Tuesday's Tip

Pencil Cups

How many times have you heard a student screech, "That's MY pencil!"?  Or, how many times has a student come to class WITHOUT a pencil?  Or, how many times have pencil leads broke during a test and the entire class MUST listen to the grinding of a pencil sharpener?

After several years of these problems and other similar ones, I came up with the "Pencil Cup" system and it has eliminated SOOOOO many pencil problems!  I also eliminated the need to purchase a new pencil sharpener once or twice each year!

Since I teach elementary students, I DO NOT allow mechanical pencils of any sort.  They are just a play thing to be taken apart! Next, I make the school supply list specifically state...20 - PLAIN #2 pencils, so the students have no surprises about "special" pencils.  One the first day of school (when the little fellows look like bag ladies), I take up ALL the pencils.  Later I sharpen enough pencils for each child to have at least two each.  I also keep pencil top erasers in a little container next to the pencil cups. 

On day two, the students begin learning their new morning routine...which includes getting a pencil from the "pretty, painted" cup.  I chose these two words because they begin with the letter "p" just like the word "pointy".  The sharpened "pointy" pencils are in this cup.  Yes, the cup is painted!

 

One of the best parts - if a pencil breaks anytime during the day...the student simply puts the broken pencil in the "ugly, un-sharpened" cup and get a new one.  No fuss, no noise, no hands waving in the air and the ring of "My pencil broke!"

One unfortunate drawback, YOU have to sharpen the pencils EVERYDAY!  Ugh!

Now, how do you make a pencil cup.  I used an over-sized tin can and hot-glued popsicle sticks to the outside of the can.  Then, I painted one cup and left the other alone.  I will try to post a picture of my pencil cups soon.  This system has been a lifesaver is my classroom!