The Pros and Cons of Allowing Cell Phones in School

The Pros and Cons of Allowing Cell Phones in School One of the more controversial and most discussed issues that school administrators face on a daily basis is where they stand with students and cell phones. It seems that virtually every school takes a different stance on the issue of cell phones  in school. No matter what your school’s policy is, there is no way to completely keep all students from bringing their phones unless you do student searches every day, which is simply not feasible. Administrators must evaluate the pros and cons of allowing cell phones in schools and make a decision based on their own student population. The fact is that almost every household owns multiple cell phones.   The age of students who own a cell phone has progressively been trending downward.   It has become increasingly common for students as young as five to possess a cell phone. This generation of students are digital natives and thus experts when it comes to technology. Most of them can text with their eyes closed. They are often far more adept than most adults at using their cell phones for many purposes. Should Cell Phones Be Banned or Embraced in Schools? There are essentially three core stances most school districts have taken with their cell phone policies. One such policy basically bans their students from having their cell phones at all. If students are caught with their cell phones, then they can be confiscated or fined. In some cases, the student may be suspended. Another common cell phone policy allows students to bring their cell phones to school. Students are allowed to use them during non-instructional times such as time in between classes and lunch. If students are caught with them in class, then they are confiscated from the student. Another cell phone policy is leaning towards a shift in administrators thinking. Students are not only allowed to possess and use their cell phones, but theyre also encouraged to use them in class as learning tools.   Teachers incorporate the use of cell phones regularly into their lessons for purposes such as research. Districts that ban their students from having their cell phones or limit their usage do this for a variety of reasons. Those include not wanting it to make it easy for students to cheat, being afraid that students are sending inappropriate content, playing games, or even setting up drug deals. Teachers also feel like they are distracting and disrespectful. All of these are valid concerns and are why this is such a hot issue among school administrators. The movement towards embracing the use of cell phones by students begins with educating students on proper use of phones at school. Administrators who are shifting towards this policy often say that they are fighting an uphill battle with a policy that has a complete or partial ban on cell phone possession and use. Administrators who have transitioned to this type of policy say that their job has become much easier and that they have far fewer issues of cell phone abuse than they did under other policies. This type of policy also clears the way for teachers to embrace cell phones as an instructional tool. Teachers who have elected to use cell phones in their daily lessons say that their students are actively engaged and more attentive than they typically are. A cell phone can be a powerful educational tool. Smartphones have the ability to provide students with so much information in an instant that teachers cannot deny that they can be powerful tools that enhance learning in the classroom. Many teachers are using them for a variety of purposes such as small group projects with research races or text competitions for correct answers. The website polleverywhere.com allows teachers to pose a question to their students.   The students then text their answers to a particular number that the teacher provides them. The website collects the data and puts it into a graph, where teachers can project their answers on a smart board and discuss the answer choices with the class. The results of these activities have been very positive. Teachers, administrators, and students have all provided positive feedback. Many teachers and students would argue that it is time to move into the 21st century and begin using the resources we have available to engage our students in the learning process more readily.

How to write a business plan - Emphasis

How to write a business plan How to write a business plan Theres a memorable conversation in Alices Adventures in Wonderland, where Alice asks the Cheshire cat for directions. Unfortunately, Alice doesnt know where she wants to go, stating that it doesnt matter where she gets to, as long as she gets somewhere. This leads the cat to respond that it doesnt matter which way she turns. If you dont have a crystal-clear vision of where you want your business to go, youll be as confused as Alice when you hit a crossroads. Your business plan is your road-map. But in order to write it, you have to decide what you really want to achieve. This means youll have to spend time immersed in the strengths and weaknesses of your business, a process which, in itself, has numerous pay-offs. Studying and researching your company helps you to take a critical look at what you have to offer and who your competitors are. This enables you to better navigate the industry minefields and gives you a benchmark against which to measure success. Many people think of business plans as a necessary evil, written only to gain external funding. Instead, look at them as an essential planning tool, whatever your financial situation. Remember, if you dont plan where to go, youre inadvertently planning on going nowhere. Crafting your business plan Heres a seven-step guide to writing a winning business plan. Work through each section and youll have an ordered, content-rich document that gets you to where you want to go. Step one: Description of the business After the executive summary (see step seven), the first thing youll need is to describe your business. Get started by asking the following questions: What do I sell or offer? And why? Who do I sell to? What is the history of the business? What is my vision for the future? What is different about the services I offer? What is the legal structure of the company? Think about your audience carefully before you write the description. Ask yourself what words and phrases they will understand and be careful not to include too much jargon. Step two: Market research Think about your industry and what you think the future trends will be. Then analyse your competitors. Determine what size of the market they hold and then clearly define where you fit into the mix. Step three: Marketing and sales strategy Ask yourself why companies buy what you offer and how you plan to sell it. Think about how you are going to reach the organisations that need facilities management support and what pricing plans youll offer. Whether youre an in-house department, specialist contractor or a large multi-service company, therell be a variety of ways to reach prospects. Step four: Management and personnel team Many facilities management companies claim that people are their best asset. Think carefully about your management team and outline the background, experience and qualifications of each individual. The people on your team will often make or break your success. Fully evaluate their credentials and look out for any weak skill sets that could be improved with training. Step five: Operations Analyse the location of your business in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Your own premises, production facilities and IT systems must be excellent. Make sure you address any weaknesses in your plan with recommendations for improvement. Step six: Financial forecast This section requires you to translate the contents of your plan into numbers. Include cash flow statements, profit and loss forecasts and a sales forecast. Dont forget that if youre looking for funding, you need to spell out how much you need and how youll repay the loan. Step seven: The executive summary Leave this until last, even though it goes right at the beginning. Once youve followed all the other steps, youre in a position to write this stand-alone document, which outlines the key points in your entire plan. Keep it to a maximum of two pages. And remember, some people will only read this section, so make it shine. Tip: rather than trying to distil the full document, follow your original document plan. Just write less in each section this time (a couple of sentences or a paragraph, rather than several pages). Finally, the ink may be dry, but your business and the facilities management industry is constantly changing. Your business plan is a dynamic document, so you need to update it regularly.