Victim Mentality

Over the past few years I have been noticing more students displaying a "Victim Mentality". This is when a person always feels they are the victim of some perceived wrong. I first started to notice it with minority students who thought everything was racially motivated if they did not get their way, but now it seems to have spread to a larger portion of the student population.

What can we as Teachers do to reverse this trend?

Is it Feasable For Schools to Allow Unrestricted Cell Phones Access?

Our high school has recently started allowing all students to use cell phones throughout the school. It is up to the Teacher as to when they can use them in the classroom and for what but the Teacher has no authority to take the cell phone when they are used against a Teachers wishes.

What do you think? Is it more headaches then it is worth to ban cell phones completely or is an open policy simply asking for trouble?

Technology In The Classroom

Many so called "Experts" are pushing the use of cell phones in the classroom. Although I am not all together against this idea, I do see many problems with this practice as well.

On the plus side is the use of the internet to look up information, fact check, send and receive email notifications, text lists to remind students and parents of upcoming deadlines, calculators, and even instant polling of students through texting.

On the negative side is the age old question of: How do we make sure our students are on task and not cheating?

Please share your opinions, experiences, and feelings on this topic.