A Grand Surprise...You Probably Need It

This week I had a wonderful surprise … A BRAND NEW PENCIL SHARPENER!!!

I ordered one from Troy (who happens to be a teacher)  at Classroom Friendly Supplies and could not stop smiling when I saw the box sitting on my porch. It is the little things in life. As a side note, I splurged ...the $50 plus splurge...and got one of those big electric sharpener this year. During the last month it has started making funny sounds. This sounds are ones equivalent to what you hear on your car, but then pretend you do not hear hoping they go away and fix themselves because honestly the last place anyone wants to go is to the mechanic. It is right up there with the dentist in my book. Well no more ignoring them. Bye-bye expensive pencil sharpener.

Since I wasn’t at school, I looked around my apartment for pencils to sharpen. Oh my word, it is so nice to sharpen a pencil and not have it half eaten by the big bad pencil sharpener. Even better when the pencil is sharpened and the lead is not going to fall out at the first letter my students write. For the past few months, I didn’t know such pencils existed.

When I was first sharpening pencils I used it without the table clamp (mostly out of pure excitement). I just wanted to start sharpening. I am a fan of the table clamp it makes the sharpening go even smoother.

Then when I took it to school and finished sharpening pencils for the day I was equally amazed! I have on hand at least 30 plus pencils ready and sharpened for the day. Lately all those pencils barely last us until lunch. I also have a rule that students do not sharpen pencils throughout the day (you all know why…the huge long pencil sharpening line that only seems to grow once someone decides their pencil isn’t sharp enough or broken) which meant I was having to sharpen pencils during lunch time to ensure these would not happen. With the new beautiful blue sharpener that amount of pencils lasted us all day.  Hooray!!  I know is this not a bonus I should be advertising that is why it is written smaller, but my students have learned the tricks of my new one so it definitely stops the huge ever-growing pencil sharpening line. Plus the sharpener even with the clamp is easy to move so I can put it exactly where I need it.

Effects of the old pencil sharpener. The pencils are a third of the size and still have their full erasers. Not the way it is suppose to go. :(

New pencil sharpener: look at those sharpen pencils. They are normal pencil size. Not eaten by the sharpener. :)

I know we are teachers and get excited about gluesticks and plastic boxes, but seriously if you are looking for a better solution to your current pencil sharpening situation go check these sharpeners out. They are amazing!! Simple and do what pencil sharpeners are suppose to do: sharpen pencils! I have already shared with my fellow teachers with much interest. I don’t think having another one on hand would be a bad idea either. Also he even has how to videos on the website. Go check it out. Thank you Troy!