30-Day Blogging Challenge: Day 8: The Desk Monster

Day 8: What's in your desk drawer, and what can you infer from those contents?

Students and parents know never to leave anything on "The Desk Monster". If they do, it could disappear forever. The top of my desk is usually a disaster with piles of forms, stacks of work to assess, my assessment clipboard, several picture books, at least 2-3 devices at a time, and bins of pleasing coloured pens.

Last year, some of my lovely students said that what they wanted to do at the end of the year was clean my desk. I even got a handmade coupon to do so from one.

My desk was such a disaster, I didn't want anyone else even trying to tackle it.

On the second last day of school last year, I spent longer than I'd like to admit sorting out my desk. So far, it's remained pretty good on the inside. The top of the Desk Monster isn't great, but I'm working on it!

Here are the contents of my top drawer.

Looking objectively here are the things I observe and could infer:

Yard duty sash - since it's tucked away, the owner of this desk must not have much outdoor duty

Thumb Sumo set - this person likes to have fun

Cords - this person is in to tech and likes to be prepared

Colourful, different sized sticky notes - this person is a labeller and likes to be organized

Greeting cards galore - this person values handwritten notes of gratitude

Colour Your Own Birthday Cards still in boxes - this teacher had good intentions of giving out birthday cards to all her students last year, but never got to it

Here are the contents of my bottom drawer.

Cards and letters - this teacher values things that her students and colleagues make for her and is sentimental

Sealed "Letters to Self" - this teacher stays connected with former students by sending them letters they wrote for themselves when they were still in her class (sometimes 4-5 years later!)

Colourful pens and markers organized in cups by brand - this teacher has an unhealthy obsession with fancy writing tools

Moisturizer - this teacher doesn't like to have dry skin in the winter

Hair products - this teacher tries to fight the frizz

Cup of change - this teacher gets small donations from caring students to help buy supplies for the class pets

NOTE: It is absolutely NOT worth it to break into my desk to steal the change. There is not much. However, there is a small fortune in Sharpies and Papermate markers.