New Year, New Ways

Sorry, I am a teacher, therefor I get summers "off." Ha ha, we (I am assuming most of my readers are teachers) all know that is not true. But I did decide to give my blog a rest.

I started school with my new group of 6th graders about 2 weeks ago. I am LOVING it. I just love my job. Period.

I did have a few management "issues" I needed to iron out this year. Since my 6th grade team rotates between classes, my room seems to collect many items that are not mine nor are they my homeroom class'. To battle this dilemma of students finding items and coming up to me EVERYDAY showing me these items or asking to return the to the rightful owner, I decided to up-cycle my many disinfecting wipe containers into a useful tool....Graveyards: where missing tools go to rest until the owner or a new, loving owner decides to resurrect it. Plus a convenient "Lost and Found" section for the bigger items (Pencil cases, books, hats, etc.).

My graveyards include the following: crayons pencils, markers, colored pencils, and the favorite, and eraser graveyard. No longer will student come up to me with the little (or the big) items that don't belong to them. They will glad take the item and put it away....students are told they can "resurrect" any item from the canisters and claim them as their own. No longer does a student say they don't have their pencil, crayons, etc....they just get what they need. So simple, so easy.

An added bonus: everything smells like lemon!