keep them so engaged and working with each other and me so that they wouldn't want to get on phone? Or I would make it a point to work my classroom -- walk to them and help them, to keep them from using. Was I was near --- everyone would put phones away or laptops - or I got to know them well and I would give them the eye LOL.

Then there's a point where you decide, I have to focus on the 90% who want to learn and want me to help them, and I can't spend so much time and energy policing. Became a balancing act...

New teachers would always come screaming and saying: omg, how am I going to get them off their phones!

You'll have to tell me what your kids share with you!

Thanks for reading and sharing a comment!!