I’m skeptical. Often.

Although its serves its purpose, it’s not a good trait most of the time. Most often, someone recommending something is generally not enough for me to jump on board. Although it will pique my curiosity.

I was super, ridiculously, over the top skeptical about “The Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener”.

Seriously, it looks a little like the one that I used to have hanging on my walls before I got this baby.

And boy did I hate that cranky old thing on the wall. It gave me blisters. Broke more pencils than it sharpened. TOOK FOREVER.  

I like my electric sharpener. I’ve gone through many. But this expensive baby has been pretty good. It’s big, strong, quick, makes pencils pretty sharp. It’s also loud, and can get messed up if the kids use it. It jams. Sometimes it even trips the little circuit breaker thingy on the outlet it is pugged into.

I don’t let anyone use it. No one but me. Ever. And only after school. Because its loud. Annoying. Disruptive.  

I like fancy technology. How could a little ol’ manual pencil sharpener be something I would find useful? So skeptical.  

But I was also SOOOO curious. I mean, SUPER curious. A few bloggers have been talking about this quiet pencil sharpener. They bragged. They boasted. So I got one of Troy’s Quietest Pencil Sharpeners.

It looks like this, except light blue. I took a picture of it – but it is blurry. So I am using one from Troy’s site instead.   Today was minimum day. I was supposed to get stuff done. PLC and prepping, planning, grading… all that happy stuff. But do you know what I did? I ran around sharpening pencils. Asking everyone if THEY wanted to sharpen pencils. And they did! You know why? The dang thing is amazing. Seriously. Amazing.

Do you SEE how sharp that is?!!! Every single pencil I sharpened this afternoon looks like that. Perfect, HUGE, SHARP tips. That is a better point that my big ol’ electric super duper pencil sharpener can make. It even worked on the crappy pencils.  

It took seconds. SECONDS!!!!!

That was my biggest concern. I even asked Troy when I emailed him… is it fast? He said yes. But I didn’t believe him. I was skeptical. I was also wrong. It is fast. It quickly sharpens pencils so they are SOOOOO pointy.

Oh Em Geee – It is seriously amazing. And ridiculously quiet. Fast, quiet, precise, the best sharpy-pointy-oh-my-be-careful-with-that-thing sharpener – EVER.  

So after I went around to all the teachers in my building and they all said… “OK, I HAVE to have one.” I said, wait let me go talk to Mr. Principal man.  

He asked why I had an old pencil sharpener. I said I didn’t. I sharpened his pencils. He sharpened his pencils. He immediately typed in www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com into his browser and said… “Wow. We could probably get one for everyone.” That fast. He also added….”and it is another thing we can do to ‘go green’.” I’m sure that will help the District approve the P.O.. Yay.  

Oh, I have such happy friends now.  

Can a $19.99 pencil sharpener affect your day? Yeah. I think it can.

You know why it works so great? A teacher invented it! ‘Nough said. As I always say, teachers know what they need, know how to do it, and know what will work. All you have to do is ask us. The problem is… they (district, state, curriculum police…whoever) never ask us.  

I’ve decided I need a few more in my room. {I will totally let the kids use them – during class, even!} AND I need one at my house.

Seriously. I know you’re skeptical. I get it.  Go check out the classroom friendly pencil now! You will not be disappointed.

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!