Case
Pencil Sharpener

A few students in the classroom I am observing in get up unnecessarily several time during a lesson to sharpen their pencil. The pencil is not dull nor broken and the student will still get up to sharpen their pencil during instructional time. This distracts the other students and causes the misbehaving student to miss out on learning. The teacher I am observing has tried implementing a strategy where four fully sharpened pencils are given to each student prior to the beginning of class to limit the amount of times students need to use the sharpener. However, even with this new strategy, I witnessed a few students purposely breaking their pencil just so they could get up and sharpen it. What strategies could be used to prevent students from using the pencil sharpener as an excuse to distract themselves during a lesson?

Posted on: 10/13/19 | Views: 485
Solution #1
Keep a bin of sharp pencils at your desk and a bin for dull ones. When students need a sharp one, have them come over and exchange their pencil in the bins.

I like this idea. It minimizes a lot of distractions during instructional time. however, i do feel like it is not enough. I would pair it with giving the student multiple pencils at the being of class and their own mini sharpener. I feel like that would cover all basis.

The students will still get up and semi distracts the classroom still.

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Solution #2
The best one I saw in my internship is to have 3 minutes in the beginning of class to use the pencil sharpener, and then it gets unplugged and put on the shelf. You could also try giving all one small sharpener to each student.

If unplugging the sharpener, I would also have a stash of sharpened pencils to hand out to students, maybe the fatter pencils that are harder to break and older students would rather not use to deter them from wanting to break theirs and get a new pencil.

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Solution #3
I think that the students (especially in Elem.) like to take advantage of the pencil sharpener. I saw online one time a teacher gave her students 6 new freshly sharpened pencils in the beginning of the year and if they had at least 1 or more of those pencils left after the report card periods, there would be a reward for all of those students. If the students lost all of their pencils there would be a minor consequence of some sort. This will teach the student responsibility and teach them accountability! Also, you won't have to worry about the sharpener!
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Solution #4
The teacher could try going over the classroom rules and procedures to ensure students are clear of what the expectations are in the classroom for the pencil sharpener. If students continue to disobey and are caught purposely breaking the pencils, there should be a warning with an explanation of the consequences. The teacher should also think about putting the pencil sharpener out of reach so they no longer have access to it. If the behavior still continues, the teacher should reach out to the parent/guardian.
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Solution #5
Giving the students a specific time to sharpen their pencils and get ready before class could be helpful. Having those extra sharpened pencils will also be good. They should be able to make it through without getting up. Sometimes the students just get up because they are bored or unengaged. I think that taking a thirty second stretch break could eliminate students getting up to sharpen pencils unnecessarily. If you have this consistently planned in your lesson plan it should not be that big of an adjustment.
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Solution #6
I worked with a teacher that would give students a personal white board and marker if they purposely broke their pencils in order to get up and sharpen them. They would have to write the answers on the white board, but were then not allowed to write the answers on the sheet they were working on. They would be graded on the answers they filled in with their pencils before they broke them. This worked really well because students did not want to lose dojo points for uncompleted work.
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Solution #7
The students purposely breaking their pencil have another reason for wanting to get up. Either to gain attention or get away from working for a moment, maybe try implementing small 'brain break' activities when students seem to be restless and having a quieter hand-held sharpener that students are to use during instruction times. Many students just need to get up and move around for a small period of time and the 'brain breaks' could help with that, as for those seeking attention, they will find other ways to seek attention, so having a quiet sharpener designated to be used during instruction will keep their disruption to a minimum. Try having that student perform extra "jobs'/tasks that give them responsibility and visibillity to see if that cuts down on their need for attention.
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Solution #8
I would establish certain times that the pencil sharpener may be used during the school time. For example, before class starts in the morning, before and after lunch, coming back from specials, etc. If the students do not follow these rules and continue to sharpen their pencil during inappropriate times then the sharpener will be taken away for a short period of time. In the meantime, allow them to use small and cheap sharpeners at their desk. They are using the sharpener as a means to either get out of their school work or to get attention; therefore, you need to establish rules or take away that mean.
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Solution #9
I think that giving the students four fully sharpened pencils at the beginning of class is a great solution to the problem but it needs to be backed up by positive and negative reinforcement. Students who have more than one pencil sharpened at the end of class gets all small reward. If the classroom management plan includes money or dojo points the students could owe for breaking all of the points. This would increase the students' responsibility for keeping the pencils sharp. Students who get up to sharpen pencils through out the class could loose money or dojo points as well.

