Pencils

I teach at a Title I school which means that 40% of the student population or more qualifies to receive the free lunch program. The free lunch program means that the total household income for a family of 4 is at $22,050.00 per year. My school has 74% of the students receiving free lunch.

This means kids come to school without school supplies. At first, I felt so horrible for these kids. Surviving on my measly income is hard enough and it is just me! But then......I realized the issue it has become in my classroom. I am losing instructional (teaching) time because I am expected to be their neighborhood WalMart. "Miz, Miz, I need paper. Miz, Miz, I need a pencil. Miz, Miz, I need another sheet I lost mine. Miz, Miz, I need an eraser. Miz, Miz, I need a band-aid. Miz, Miz, I need a high-lighter. Miz, Miz, I don't have colored pencils today."

Seriously? If I let it, I would lose the entire class period to handing out paper, giving out pencils, and making copies. All students at our school were given a 3 ring binder on the first day complete with dividers and a pencil bag. All they have to do is take care of it. But....NO! Some are not even responsible enough to handle that!

Paper issue? I keep extra handouts that I did not use in a bin under the counter in my room. If they don't have paper, they need to get a scratch piece of paper and use that. My Science team provides me with glue sticks, tape, colored pencils, scissors, rulers, etc. They last until someone walks away with them. I have a stackable paper sorter in my room. If they need an extra copy, they hunt for it in the stackable. If there are no more there, then I am out. They can use the scratch paper to write their answers on.

Pencils. Now pencils are another story. I work on the weekends at a golf course. The gentlemen working outside service have been so kind by saving the little golf pencils for me instead of throwing them away. I have been taking the pencils to my classroom and putting them in a drawer for the students to borrow. Borrow is the key word. I have gone through about 500 pencils and it is not even Christmas yet. That drawer is always empty! I have been catching kids taking 3 pencils saying they need to use them for another class. I have caught them thrown across the room. I have caught them ripping off the erasers and chewing on them. This is B.S.! Those are my pencils that I have been taking time out of my weekend not to mention the golf guys doing me a favor - to use in my classroom!

One of the other science teachers at my school sent me this link below and I think I am going to start using this policy when my pencil drawer is empty!

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coach_gs_teaching_tips/2010/11/in_pursuit_of_the_perfect_pencil_policy.html