Let me paint the scene in your classroom: it’s the end of the day, you’ve had an indoor lunch because it’s raining, a torn-art art project in the afternoon, and squeezed in some cut-apart letter activities. Your classroom is a mess, right?
There are little scraps of paper everywhere, scissors on the floor, pencils shoved under the table legs, and teeny-tiny bits of who knows what!
Long ago, I’d spend the first few minutes after my class left picking up all that mess! Not only did it waste my time, it made me resentful that students were not cleaning up after they made a mess!
I have the solution – a few years ago, I started Mystery Scrap and it’s life-changing!
This is honestly one of the easiest tools you can add to your bag of teacher tricks!
Just before you leave for the day {or even finish a particularly messy project} pick out a random scrap on the ground that you can see from where you’re standing. Then, you simply announce “Mystery Scrap!” The kids furiously scurry around the classroom trying to find your mystery scrap!
Trust me, they will ask, “Did I find it?” or “Is this it?” And to that, you answer, “It hasn’t been found yet!” {You say that even IF it’s been picked up!}
Make note of who finds the Mystery Scrap. Once your classroom is tidy, you can reward the finder with a sticker or a trip to the prize box. Every single time they are THRILLED to get a treat…and you no longer need to tidy up your own room!
What’s your favorite way to keep your classroom clean?
