Focus on Picture Perfect Desks
 Photo by bahugala (flickr.com) Control the classroom clutter with this idea by Marie, a 3rd Grade Teacher in Millville, MA. If you’ve always dreamed of a classroom where students actually strive for neat desks, your dream can come true! In the beginning of the school year, after all the materials have been distributed, I neatly arrange a typical amount of materials in a student desk and take a photo of this desk, I also have student volunteers stage a messy desk and I take a photo of that desk as well.
I have each photo blown up to 11” x 14” size, and mount them on paper. I label the photos Picture Perfect Desk and Desk Disaster. Each week, at an unannounced time, I choose one student to secretly inspect our room in order to report back to me on the most Picture Perfect Desk of the Week, plus two runner up desks. I then award the desk of the Week a Blue Ribbon and take a photo of the winning desk wearing its ribbon. I also award all three neat desk owners a pass allowing them to skip one night’s homework. I post the photos of the Blue Ribbon winning desks around the mini-poster photo of the Picture Perfect Desk. This has really encouraged students to clean up their desks.
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Commented On August 2nd, 2010 10:40 pm
I’m big on clean desks! This last year I got 2 cones from the Dollar Store that said BRAVO! I used these as my clean desk awards. They really worked. I’ve never used the visual but have heard of it used as an intervention before. Maybe I’ll add this idea. Another thing I do to introduce “rubrics” is make a rubric whole group with the numbers 1, 3, and 5. I ask the students what a 5 (being the best) desk should look like, then a 3, and lastly a 1. We make lists for each number. Then I ask them to rate their desk and then creat a “5″ desk. I use this as a reminder throughout the year. “Please make sure your desk is a 5!”
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 5:24 am
I love to encourage my first graders to keep a clean desk. At the beginning of the year I read them the book “Tacky” and while reading I bring out my miniture stuffed Tacky. Then, I explain to them that deep down inside Tacky wants to be neat and organized (like their desks should be.) I continue by telling them that every Friday Tacky will chose a new home (clean and organized desk) to live in for the week. I then find the cleanest desk in the class to place the stuffed Tacky in. He brings them a certificate and special prize (pencil/eraser) and the student gets to keep Tacky with them all week. The only condition is Tacky does not leave our classroom. Every night he gets tucked back into his clean desk. Every Monday morning, the students are looking in each desk to see who got Tacky! It works every year!
Commented On May 8th, 2011 12:55 pm
I have been looking for a great way to encourage my students to keep their desks organized. I will make a note and try this next year.
Commented On June 12th, 2011 3:35 pm
I love the idea of having the pictures posted.I think I will try that .I have used pouches on backs of chairs for several years but was thinking of trying a year without them because they tend to become just junk holders.
Commented On March 11th, 2013 6:04 pm
I homeschool and I am looking for something to keep my kids’ desks neat.
I love the idea of the cones because they can each have one. I am also thinking that laminating one award for each child that I can leave on the desk would be good and would not eat up too much copy paper!
For us- a clean desk means
1) nothing cluttering up surface ( DVD’s are put away properly as are pencils, crayons, & papers that do not include art work that needs to dry
2) nothing piled on top of TV ( they watch videos lessons)
3)nothing on floor beneath their desks.