Clean Desk Solutions from a Second Grade Teacher

Who's classroom sometimes looks like a bomb exploded out of some desks? Who feels like they have tried and tried and nothing works to teach these students the organization they need? MEEEE!! I work so hard at the beginning of the year to teach that everything has a place. I give them a literacy folder and math folder, and teach what goes in there. When I ask them to put things away, I remind them, "Put it in your YELLOW literacy folder!" We work really hard to keep our desks clean, but even though I try my best, things just don't seem to stay that way for long, as least for most of my kiddos, so in comes my CLEAN DESK Solutions idea!

I had to figure out how to get my kids to WANT to have a clean desk. So first things first-  I wrote a story- basically to help give them reasons to want to have a clean desk. I am really proud of this little masterpiece!

 After reading the story, we talk about where and why everything needs a place. Then one day I put a certificate in their desk, and they have no idea what is going on, and then they realize they get to sign our "CLUB." Every few days at random I would add a certificate to the desks that were clean- like NOTHING out of place. At the end of the month, I give everyone in the "CLUB" a prize- last year it ranged from pencil erasers leftover from a Scholastic book order, a cool pencil, a sheet of stickers (again from Scholastic), a pick out of the treasure box, or a piece of candy. Small and simple worked for us.

The best news? At the beginning of the school year when we started, I had a handful of names. By May, we were rockin'!!!! Everyone in the class was in the "CLUB" at least a couple of times in the year and they were smart, too. They'd know when it had been a couple of days, and would BEG to clean out their desks.

So that's it! Maybe not a complete solution, but add a little bit of magic and fun, and these kids are ready for anything!!!

Grab my CLEAN DESK CLUB SOLUTIONS in my store and then comment and let me know what is working for you!!

Peace out and happy teaching!