Naughty unruly students who use cell phones in class

[Ludmila]

Our education system is the same (in general) as in Spain. But we have a possibility to take the courses for two specialties and later would graduate with two certificates of degree. I had missed my chance to became a german translator (for the technical texts) twice : as a student and as a post-graduate student. I has been started but my social activilty prevailed.

[JadziaKathryn]

I'm with Alelou here. I have a senior-level undergrad class that I'm taking (have to do some extra work to get graduate credit, but the history department is down professors so they let us do this for one or two classes - frankly I learn more in this class anyway) and it's appalling how many people are utilizing technology for other means than learning. One girl has been asked three times this semester to put her MP3 player/phone playing music (who can tell them apart?) away. She had headphones in and everything! And then there are the people who have laptops and figure the professor can't see so they're going to do whatever they want. Lots of Facebook, games, and sometimes shopping on eBay. There are, however, some who are legitimately typing away lecture notes. It's crazy. I myself take notes on college-ruled paper with a Pilot G2 pen. It's a good old-fashioned way that still works well. My cell is on vibrate but it's in my bag so I don't know if I get anything until after class.

[WarpGirl]

I wanted to bring my laptop to type notes, it's easier for me than writing but they said no. But seriously I HATE those people. It's rude and disrespectful to EVERYONE especially themselves.

[JadziaKathryn]

I don't hate them, and if they want to torpedo their own grades that's their problem, but they sure aren't going to be able to copy my notes. But a lot of my thinking for this class is, "It's a 400 level class. You don't have to take it for any requirements. So if you aren't interested enough to pay attention to 3 50-minute lectures a week, you shouldn't have taken the class in the first place."

[Alelou]

Ah yes, laptops. I usually don't allow them, for the same reason, unless a student has learning disabilities and that's one of the accommodations. Mostly, though, it's because it always becomes an excuse for why they can't hand something in yet. ("But I have to print it!")

We're in the computer lab an hour a week anyway. I had a student who hadn't shown up for two classes show up Friday with no folder, no paper, none of his research. He proceeded to look at the cheezburger site for most of the class without the slightest trace of embarrassment.

[WarpGirl]

Because of my CP copying notes from the board by hand is extremely difficult. It takes me forever and after a while it gets painful. Very Painful! My professors gave me breaks every once in a while, but usually I ended up staying late to copy everything. And the spasms hurt like hell afterwards.

[Alelou]

Next time you go to college, go to whatever their equivalent of the LD office is and get the paperwork that requires your teachers to allow you to work on a laptop. It should be easy.

[WarpGirl]

Oh if I go I will. I was 17 the last time, age has caught up with me fact of life with CP. I couldn't handwrite notes now if my life depended on it. My hands and fingers have deteriorated too much.

[Ludmila]

My professors gave me breaks every once in a while, but usually I ended up staying late to copy everything. And the spasms hurt like hell afterwards.

May your professors permit to use the camera for photographing the notes on the board? Or the dictaphone for recording the lecture?
I make the pictures of the working hours in the museums abroad or some offices. It is easy for me than to write by hand.

[WarpGirl]

See that's the thing in the school I went too they let the professors decide what they would allow they're students to use. One let me use a tape recorder, the other NOTHING! So it's luck of the draw when I was in school. But again that was almost 10 years ago. I started college at 16. Things might have changed.

[Alelou]

Is there therapy you can do to build those back up again? It's a shame to have something so important pooping out when you're still so young.

When I used to work on a manual typewriter I had the strongest fingers ever. I don't know if it was good or bad for them in the long run, though, since computers came along. But I'm sure there are exercises and other therapies to build strength and flexibility in the fingers.

Lack of use is extremely debilitating for the body. One of my less capable students was just shocked while doing research for his final project to learn that weight lifting helps prevent arthritis (he thought the only reason to do it if you're not on the team is to look good, LOL). Runners also tend to have much less arthritis and fewer knee problems as they age. It seems counter-intuitive, but instead of wearing out your joints, using them protects them.

[WarpGirl]

Here's the thing and it confounds doctors that work with CP constantly. Everything you just said is absolutely 100% correct. However some people with CP like me have a little complication. The more excerise we do the more spastic we get. In other words the more I try to strengthen my hands, the more the muscles in my arms will twitch. The more my arms twitch the more my back will. And so on until I'm almost completely unable to move because I am so tight. They haven't figured out how to stop the chain reaction. So it's do what you can to keep basic function as long as possible. But the truth is I am and will continue to get much older than my years when it comes to movement and function. Arthritis has been my friend since 10.

[Alelou]

Well, that just totally sucks.

I recently came across this article in the category of really-out-there suggestions for improving your health when you're in a no-win scenario. I enjoyed reading the debate in the responses to the related blog almost as much as the article itself: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/healt ... ing&st=cse

[WarpGirl]

It does suck. In fact the last time I saw my doctor that actually deals with my CP itself. He said it's a majorly growing problem for people with CP in my generation. We're known as the inbetween people. People who came after the midevil tourture like treatments, but before the truly amazing breakthroughs because we're the generation that tested early versions of those breakthroughs. Unfortunately, people in my group have a hell of a lot of complications now. So the doctors bang their heads together at conventions kicking themselves for putting us through what ten years later were obvious mistakes. Progress is tricky. Thanks for the link though.

[Bether6074]

We're in the computer lab an hour a week anyway. I had a student who hadn't shown up for two classes show up Friday with no folder, no paper, none of his research. He proceeded to look at the cheezburger site for most of the class without the slightest trace of embarrassment.

A scary look at the future of America...