Britt Hawthorne

Having a strong pencil routine teaches responsibility, systems, and independence.

Pencil routines are developmentally appropriate because they give students a concrete, manageable way to practice executive functioning: organizing materials, following procedures, and taking ownership of shared resources. When students learn to manage something as small as a pencil, they’re building habits that transfer to attention, transitions, and overall classroom behavior.

Here’s the simple system:

✏️ 5-Step Pencil Routine
1. Set Your Number – Count students +2 extra pencils
2. Use the Right Cups – “Sharpened” = take, “Not Sharpened” = return
3. Take One, Return One – No pencils from home (this will single-handedly destroy the routine), always return them
4. End-of-Day Check – Pencil Manager counts, the class finds missing pencils, and tre PM sharpens for tomorrow
5. Friday Reset – Replace broken pencils + restock

✨ Bonus Tip
Teacher + small groups use a different color pencil, so student supply stays intact

This reel is part of my new series supporting new (and newer) teachers with real classroom management struggles and simple, workable systems. If there’s something in your classroom that’s not working, drop it in the comments, I’ll build you a solution.

routinesandprocedures executivefunctioning classroomroutines backtoschool teacherhack

✏️ Pencil Routine (5 Simple Steps) - part 2

End-of-Day Check (Pencil Manager)
• Count pencils
• Announce missing number
• Class helps find them
• Sharpen all pencils for tomorrow

5. Friday Reset
• Replace broken/golf pencils
• Restock back to your set number

Bonus tips:
• Teacher uses a different color pencil
• Small groups use a different color set

That’s my two cents

Instead of “be quieter,” or the famous “shhhhhh” give them something physical to adjust.
• Small mouth → soft voice
• Medium mouth → partner voice
• Big mouth → presentation voice

Anchor volume to what we’re doing, not a random scale.
• Learning time → voices don’t travel
• Partner talk → voices stay at the table
• Sharing time → voices reach the group

“Match your voice to the job—don’t let it do too much.”

“Right voice, right choice.”

I’m starting a new series for new or newer teachers who are looking for advice on classroom management. If you have a small problem that’s causing a big issue, let me know. If I have an solution, I’ll be sure to help.

And it’s a Montessori school 🥰

because today is a good day, to have a good day ✨

Sunday’s message: Somewhere along the way, we’ve gotten really good at critiquing… and really weak at contributing

Week 2 in the classroom
A rekenrek helps students see numbers in action, groups of 5 and 10 become something they can move, not just memorize. That same thinking flows into a 10 frame, where numbers are organized and relationships become clear at a glance.

Together, they extend the foundation built with Montessori materials using accessible, affordable tools like the rekenrek and 10 frame to deepen understanding, expand exploration, and make meaningful math learning available to every learner.

My favorite teacher outfit from Uniqlo

I really do have the best book publisher.Penguin Random House SXSW EDU

Main Street: A Story of Redlining, co-authored with Tiffany Jewell. This powerful story introduces young readers to the history of redlining, a discriminatory housing practice that denied homeownership opportunities to communities of color, helping children understand systemic inequality in an accessible and meaningful way.