Student Contributor: H. Ellis
This tool is helpful for not only the students but for the teacher as well. Each student will have their name on a popsicle stick at the front of the classroom, beside two mason jars labeled hot and cold.
This tool should be introduced at the beginning of the year and used at the beginning of each day for the entire year. The students will walk to the front of the classroom and pick up the stick with their name on it and place their stick in the mason jar that matches their lunch selection for the day. If they are having hot lunch, they will place their stick in the jar labeled hot, and vice versa for cold lunch. This tool not only helps students in sharing their lunch selection for the day but also helps the teacher in taking attendance for the day. This tool was used when I was a student and was super helpful to both parties.
I placed this tool in the preventative phase because it starts the day off without any questions or issues if it is used correctly. I think it could also relate to the supportive phase because it supports the students in their routine throughout the day and also supports the teacher in their job. The theories of influence that I think this tool fits best are student-centered and collaborative because students are using this tool on their own in their daily routine, but it is also collaborative because when the student does their part, the teacher can then do their part. This tool is beneficial to both teacher and student but is dependent on the student to do their part for it to work the way it should, hence why it is student-centered.
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Tool Source: My own experience throughout grade school
We tried out the popsicle stick count in a fourth-grade class. It is part of the morning routine. This is a fairly cheap and easy tool to set up and use. It does not take long to write all the student’s names on the sticks. You can also have the students write their names on the sticks. Small buckets, jars, or cups work quite nicely to hold the sticks. We modified the original idea to have four jars. One for first choice, second choice, milk only, and cold lunch. The students catch on quickly and it makes attendance easier to take. Despite being part of the daily routine, some students need reminders to move their sticks every day. To help combat this, consider placing the sticks by the front door for the students to move as soon as they walk in the door. Having the sticks be a student’s responsibility is a great way for them to learn and practice responsibility.