|
Useful things for new teachers to learn: * Goo Gone will remove nasty sticky tape residue from chalkboards without harming the board's surface. A scraper helps, too.
* Don't ever, ever, ever tape anything to your chalkboard! Most of them are magnetic. Use magnets!
* Mr. Clean Magic Erasers will get ANYTHING off of desks, walls, shelves...anything made of formica or painted School Yellow or Institutional Green. They work especially well on badly drawn penis pictures.
(Pictures OF penises, that is. Don't use one on...ummmmm...never mind.)
* If you start scrubbing your room, the custodians will gather in your doorway to watch you. If they see that you're actually getting something clean, they'll come help you. I had three helping me today before I was through.
* Keep wet wipes of some sort in the room, for emergency cleanups.
* You can clean the INSIDE of your overhead projector, too. It's amazing how much it helps.
* Put DARK paper on your bulletin board, so the kids can't write on it. Keep their desks a few feet away from it, to avoid grease spots from leaning heads.
* Get a small lamp with a dark shade for your desk. Use it when you show a video or use the overhead, so the kids don't think the room is *totally* dark. They'll try lots of dumb stuff if they think you can't see them.
* Convex mirrors in the far corners of the room are like magic eyeballs. I'm sure I'll think of more stuff later. Why do I care if my room is clean, you ask? Simple--if I treat it with respect and make it comfortable and inviting, the kids behave better and tend to appreciate the pleasant atmosphere. You'll know you have it right when they'd rather hang out with you in your classroom and do homework than go home!
previous - next
|
|
Clean Classroom