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Sunday, May 12, 2013

The Pencil Sharpener: A Review for You!

Hello Readers!

I am here today to tell you about the greatest thing since sliced bread.  


It is known around the blogging world as the quietest pencil sharpener, but around my classroom, it is known as the BEST thing EVER!  

Here is my review (or more of a life-changing classroom story):

At my school, the district gives every teacher one pencil sharpener for the entire year.  After about two months of using the sharpener (no brand names to be mentioned)  it broke.  I, being the responsible first year teacher, kept the warranty,  contacted the company through endless emails and phones calls and (finally!) waited a month to get a new one in the mail.  After about two months, the new one broke.  After more emails and phone calls they sent another one.  The process continued over the course of my first two teaching careers. 

Because the electric sharpeners are so loud and noisy, my students were only allowed to sharpen at the very end of the day during carpool.  

If a student ever snuck a pencil in the sharpener during any other time of day, I would give them a mean look kindly remind them to wait until the end of the day.  
I am embarrassed to admit once, my teaching assistant sharpened a pencil during Math Center time and I actually asked her to stop because the noise drove me CRAZY!



This past year, the school bought a different brand.  Everything was fine and dandy until after about 4 months, the lead of the pencils began to literally fall out after being sharpened.  None of my students ever had a pencil to use.  
Another broken pencil sharpener.  
Another broke teacher.

I am telling you all of this because like many of you, I was tired of the electric pencil sharpeners always giving me a head ache and found a better solution!

After hearing about the quietest pencil sharpener from a teacher across the hall, I decided to try it out for myself.


The small package came in the mail.


I immediately ripped it open like Christmas morning carefully opened the box.


I found another box.


Inside that box was this.


The actual pencil sharpener and the clamp that fits on a table or ledge.


After assembling it (I literally put two pieces together! Super Easy!) I had to sharpen something right.this.second.  I couldn't wait until I got into my classroom to try it!


I found the nearest dull pencil.


Don't you love how my fingernail polish matches?  That was totally unplanned!


Tray that opens to release the pencil shavings. 



Clamp down, push pencil in and sharpen.


This is what the pencil will look like before you have started sharpening.


THIS is what the pencil will look like after you are finished! 

Holy Guacamole! 

Isn't that pencil sharp?

I mean, it will take days before my first graders will need to sharpen again.  There is so much lead to be used!    



The next day I brought it into the classroom and taught my pencil sharpener (classroom job) student how to use it.  She picked it up in no time at all and was finished in no time at all.  
A win-win for everyone.


Since then, I have taught several other students to sharpen pencils.  They LOVE to have this special job because of the amazing new sharpener.  They are memorized by it.  They think it is the neatest thing and so does their teacher.

Now, I even let my students sharpen during the school day.  "Have you lost your mind?" You might be thinking.  But "no.  I haven't."
The sharpener is not as quiet as say a tiny handheld sharpener (you know the one....that gets tiny pencil shavings all over your newly swept floor?), but it is 100% quieter than any electric sharpener.  On Friday, one of my students sharpened pencils during our morning work time and no one even noticed!
*gasp*

Overall Review:  

The sharpener sharpens pencils better than any electric pencil sharpener I have seen.

The sharpener's easy-to-install clamp allows students to sharpen independently. (Although my students have sharpened without the clamp, no problem.  They just place one hand on top while the other one turns the handle.  The pencil is held in place by itself!)

I would recommend this sharpener to ANY classroom teacher!

Click here to find out more!




Thank you, Classroom Friendly Supplies, for making a difference in our classroom!

-The Frizz 


1 comment:

  1. This is so funny! Great- but funny. It's the SMALL stuff that makes a BIG difference right?
    Melissa
    PS- YOU are the first blog I check when I open my reader! :) I love your writing. Keep it up Frizz. See you soon- but not soon enough.

    Melissa

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