The Pencil Problem

Dear Teacher, 

Pencils. We all need them. We all have them and we all know about the pencil problems we have every day. Who knew pencils could cause so many issues? I never did until I started teaching!

This month we are focusing on organization. For those who are new to teaching, solving the pencil problem is one of those things I tell pre-service teachers they can plan for ahead of time. You need to find what works best for you. There are so many options but you need to think about your students, your school, your expectations, and what you can/are willing to do to solve this problem for the entire year. 

Possible Solutions

There are many different solutions to the great pencil problem. Let's take a peak at a few different ideas. 

1 - Pencil Stations: These are usually made out of wood with drilled holes for the pencils to stand up in. They can be easily made or found on Etsy. A colleague of mine added pencil flags to hers so she can see who borrowed a pencil. 

2 - Pocket Chart: Use a pocket chart to hold each individual students pencils. They come over and get what they need. You can easily see who is missing their pencils or needs a new one. 

3 - Toothbrush Holders: Travel toothbrush holders are the perfect size to store pencils in it. Each student keeps their pencils inside and then they store them in their desk. 

4 - Pencil War Game: There are many different ways to reward students for still having their pencils at the end of the month. You can do it by team or by individual. Rewards vary but the point is to help students be responsible for their own pencils. 

5 - Community Supplies: Sharp and dull containers are provided and students simply change out the pencils as needed. 

6 - Magnetic boards: similar to the pencil station above but uses a magnetic board instead. 

Source: Kelsee Hudson

Source: Kristi DeRoche

Source: EdTech 101

Source: Sweet Tooth Teaching

​What you do depends upon you. All of these are a great idea. Just make sure that whatever you choose you are consistent and use it all year long. 

My Current Solution

This poem brought me to my knees and spoke to my heart. This is my students. This was me growing up. I know the ache and the pain. You just want to do one thing right today and you can't even find a pencil. If you can't do that right, can you do anything? 

This poem is what formulated my pencil plan. I sharpen 1.5 pencils per student on the first of every month and I add them into the rotation. My students can have as many pencils as they like. They can take them home or to another class. There is always a bucket full of them. Be successful. Have a pencil. 

Rethinking Next Year

With COVID-19 everything seems to be changing. I have a lot of community supplies in my classroom. I am wondering if community supplies are a thing of the past. If they are, this will mean that I will have to make changes to how I do pencils. Maybe 2 pencils a month per student and extras on the side for them to take and keep. 

This also changes the sharpening of pencils policy. Right now, I sharpen them all. Why? Too many broken pencil sharpeners. This allows me to ensure that the pencil sharpener does not get broken. They sharpen colored pencils on their own. If I sharpen them as I do now, they will be mixed together. Do I assign days/times to sharpen? How do I decrease the germ count in this area? Do I Lysol the pencils in the box daily?

What are your thoughts? Does COVID change the pencil policies in your room? 

Still Contemplating Pencils, 
​Misty