Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Messy Classroom I have successfully included students experiencing phenomena and engaging in inquiry in my classes. My students are engaged and seem to enjoy my class. Unfortunately, even when I remember to have students clean up at the end of each period, I still seem to have to clean up the lab area for at least a half hour at the end of each day. Any help? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I was a long-term substitute for about 6 months in a first grade classroom that had little to no order before the teacher left. I walked into a complete mess. The students seldom cleaned up after themselves at the end of the day. I got sick and tired of doing this each day, so I started playing a game. I planned out different rewards: no homework pass, treasure box, extra recess, eat lunch with the teacher and a friend, etc. At the end of the day, I would pick something in the classroom that was not in the right place, or a piece of garbage on the floor and not tell the students what it was. I would tell the students, "I see something that doesn't belong. If you find my magic item and put it in its place, you will win a prize." I would then set the timer for 5 minutes. The class loved playing this and my room would be absolutely spotless! Whoever put the item or piece of garbage in the right place won the prize. By the end of the 2nd month, we barely ever had to play the game because the students were so used to cleaning up regularly.