#MTBoS12Days: 1 Thing I Want to Improve On Next Semester

I think that the one thing that I want to improve on next semester is to resist the temptation to be so lax. I don't have bad classroom management, but there were some things that I let students get by doing that I should have not. So, I want to improve on that.

For example.

Hats

• Our school has a No hats in the classroom or inside the building policy, which I fully support. Some kids like to say that it is their "Thinking hat." So, I let a couple of kids wear their "thinking hat" on a quiz one day. I guess that they interpreted it as "I can wear my hat all the time." So, no hats, period, next semester. As Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory says "No buts, no cuts, no coconuts." 

Cell Phones

• Our school has a No Cell Phone Policy in classrooms. However, it is very difficult to manage as kids can have them at morning break, afternoon break, lunch, and in between classes, as well as before and after school. I don't like to take up cell phones because I have a friend who used to teach in Mississippi who took up a cell phone, and the phone was stolen. My friend had to buy the student a new cell phone. So, I tried having students put up their cell phones in a calculator organizer when they enter the room and grabbed a calculator. I soon found out that students were not doing it, of which I should've issued consequences and detentions.
• One of my colleagues at work does a Cell Phone contract, which states that if a student has a cell phone out, then the student is to place the cell phone on the teacher's desk when entering the room. If the student refuses, their phone goes to the office. I am going to give this a try. 
• I would like to use cell phones in instruction more, but our school's Wifi only works sometimes with cell phones. I also have kids that do not have smart phones. On top of this, our school's computer ratio is around 10:1 (10 students:1 computer). 

First Five (Warm-Up)

• Some students did not do it, so I should've been better about doing random checks weekly. 

Not doing work

• I've generally had the attitude that if you don't do the work, don't expect me to help you. However, I need to get out of this ASAP! What are some ways that you all do that?