Disappearing Pencil Woes?

Procedures in the classroom are super important, but I am not sure any can drive you more batty than disappearing pencils.  When students complain they have nothing to write with when it comes time to get some work done I always wonder: are they eating the pencils?  Maybe they are doing magic tricks with them in their “spare” time.

Pencil organization can set you up for a great day or a miserable day.  Whether it’s breaking pencils, disappearing pencils, or pieces of erasers all over the floor – having a pencil management system in place is vital to your sanity.

Some teachers like to use short pencils with or without erasers.  Others have a rule that students only get to sharpen pencils once per day.  I have even learned about trading a shoe for a loaner pencil if needed.

There really are no right or wrong ways to set up your best pencil organization.

Check out this great guest blog post idea from Amy where she shares her solution for the disappearing pencil woes!

Rewind about 4 weeks ago, I am in my classroom and about to pull my hair out as open yet another box of pencils to sharpen.  Didn’t I just do this?  Yes, yes I did.

I don’t know where the pencils go.  My students don’t know where the pencils go.  Who knows where the pencils go????  I decided to try something new – my little attempt at teaching my students to be responsible with their supplies and tools.

How can you keep pencils from disappearing?

I grab a roll of masking tape and the new box of pencils.

I created a little flag on each pencil by wrapping the tape around it and then I put a number on each pencil.

When my students arrived the next morning we had a little pow-wow.  I told them that from now on they would have their own pencil. (I have always been a “we share the tools in our classroom” kind of teacher).

I explained that they would each get a number and that the pencil would have the same number on it.

I also gave them a challenge – be responsible with your pencil until Friday at lunch time and you can have lunch in the classroom.  What did I mean by “be responsible” with your pencil?  Well for me that meant keeping track of your pencil, taking care of it (no tearing off or chewing off the eraser) and turning it in each afternoon to be sharpened before the next day.

I also explained that any pencils found on the floor would have the number tag removed and added to the general pencil bucket.  I handed out the pencils and off they went.

Friday rolled around and I had 13 of my 22 kiddos eating lunch with me in the classroom!  They were so excited and loved it.

We started over after lunch on Friday and repeated the same drill.  Next Friday, 19 out of 22!

Then off to spring break.  I wasn’t so sure what would happen upon our return, but week 3, all 22 kiddos kept their pencil!!!  Ah-May-Zing!

In just 3 short weeks we went from losing a class set of pencils to using and reusing a class set of pencils!

If a pencil breaks, I don’t stop everything just to sharpen it.  They put their pencil in the “please sharpen” bucket and grab another pencil from the “already sharp” bucket.

What is the best pencil sharpener?

When I have a chance, I sharpen pencils and return them to the rightful owner.

Yes, I said I sharpen pencils.  After 3 years of allowing my students to sharpen their own pencils in my electric pencil sharpener, and having the pencil sharpener machine break before the year was over, I changed my rule.  I am the only one to sharpen pencils.  I do not sharpen pencils with plastic coating on them or colored pencils.  Voila!  No more replacing pencil sharpeners or the blade annually!

During clean-up time at the end of the day, all of the pencils are put in the “please sharpen” bucket so they will be ready to go the next day.

I was really amazed at how well my students did with this challenge.  I love that pencils aren’t disappearing any more and even more I LOVE that my kiddos are learning about responsibility.  Sometimes its the little things that can make a big difference!