The Pencil Sharpener Dilemma

The Dilemma 

  For the past few years this is how I dealt with pencil sharpeners. Two cups with individual sharpeners kept on each row.

It worked OK, but not perfect. (You probably know the feeling.) The individual sharpeners were tough to use with small 6th grade hands. It takes a while for them to get to using them.

I don't always have time to check each individual cup at the end of class. I'd see the cups and assume there was a sharpener in it. But that was not always the case. Every once and a while a sharpener would disappear. Ughhh!

They worked in that the kids didn't have to walk around the room to find the room sharpener. And they are quiet. You don't hear all the grinding sounds from and electric sharpener or a wall mounted one.

So there were some goods and bads with the sharpener cups.

The Solution- I Hope

Here's what I'm hoping will be my new solution to the pencil sharpener dilemma. I hope that these clear containers I bought at the dollar store will do the trick. 

Since they have a screw on top- the kids will take a second to screw the top back on after they put the sharpener back inside. No more sharpeners falling on the floor and getting lost.

And since they are clear- I'll be able to take a quick look around the room to see if there is a sharpener in each cup after we clean up.

                      

Here's to hoping these will work!!
Here's my update- I've been using these clear cups for over a month. They work great! At the end of each class, I can easily glance at each cup to make sure there is a sharpener inside. And the kids always tighten the tops back on after they use one. I  can say this has been a success- no lost sharpeners in over a month! Woo Hoo!
How do you handle pencil sharpeners in your art room?  You can comment below.