Support the expectation without becoming the conflict.
Phone use can involve habit, social pressure, avoidance, urgency, or a boundary test. You do not need to determine the student’s motive before following the teacher’s established routine.
Be private
Move close enough to speak quietly. Public correction adds an audience and can turn a routine reminder into a status conflict.
Be brief
State the expectation, offer the approved choice, and allow processing time. Repeating yourself raises pressure without adding information.
Stay in role
Follow the teacher’s plan. Do not grab, search, or independently confiscate a device unless an authorized procedure specifically directs your trained role.
“Phone away during independent work. You can put it in your backpack or use the class phone holder. I’ll give you a moment.”
Then step back, provide wait time, and acknowledge re-engagement. If the student refuses, use the teacher’s next step rather than inventing a consequence.
Do not lecture, demand the phone in front of peers, debate whether the rule is fair, threaten a consequence you cannot deliver, or pursue the student’s last word.