Just curious if I was the only one who had trouble with students writing on, playing with and messing up their name plates on their desks? Despite my attempts, I have replaced them twice this year and they are again looking tattered. We change classes and I have two names on each desk. I know in the scheme of things this is little, but one of my pet peeves. Has anyone found a way to prevent this? They really need them on their desk for subs and for when I change desks around, since two students share a desk. Any suggestions?
Sorry, I haven't found a way to stop it either. And it ticks me off too. I usually only leave mine on for the first 4-6 weeks. After that I get really irritated when they tear them up. I have 3 names on each desk. I did find some really small name plates, just enough to write a name and used three seperate ones. That way if I moved one kid and not the other I could just move that one name plate. I now try to keep a seating chart that is in pencil and I just erase the names for the sub. I know where you're coming from though.
Would it help if you attached them to the front (or sides, depending on your seating setup) of the desks instead of the top? Or hang name from ceiling and double as an artwork display. Maybe give points for untouched name tags - make it a challenge. Just a thought.
I bought plastic sleeves and attached them to the backrest of the chairs. I can slip things in and out of the pockets easily, but since the kids are leaning on them, they can't fool around with them. I've only lost ONE this year.
also greatly annoys me. I wish I had a solution for you. The other posts--especially the one about using plastic sleeves on the chairs--mentioned really good suggestions.
This drives me nuts, too. I have copied from another teacher and I write their names on their actual desktop with Sharpie marker. This way they are not always picking at it, I don't have to use clear tape, and I don't have to keep buying new tags when new kids show up. I can even code their names--all the kids on the Purple Team have their names written in purple and so on...
It comes off with nail polish remover. You might want to test this on your particular desks before going all out... =)
Thanks guys--some good ideas. Ima Teacher, can you explain a bit further how you attach the plastic sleeve to the chair, and how large it is?
Thanks again for all your help! Makes me feel better that this bothers others too.
Messed up desk nameplates is also one of my big pet peeves. My fourth graders and I tracked back on Tuesday. I had bought and secured brand new nameplates to replace the ones they destroyed the previous nine weeks. By the end of OUR FIRST DAY back, one tag was missing completely, several were bent and ripped, and about six of them were defaced with various new names, scribbles, etc. I thought hairspray was the only way to get sharpie marker off of paper, but evidently kids are magic and it is erasable!
I have tried putting the nametags on the front or sides of the desk too, and that works no better. I have resorted to letting the tags come off and be destroyed, and then just not replacing them. If I can't remember who sits where, I just look at one of the books in their desk to see whose name is on the book.
I don't know what I'll do if I have a sub though!
I have pockets made from denim on the back of each chair. They keep their name plates in there so all they have to do is pull them out when needed. This is also where they keep there papers of the day.
I have moved away from name plates more from the mess the tape leaves behind than anything else. I now write each student's number on a small Post-It note and tape it to the right hand corner of the desk. It uses less tape and is not as much of a temptation for students to write on and pick at. I have had to replace only one or two this year.
I use the laminated tags from Really Good Stuff. They come with tape on the back so you can tape them to the desks, but I put a piece of sticky back velcro on them and put velcro on the desks so I can change desks if I need to move kids around. The name tags last all year -- this is the 2nd year I've used them, and they come with different handwriting styles plus variations -- I use the kind with a 100s chart, the color name, numbers to 20, the alphabet, and left/right hands. I highly recommend them.
I have a personal laminator and have found that the film is much much thicker than the usual. The students aren't able to pick it apart at all. They are able to pick at the tape but that isn't much of a big deal considering the name tags are still in great shape!
04-18-2007, 01:44 AM
Has anyone found a way to prevent this? They really need them on their desk for subs and for when I change desks around, since two students share a desk. Any suggestions?
Makes me feel better that this bothers others too.
Simple View
