Redding School District

Care for Desks Tables and Chairs

Taking Care of Desks, Tables, and Chairs – Desks, tables, and chairs are important tools that are used constantly and must be kept in working order. Students need to be able to get materials from their desks quickly and quietly. They also need to be responsible for taking care of their desks, tables, and chairs.

Some things to consider while determining our policy on the care of the desks, tables, and chairs –

At the end of the day
- all desktops are to be cleared of all materials.
- clean out and either throw away or take home any loose papers that are not needed in class.
- all chairs are to be placed on top of tables
Only things in desks are books, workbooks, and other classroom related materials
Students do not
- look in another student’s desk without permission
- draw or write on desks or chairs
- put stickers on desks or chairs

Help students organize desks – To transition smoothly between activities, students have to be able to locate their materials quickly and easily. Messy, disorganized desks can slow things down. Students who have the messiest desks tend to be those who have a habit of stuffing loose papers into the desk. Have students organize papers and supplies into folders and other containers. Decorating these folders or boxes can be a motivating activity as well as a practical endeavor. Here are some containers that can be decorated:

Writing folders
Math notebooks
Portfolios
Pencil or pen cases
Book covers on school books.

Establish desk clean-up time and clean marked desks – Set a specific time at the end of each week for cleaning out desks. Keep an eye on younger students to make sure they do not throw away things that should be kept. Have the rule to have students who mark on desks to clean them during not learning time. During recess or after school can feel more as a deterrent for students.

Display a list of appropriate desk items – Create and display a list of appropriate desk items. refer to the list when you teach students how to clean desks. For younger students, use pictures as a helpful reference. Keep this list on display and refer back to it periodically to remind students of your expectations.