Teachers -- what pencil sharpener do you have?

[cjnix29]

This is funny.....I am room mom for my son's 4th grade class and we do a class gift. I asked the teacher what she wanted....an electric pencil sharpener that works! I can't remember the one I bought, but I had read reviews for it. I ended up getting it at office depot, but bought the one year protection plan for it too! She appreciated that!!

 

[AZMermaid]

I had an awesome one one year that had a light that turned on when the pencil was sharp- awesome! But a parent bought it for me and when it broke, I didn't know where to find it. I also do the sharp/dull containers now. It works well enough but I need to be better about making sure it is full every morning. If there are just a few, they get taken first thing and then I end up letting them sharpen anyway!

 

[luvmyfam444]

we just bought one for dd's class....I bought the XACTO one from staples that is for heavy duty use & comes with a 3yr warranty. Turns out its the same one the teacher had previously & liked a lot....it was $60ish

Of course IMO the kids should have to do it the old fashioned way...its much cheaper & those sharpners don't break as easily.

 

[ryalluvdiz]

I had an awesome one one year that had a light that turned on when the pencil was sharp- awesome! But a parent bought it for me and when it broke, I didn't know where to find it. I also do the sharp/dull containers now. It works well enough but I need to be better about making sure it is full every morning. If there are just a few, they get taken first thing and then I end up letting them sharpen anyway!

I had one with the light too... Actually it was my GRANDMOTHER'S! I think we had it for at least 20 years as she was an avid crossword puzzle person.... I started to use it in my class and it was great! The poor thing finally saw its last day a few years ago(sharpener, not grandmother!) I cannot find another electric sharpener that will outlast my 31 fourth graders for more than two weeks!

 

[sk!mom]

I will look Monday and let you know what mine is because it is the best one I've ever had.

My best advice is do not allow students to use it ever! Kids break pencil sharpeners. I have a can of sharpened pencils and a can of need to be sharpened. I sharpen them maybe twice a week. I do not sharpen anything but all wood pencils with it either. Colored pencils, paper wrapped pencils will gum it up. If kids want to use those then they have to use a hand held sharpener with a cover to hold the shavings.

 

[bushdianee]

I have the Exacto sharpener. I do not allow my 1st graders to sharpen their own pencils. I keep 2 cans on the counter for dull and sharp pencils. I got mine by using my book club points. I am on my second one because of colored pencils. I put a note on the new one that says NO colored pencils.

 

[brennicksmom]

I recently heard that the reason whey they break so often is the decorated pencils. The plastic/paint on them ruins the sharpeners. That when its only plain boring pencils used they don't break because nothing gets caught in them clogging them up.
My son now only uses refillable pencils, but when he was in younger grades he said he likes the Ticaronga pencils best because he can sharpen them without them re-breaking

 

[MM27]

I have a couple of $14 each electric sharpeners from BJs. My kids are only allowed to use them first thing in the morning, right after lunch or while packing up. All other sharpening needs are done with hand held sharpeners. I gave each student one in the beginning of the year and most still have them. I also do not allow mechanical pencils in my classroom.