Hello once again and welcome to the fourth link-up of my Weekly Summer Link-Up party! I have been having so much fun reading and learning about teachers from around the world. So far, I have had people from Canada, the United States, Norway and even a post from South Africa (thanks, Tamsyn) link up! Your response has been amazing – and I would like to extend a bog thank you to everyone who comes here to read and link up. You have given me the motivation to keep blogging throughout the summer months.
Sorry about making this post later than usual. As I was writing this last night, HELLO PROCRASTINATION!, I realized that I was missing some important photos of my classroom and I could only get them this morning.
So… teaching quirks! We all have them! A quirk is something that someone does that makes them stand out from the others around him/her. I have quite a few, as I am sure my colleagues would love to tell you about, such as my love of Tim Hortons coffee first thing in the morning or my very messy desk. But the one that I want to focus on today is my “Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame”.
I love using red pens. I know, I know… there is something out there called the “Red Pen Syndrome” where teachers with red pens make their students papers look like they have been massacred. Others believe that red pen on white paper is aggressive and harsh but I disagree on both accounts. I disagree simply because I like the way my red pens look on the paper. My comments, questions, check marks, and error circles are easy for my third graders to find because with my trusty red pens, my writing POPS off the page. I know that my students and their parents will see my comments quickly and any corrections that need to be completed are easy to spot as well.
I always have a stash of red pens at home and school, and I always keep a few in my teacher bag just in case I find myself doing some correcting at the arena during my daughter’s figure skating lesson or at the pool for my son’s swimming lessons. There could be 5 red pens on-the-go at any one time!
One day, a co-worker asked me how many red pens I go through in the run of a year and that got me thinking… “How many red pens DO I use each year?” And that thought got me to thinking, “I wonder how many pencils Grade 3 students use in a year.” So, at the beginning of the school year for 2013-2014, I decided to keep track of them in a very unique way.
I made a Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame!
The rules for the Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame are very simple.
Rule #1. Only red pens that are used my Miss Monica are allowed on the wall.
Rule #2. Only pencils that are used by Third Graders and are smaller than a Grade 3 student’s finger are allowed on the wall.
Here is the wall at the beginning of the 2013 – 2014 year:
And here it is again at the end of THIS year:
That’s a whole lot of pens and pencils!
Everyone who comes into my classroom is always amazed at Grade 3’s Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame! As some pencils have the names of students on them, the Wall of Fame also serves as a great reminder of the wonderful children who have been in my class. Quirky, don’t you think?
This Pen and Pencil Hall of Fame is one of my best quirks! It serves as a reminder of how hard we have all worked in the classroom and it also makes a great art installation in the room!
What is your quirk? Link up below and tell me all about it!
Until next week,
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Mary Carr says
I love the pen and pencil wall of fame – I’ think I may need to try it 🙂 Great fun!
I Heart Grade 3 says
Hi Mary,
You really should! I’ve noticed that it helps the students keep track of their pencils (BONUS) but at first I did have to discourage over sharpening. I took care of that problem by investing in a very good electric sharpener and taking sharpeners OFF the student supply list!
Thanks for coming by!
Monica
Crystal says
I think I am going to try the pencil wall of fame next year! I’m sure it motivates the students to stop losing their pencils!! I used to only use red pens too, but this past year I started using my colored flair pens to grade because I loved them so much. I do like the way the color stands off the page and is easily noticeable. 🙂
Crystal
http://www.funandlearningatbba.blogspot.com
I Heart Grade 3 says
Hi Crystal,
I love my Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame – and so do the kids! When my former students come in they look at the growth of the wall and they are amazed and always say, “Miss, you still have our pencils!”. It has been a wonderful addition to my classroom!
Hurray for another red pen user! I think I am the only one on my staff that uses them! lol!
Thanks for stopping by!
Monica
Bryn says
That’s hilarious! Thank you for the much needed laugh and link-up.
Bryn
I Heart Grade 3 says
You’re very welcome! Thanks for coming by!
Monica
Katie Millard says
My writing utensil addiction would probably be Scentos and Mr. Sketch markers! Love those things.
I Heart Grade 3 says
Mr. Sketch markers are awesome! I don’t know about where you are from, but here in Canada, the yellow markers don’t smell the same anymore. They switched them from lemon to banana. Yuck! My all-time favourite is the brown one! yummy cinnamon!
Monica
Two Nutty Teachers says
This is fantastic! I bet your kiddos love this! It would be so much fun to do a prediction at the beginning of the year. Thanks again for a fun link-up! Looking forward to the rest of the summer link-ups!
I Heart Grade 3 says
Hey! Welcome back! Glad to have you with me once again!
I never thought about the prediction aspect of this activity! What a great idea! I really should do a count to see how many of each I have!
Monica
Bagby says
I absolutely love this! I would have never thought of that. I am loving this summer weekly linky party. Thanks for hosting it and coming up with such fun topics!
~Bagby~
Get Your Science on in Room 701
I Heart Grade 3 says
Well thank you very much for the compliments!!
Monica
Erin says
I love the idea of the Pen and Pencil Wall of Fame! In my kindergarten class it might be the Glue Stick Wall of Fame, but I’m pretty sure that I would run out of wall space by the end of November!! 🙂
Thanks so much for hosting such a fun link-up!
Warmest Wishes,
Erin
http://www.kinderdragons.blogspot.com
I Heart Grade 3 says
Oh my goodness! A Glue Stick Wall of Fame would be so awesome! What a fantastic idea! I’m not so sure I could get the glue sticks to stick with just blue “gamete” like we call it here in Quebec – but that would be a pretty cool thing to try!
Thanks for stopping by!
Monica