Make them responsible

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Home : 2002 : September : 23

Make them responsible
By One Solution

I implemented a class rule that each child must have 2 sharpened pencils each day. They may sharpen them before the bell rings in the morning and then the pencil sharpener is not used the rest of the day.

If they break
both pencils during the day they have to find a friend who will loan them one. I do not loan out pencils -- no matter what!
As to returning to their locker, I have reduced to nearly zero. At the beginning of the grading period each child has 100 "responsibility points." When the grading period is over however many responsibility points are still remaining, that is their grade on their

report card. Each trip back to their locker costs them one point (on a 9-week grading -- if I had a 6-week I might increase it to 2 lost points per trip). After the first week, I now have less than one student per week make a trip back. All I have to do is say "It will cost you a responsibility point" and the kids usually go to find someone to help them out of their mess!

I teach fourth grade and this really works for my class. Hope it helps you too.