i would like to know what procedure do you use for pencil sharpening in the classroom. Also, how do you teach the noise levels (ex:6 inch voice ) to your students? i have tried posting 0, for silent, 1 for whisper,,etc.
I usually have each student sharpen a pencil in the AM and then I have a cup holder in the front of my room FULL of sharp pencils. One cup says DULL and the other says SHARP. When their pencil they sharpened becomes dull or loses its point they may put it in the cup to be sharpened and take a new pencil.
Similar to Jillian, I have the students sharpen two pencils in the AM. When they need a pencil during the day they go to the bin and get one. I also allow them to sharpen pencils during centers. As for teaching class voices the answer is yes. I have been using poems and we read them in whisper voices and then inside voices. The kids like doing it. I will do that for one more week. We have only been in school for 3 days now.
I have a Pencil Keeper classroom helper who sharpens pencils in the AM as soon as school begins. The pencil keeper places 6 pencils at each table in their shared tubs that stays in the middle of the group. I usually have 4 students per groups so most of the time, 6 pencils are enough for the day. But I do allow students to sharpen pencils at the end of the day if needed. I think I will though have a "dull" bin and a "sharp" bin so that if those pencils get dull by the end of the day, they can just take one & turn in one. That's going to be a chore teaching them how to do that! But I'll try!(second graders seem to eat pencils!)
Pencils: I have "Pencil Sharpener" as a job. The child with that job sharpens all the pencils at the end of the day. Then, s/he places 12 pencils at each table. That is enough for each child to have 2 sharpened pencils for the day. We also have the cups labeled dull and sharp so that they can trade pencils if needed throughout the day. No pencils are sharpened during the day. Noise Level: We've discussed that we have different voice (not noise) levels for different activities. We've practiced those levels. If the voice level becomes too loud, then I count down from 3. By the time I get to 1 our voices, including mine, 'magically' do not work. This year (so far) I have a delightful group who love to pretend and this is working. After I feel like the students get the message, my voice 'magically' works and I explain what the problem was or ask one of the students to explain. Then, we move on with what we were doing.
I do the same thing! I don't like noise so usually my pencil sharpener only gets like 5 pencils sharpened per day. My students have learned to use their pencils until it REALLY doesn't write anymore. I did buy an expensive commerial grade pencil sharpener over the summer and spent about 40 minutes sharpening 500 pencils so I think we'll be good except for up keep for the next few years! All those pencils were left over from the last 2 years since I don't allow much sharpening
The stocked sharpened pencil idea is good, but I want students to take responsibility for their supplies. I tell my students they must have at least three sharpened pencils in their desk at all times. I will give them an unsharpened one if they ask, but they must remember that. Due to the noise of the pencil sharpener, they can sharpen only first thing in the morning and right after lunch ( I do have several electric sharpeners and a manual one). If they tell me they don't have a sharpened pencil, I simply tell them that it's not my problem. Usually after a short period of time, someone in the class lends them a pencil. That happens to few students.
I have to hand it to you elementary teachers. Last year I taught math 7 and they all wanted to use pencil. (When I teach the older kids I'm fine with pen.) The constant use of that (*&%$! pencil sharpener drove me nuts!!!!
I hate the noise so I've bought 3 electric sharpeners in the last 2 years and I only have those now. I let kids sharpen anything during recess or before the 2nd school bell rings in the morning so they have to be fast. Then I ask my supplies monitor to sharpen a small stack every day so the community can of pencils has loads in it. I have a tote tray at every table of 4 desks (a pod of desks) and crayons too and glue and scissors, so those who are not responsible always have a supply of pencils to use every day (or crayons, glue etc.) I've found this the easiest way for me not to be interrupted. Control things from the get go if you can, it cuts down on later problems.
Yes. The pencil sharpener could possibly be my sanity breaker eventually. I have tried and tried and after 13 years cannot come up with a way. I have 3 electric sharpeners and NONE sharpen pencils. I bought all of my kids a manual sharpener and that's ALL they do- sharpen pencils. Then, we requested parents buy sharpeners and some bought battery operated ones and oh boy, you know what they do with those all day. AAAAAA:woot:
WHEN I WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE DID THE SAME THING AND IT WORKED GREAT. WE ASLO HAVE ANY CHILD THAT WAS LEFT WAITING FOR A BUS THEY COULD SHARPEN THE PENCILS FOR THE NEXT MORING.
I'm a community pencil teacher too. The constant sharpening drives me nuts. My cans are red for broken/dull and green for sharp ones.
I have the same community pencil can... I just make sure there are plenty of sharpened ones each morning. Kids keep 2 good pencils in their desk... if one breaks they put it in the "bad basket" and get a sharp pencil from the can. I've done this for the past 10 years at least... I even removed the manual pencil sharpener from the wall when they started sharpening both ends of the pencil one year! It has never returned. I only have one electric sharpener. With only ME using it, it lasts much longer.
ok i have a question... i do the dull/sharp can but the problem I've had with the last two classes is that they NEVER put one in the dull can, they just grab a sharp one. I can tell them over and over and over and they don't do it. then all of the sharpened ones go away and i have nothing left to sharpen. I don't want to stand by the can and monitor it while they grab a new pencil. so i have been having a student go around and collect dull ones at the end of the day but it becomes a pain and too much time for silly pencils. there must be a better way!
I only have one sharpener that works (moved into a new school and no manual sharpener!!!) so I do all the pencil sharpening until the office finds more sharpeners to go around. I call each table and they choose two pencils for me to sharpen. I only sharpen pencils in the morning. Since we've only the one sharpener, I have allowed the individual sharpeners but they can only be used and emptied in the morning during our morning work time. When we get another pencil sharpener, I'll let the kids use that one. I'll still sharpen pencils unless we get several sharpeners or a manual one. It only takes five minutes in the morning- the kids have been trained how to hand over the pencils so it goes faster.
I am the only one who sharpens. I ask them to keep 2 sharpened pencils in their desks. I have a basket that is for sharpening and a basket that is full of sharpened pencils. I sharpen either during a break or after school. I just bought a new electric one and I want it to last a long time. The kids are very good and never ask to use it.
Well, I am fixing to go the the "You can only sharpen your pencils in the morning and right after lunch" thing because the constant pencil sharpening is driving me crazy! One thing that I do so that the kids don't just get up and sharpen them anytime they want is by using hand signals. They raise their hand with a certain number of fingers up and this tells me what they need without asking. Cuts down on the talking a little. 1 Finger - They have a question 2 Fingers - They need to use the restroom 3 Fingers - They need to SHARPEN THEIR PENCIL 4 Fingers - Get a drink 5 Fingers - Quiet (Otherwise known as GIVE ME 5) As far as voice levels go, I simulate a stop light. CODE RED is NO TALKING CODE YELLOW is whispering CODE GREEN is a normal inside voice. For example, if they're working in a cooperative learning group, then they use their code yellow voice so they don't disturb other groups, we use CODE GREEN when we're discussing something at the carpet or when they're reading aloud, etc. I just call out whatever code I need them to be at.....when we're at code yellow, it usually slowly gets a little louder, but I just say code yellow again and it goes back down. It's better than just yelling QUIET!!! all day.
