I've read the suggestion to post red and green signs on a coffee can full of sharpened pencils to let students know when it's appropriate to sharpen their pencils. I have another suggestion. I found a clip-art picture of a pencil sharpener and printed it out the same size as my 5 classroom rules pictures (8-1/2 x 11). Now, when it's okay for them to exchange their pencils at the pencil sharpener, I put a green sticky note on the picture of the pencil sharpener. Works great for me, especially since my sharpener is in the back of the classroom!

thainsworth
You have hit on a great point...use the system of WBT as it works for you, don't let the system rule you. Keep posting!

You know when I taught third grade I added another twist as well---there were times when I didn't want the students to get up and exchange their pencils but they would break their lead (maybe we were reading a story and they were taking notes) so during these red sign (please don't get up and exchange a pencil right now) times I would have students just hold up their pencil if they broke their lead. Then I could keep on teaching/ reading/ etc--and I would just walk over and trade pencils. Maybe this sort of thing doesn't bug you, but I had to come up with this strategy because I had a tough class one year and I had this group of students who would "break" their pencils when the red sign was up so they would "have" to go get up and trade a pencil. Once I added this little twist, it broke the "epidemic" of broken leadsB) -you may not ever need to use this idea (and hopefully you won't;) ), but just in case it's another trick to keep in your back pocket! And thanks for the great idea, thainsworth

I teach first grade and they are NOT allowed to sharpen pencils. I have two pencil containers on the counter. One is labeled "Sharpened" (color coded in green) and the other container is color coded in red marked "Not Sharpened." They simply give me a sign language letter "p" for pencil and I either nod my head yes or no. If I say yes, they put their unsharpened pencil in the not sharpened container and get a brand new one from the shaprepened container. I use the sign lanuage letters R for restroom, w for water, t for tissue and c for closet (for permission to go to the closet-mostly to put their jackets away). It has saved a lot of instructional minutes.

Having the two containers (marked "sharpened" and "unsharpened") is a pretty good idea that I have actually utilized. The problem for me was not wanting to be interrupted during my "instructional time" for anything! My 3rd graders are allowed to leave their seats for a tissue at any time, but they don't even ask to sharpen their pencils anymore. When the green sticky note is on my pencil sharpener picture, the students are allowed to exchange their pencils (if I have sharpened pencils in the container) or sharpen a new one if there are no sharpened ones.

I, too, love American sign language and use it a lot in my class. For example, the letter "a" means "I have an answer," "i" means "I have a question," and "c" means "I have a comment." I use "rr" for "restroom." I found my 2nd graders several years ago wagging their hands near the end of a story I was telling or a point I was making, only to have them tell me, "My dog had puppies last night." Now, if they have a comment, I can point a finger that signals them to wait. I'm pretty good at following up with them when I have a moment.

Now, that I'm using micro-teaching, I don't have many interruptions at all! It's fantastic!

Ohh!!! I love the c-comment, a- answer, and q-question idea!

Thanks!




You've peaked my interest with "micro teaching". Tell me more!

This is a great example of what is so wonderful about this forum! Practical solutions and creative thinking about the smallest teaching issues!

"Micro-teaching" is at the very heart of whole brain teaching. It simply means teaching in 30-60 second intervals. Following the teaching, students are told to "teach" their partner the concept just taught. (Check out the WBT videos to see actual teachers using the teach-okay strategy.) It takes a lot of discipline to micro-teach, but it will make all the difference in the world to your students and the amount of material they'll be able to master.

My 3rd grade students will be bringing their own supply of pencils. Usually I only let them sharpen pencils at the start of the day, so many switch to lead filled pencils as the year goes on. Since there isn't a class grouping of pencils, what suggestions would you all have for allowing other sharpening times for those who go through pencils quickly? Using cups for sharpened/unsharpened pencils would cause problems with mixing up their pencils since they bring their own supplies.