If MacGyver Was a School Teacher, He'd Look A Lot Like Me

Does anyone remember the TV show, "MacGyver?" I think it was from the 80's. I don't remember it, but looking at this guy's mullet hairdo, I'm thinking I got the decade correct. Anyway, for those of you that may not know about this show, it was an action-type show and the star, MacGyver, could get out of any jam he was in with simple household items. Crazy stuff like he could build a bomb out of paperclips, glue, and a hairnet. Now that takes talent.

I mention this show because I am the self-proclaimed MacGyver of my school. See, I'm moving classrooms this summer and I've started packing up all my stuff. I've been teaching for 17 years at a total of two schools and a total of 3 classrooms. I've not had many opportunities to weed out my stuff. And I have a lot of it. I joke that I'm like MacGyver, because if you need something...no matter how odd it may be, I'm sure I have it. And I'm usually really good about loaning my stuff.

Please don't confuse the amount of stuff I have with the qualities of being a "hoarder." This is now a show on TV and I've watched it in horror. It's one of those shows you can't stop watching. I don't live in filth and I can throw things out. I'd say that I'm not a hoarder, but I keep more things than the average person and/or teacher. It's not a sickness worthy of an intervention...yet.

If you aren't a teacher, you may not know what kind of stuff can accumulate. Yes, I have the regular stuff like markers, glue, and scissors, but I also have some more rare and unusual items as well. What kind of things, you ask? Let me lay it out for you.....

Here are some things that I've found as I've started cleaning out my room: (Note that I have a hard time parting with any of this stuff so I guess that means I'll have lots of boxes to move.)

*glue: bottles of white glue, rubber cement, and glue sticks. Lots of glue sticks.

*scissors: kid scissors (at least a class set), fancy pinking shear-type scissors, large handled grown up scissors (at least 5 pair)

*string type things that bind: fishing line, twine, pink string, white string, clothes line, yarn in 18 different colors

*green cherry tomato baskets you get at the grocery department

*35mm film cannisters-many of these

*glitter: big bottles, little bottles, in pen form, in glue form

*measuring cups: at least 3 different types (including cups and individual plastic cups with the marks on them showing the different measurements

*vinegar

*vegetable oil

*wax paper

*aluminum foil

*plastic wrap

*rulers: clear and wooden (I have a class set of each) as well as a class set of Master Rulers, and laminated paper rulers that have the different measurements marked on the lines

*dice: white, red, green, as well as blank number cubes with the stickers you put on them. I also have overhead dice and large foam dice. I have a large container that holds all them.

*dried beans-about three different kinds stored in gallon size baggies

*baggies: snack size, quart size, sandwich size, gallon size, two gallon size, and the kind that don't have a zipper (which I hate)

*several large wooden dowels

*yard sticks and meter sticks-there are several of both in both wood and metal

*9 different sets of playing cards

*scales: balance, gram, spring

*folders: a multitue (and I'm talking MANY) in various colors: red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, orange in both paper and plastic...also with and without clips and/or pockets

*magnets

*pH paper

*food coloring

*funnels-about 8

*stopwatches-about 9

*rubber bands-many in various sizes and colors

*empty soda/water bottles: 2 liter, 1 liter, pint, quart, gallon

*fabric scraps

*ribbons

*blank Christmas greeting cards

*calculators-a class set

*overhead clock/calculator

*overhead manipulatives: money, place value pieces, fraction tiles, ruler, spinners, thermometer

*dominos

*paper: construction, tissue, tracing, handwriting, lined notebook, copy, colored, drawing paper, card stock

*Tennis balls

*tape: masking, packing, painters, duct

*extension cords-about 9

*guinea pig stuff: empty cage, tubs of food, play castle, treats, play yard fence, food bowl, water bottles (2)--note that there is no guinea pig in my classroom or at my house

*cotton balls

*popsicle sticks

*Q-tips

*toothpicks

*pattern blocks (plastic and wood)

*clocks: wall, plastic Judy clock, class set of wooden mini-Judy clocks

*straws-about 800

*envelopes

*pens, markers, pencils (more than I can count of each)

*books, books, books

*file folders

*dividers

*plastic sheet protectors

*paperclips in various sizes

And all of this emcompasses about 3 shelves in one of my cabinets.....get the picture? If you need it, I've probably got it. But....can I find it? That, my friends, is the question....I don't have the answer for you but I can tell you that MacGyver (me) will keep looking.