You can motivate as much as possible and give the students tools to be successful, however, the student is responsible in the end for their ections. My approach is motivate, talk to any students who may be falling behind, but as instructors, we can't "baby" some students along without the appropriate grades.

I agree that cell phones are a problem in the classroom, however, seeting the ground rules and enforcingthem in the lecture does show the class that rules are in place for a reason. The students must realize that cell phpone use takes them away from learning, which could hold them back from progress and learning.