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  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?
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
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.
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: The solution proposed is relevant to the problem and an easy strategy for the teacher to implement. This will most likely solve the problem since the pencil sharpener will be where students have no access to it. Students having their own sharpener might help, but more than likely will only cause another distraction.
Rated On: October 13, 2019 3:07 am
Rated By: aQamen
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: This was done in my internship as well!
Rated On: October 13, 2019 4:23 pm
Rated By: aBytyZ
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I agree with this solution. Having a set time to use the pencil sharpener is a great idea.
Rated On: October 13, 2019 6:27 pm
Rated By: Keith Evans
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I like this solution because it gives students the responsibility of using their time wisely and then enforces their responsibility to keep their pencil from breaking during the lesson.
Rated On: October 13, 2019 8:55 pm
Rated By: GaVyme
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I think this is a great solution. Providing them with 3 minutes before class starts give them time to sharpen their pencils then so that they will not have to do it in the middle of class.
Rated On: October 16, 2019 5:30 pm
Rated By: aHaQaj
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No
The suggested solution is relevant to the case No
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No
The suggested solution is original No
Comments: what if pencils break?
Rated On: October 20, 2019 12:29 am
Rated By: abuPuj
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No
The suggested solution is relevant to the case No
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No
The suggested solution is original No
Comments: I like the idea but I see an immediate problem with this. This is three minutes for the ENTIRE CLASS. Even if every student is able to sharpen their pencils, what happens if they break during a lesson?
Rated On: October 20, 2019 5:39 am
Rated By: Alec Muir
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I never thought about unplugging it.
Rated On: October 21, 2019 2:05 am
Rated By: aLaGuv
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I think this would be ineffective and difficult/costly to implement.
Rated On: February 24, 2020 1:11 am
Rated By: Emily Malley
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: .
Rated On: October 5, 2020 4:45 pm
Rated By: uWaMyB
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I like that the sharpener would be unplugged. Giving the students their own sharpener might not be the best idea if they are curious/like to make messes.
Rated On: October 14, 2020 11:35 pm
Rated By: yzeDuh
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: I think that allowing time to use the sharpener would be beneficial and then if it is necessary, they have their own. I would use this solution.
Rated On: June 30, 2021 5:41 pm
Rated By: yraReW
 
     
     
  Rating
The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes
The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes
The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes
The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes
The suggested solution is original Yes
Comments: This is a great idea.
Rated On: July 3, 2021 4:36 pm
Rated By: esujyQ