I mentioned this in a response to a different solution on here but, when I was in elementary school, sharpening my pencil was more of a nervous habit that gave me the opportunity to take a break from an assignment and collect my thoughts. Whatever you do, I'd recommend not directly taking away the sharpening of the pencils because I'm sure I'm not the only person that used that time to calm down. My personal suggestion? See if it's in the budget to instead use mechanical pencils. Much quieter to sharpen, students don't have to get up to sharpen their pencils, it's faster than using either a sharpener hooked up to a wall or a machine. This still gives students that take this time for a little break an opportunity to clear their heads.

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Solution #10
I think that the student just needs to get up and move throughout the lesson. Some students are not able to sit in a chair for 7 hours a day and listen to their teacher lecture. I would try and find a way to let the student move that will not disrupt the class. Maybe, allow them to sit in the back of the classroom and they are allowed to get up from their seat but they can't leave a certain area around their desk. Just an idea.
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Solution #11
I think it would be a good idea to completely eliminate the pencil sharpener for student use. Before class make sure every student has one or more pencils and create a place where there are more pre-sharpened pencils. If they need a new pencil they can raise their hand for permission to get up and get one. For added control, you can place the pre-sharpened pencils near the front where the teacher is.
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Solution #12
It sounds as if the teacher has not clarified expectations within the classroom. No student should be permitted to continue this behavior. I am not sure of the age/grade level; however, reminding them that destruction of anyone's property (even their own) within the classroom will not be tolerated. Pencils are an important tool used within the classroom. If the student, or few students, continue to break property with the intent to disturb the classroom, consequences should certainly be attached. Speaking with the students in a teacher-student conference is necessary. I am sure those students parents would not enjoy being contacted in regards to their child being disruptive in class by purposely damaging pencils and/or other property. Loss of privilege's (grade specific) would be something I would strongly consider in this situation.
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Solution #13
My CT had a cup of sharpened pencils and a cup for broken ones. Students weren't allowed to use the pencil sharpener. They just took a pencil out of the sharpened cup if needed. This stopped students from wanting to go sharpen and disrupt the class. Also, if it is the same student doing that everyday or several times a day, having a talk with them individually will be helpful too.
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Solution #14
The teacher needs to review the classroom rules and procedures with the entire class. If it is a student who just needs to fidget and get up and move, have a space at the back of the classroom for the student to pace around during the lesson to not distract the rest of the class. Other ideas can be have other pencils sharpened so it does not happen throughout the lesson or give the student a handheld sharpener for when the pencil breaks during the lesson. Last idea is to give the students who are constantly breaking the pencils either a pen or whiteboard and a marker.
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Solution #15
I would keep the same strategy in place and when I notice a student committing this behavior I would inform them if they cannot do the work due to a broken pencil, they will receive a '0' on the assignment and the parents will be informed.
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Solution #16
I would go over a new classroom rule which is not getting up during a lesson to sharpen pencils. If they are receiving 4 newly shaped pencils then there is no reason for them to be getting up and causing a distraction during class. Sharpen pencils before and after class, not during a lesson.
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Solution #17
In one of my classes, there is a rule that students have to ask the teacher before getting up to sharpen their pencils, similar to how they would ask to go to the bathroom. This seems to limit the number of students who just get up to use the pencil sharpener in the middle of class.
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Solution #18
The teacher should have a day to review the expectations and procedures for the classroom, and then inact a rule where students have 2 minutes before class or the extra time before class between class period changes to sharpen their pencils. Each student can sharpen two pencils. These are the only pencils the students get during class, and if they break their two pencils, they can have a stamp card to get a "lender" pencil from the teacher. If the students insist to still break their pencils and is out of stamps to get a lender, then they will have to miss out on the opportunity to complete their work during class due to their lack of preparation, and must complete the work as homework.

I don't agree with this solution. As educators we should never prevent a child from learner. Whether it is by their own doing or not. We should always have a way for them to achieve their daily goal. There are so many other solutions to this issue that can keep the student still working. Also, by the sounds of it,that is what kids goal is, avoidance. They are trying to get out of doing the work and you are rewarding this behavior by giving them what they are seeking.

Teachers cannot prevent students from doing their work and learning. This is not a well thought out solution.

I have seen students get very hostile and run out of class because their teachers would not give them a pencil for whatever reason. This can lead to bigger problems.

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