I've had a lot of positive response to the "spoon pencil" strategy I've been using this year. (Thanks, Sam!)
But, I've been feeling a little guilty. I think I need to confess the truth of my "genius" plan.
It doesn't work.
At the end of the second quarter, I replaced about half of the spoons and doubled the tape.
At the end of the second quarter, I replaced about half of the spoons and doubled the tape.
And here it is now, with four weeks left in the year:
On the positive side, my knife erasers fared much better. Five of the eight originals remain.
And the green fork pens? Seven out of eight originals are still intact.
Still, I have enjoyed an entire year of not hearing "Mrs. Gruen, I forgot a pencil", or "Mrs. Gruen, do you have a BIG eraser?", or similar distress calls.
For next year, I have decided to step up my game with indestructible spoons:
If this doesn't work, I am attaching pencils to bricks.
I am not even kidding.
I am not even kidding.
I've taken your spoon idea. I started this about 2 weeks ago with 10 pencils. As of today, I still have 10 spoons.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I did different, is that I also offer mechanical pencils for $0.25. So, the students can either borrow a spoon pencil, or buy their own.
I really want a manufacturer to make these with pencils: http://www.amazon.com/Company-Preventa-Chrome-Plated-Technology-05059/dp/B000CCYN36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335033347&sr=8-1
ReplyDeleteI really want manufacturers to make these in a pencil version: http://www.amazon.com/Company-Preventa-Chrome-Plated-Technology-05059/dp/B000CCYN36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335033347&sr=8-1
ReplyDeleteI have used the collateral idea in the past. You want to borrow a pen or pencil or eraser? Give me some collateral - something you will want back badly enough to return my pencil. It usually has to be something good - cell phone, iPod, driver's license, school ID. (With the picture IDs, I know who to ask to get the pencil back.)
ReplyDelete