I did it again!

Yes, it really is only the second week of May, but yes, I did it again.  I think maybe even earlier than I did last year.  Two weeks ago, my kids emptied out their entire desks and turned them around so they were unaccessible.  I kept all of their materials in bins around the room with their number on them.  They only got to keep a box with pencils and colors, plus their folders and library books--which had to stay in a neat pile in the corner of their desk at all times.  I hoped this would help the constant distraction of playing with all the junk in their desks that they kept sneaking in from home.  I also thought it might help me better monitor their organizational skills because they only had two things to keep organized--a small supply box and a folder. 

Ha.  That didn't go as planned.  Those little piles on the corners of their remained a sight for sore eyes day in and day out.  Plus they still somehow kept sneaking in junk from home.  Constant, non-stop distraction.  Ugh. 

So, I wrote a note home today saying that in order to have these children's entire focus while at school, I don't want them bringing backpacks, pencils, or anything to school anymore.  A folder and a library book.  I sent home all the pencil/supply boxes, all of their colored pencils, crayons, glues, etc. We will use a community pencil jar and a community art "center" in the room for any kind of art projects we might still do. 

The next two weeks are benchmark testing, then the desks are going "bye-bye", too.  Last year I put a piece of tape around the floor of the room with an assigned spot for each child on the tape, and without backpacks, supplies, and everything else, we ended up doing a ton of hands-on, physical learning.  We had fun, so I'm hoping we can end the year on the same note this year.