Borrowing paper and pens

[Spears84]

My junior high students are driving me crazy borrowing paper and pens from one another. I don't mind it that much, but many of them wait until I have started my lecture to hunt down a buddy with supplies. Or sometimes after my lecture, when I expect them to get busy, they start hunting. It drives me nuts. Does anyone have any suggestions on how you have handled this successfully?

[tinshee]

I have given points for being prepared to begin class when I am with paper, pencil, homework and calculator (I teach math). For example, in my class where homework counts for 10 points, quzzes 100 points, and test 200 points, I have given 3 points a day for being prepared. Or you can take points away for not being prepared. Candy works too. At the beginning of class (not every day, so they don't know when I will do it) I will walk around and give a jolly rancher to any student who is prepared right before I start class.

[teacher 7]

Being prepared for class is something that I have trouble with as well. I give students three chances. If they are unprepared for class three times in a term, they receive detention. This is sometimes difficult to keep up with,however, when we're in the middle of an assignment and someone needs a pencil quickly so we can move on. I wish there was another way to teach children responsibility, besides promising them candy all the time.

[awaxler]

Hi,

This is obviously an issue that every middle school teacher deals with every day. I have tried all sorts of different strategies (including detentions, rewards etc.). However, it is important that we don't lose sight of what it is we put these kids through everyday. We are telling our students to attend 8-10 different classes a day, on different subjects, with different materials, in different areas of the building. Something we would never do ourselves. Yet, how many times do we lose our own pens or pencils?

I finally decided to give up the pencil fight. As a middle school teacher it is important to pick and chose your fights, and this one is just not worth it. You can buy 72 pencils at Sam's Club for only a couple of bucks. I keep them sharpened in a coffee can in the front of the room for everyone to use. I go through about 72 per quarter (about $10)

Te best part about this is that I lose significantly less class time dealing with nonsense stuff, and better yet, I gain the respect of my students who start to think that I may actually know what they are going through everyday.

Also, it makes it easier to hold them accountable for the other required materials that they must bring to class and have no excuse for losing (notebook, homework etc.)

Give it a try. It's just not that big of a deal.

Good Luck,
Adam Waxler
www.teaching-teacher.com (http://www.teaching-teacher.com)
A teacher resource for learning the strategies of master teachers. Proven strategies that can be applied to any classroom.