This week’s #SundayFunday challenge is “Organization.” I definitely like to think of myself as an organized person. With 5 preps sometimes I feel like there are a thousand things happening at once, so I have to have a system or I go crazy.
Here are a few ways I try to keep my classroom organized.
- Folders for each student. I keep each student’s signed syllabus, quizzes, and tests on file for easy reference. It’s nice for keeping track of retakes and parent-teacher conferences. I have a folder for each student in my file cabinet.
- Group tubs. I have a tub for each group of desks in my room with scissors, compasses, glue, etc. This is especially handy for geometry instead of having to pass out supplies all the time.
- Paper organizer. Keeping track of copied things is the bane of my existence. I will inevitably pick them up and lay them down somewhere random and lose them forever. This hanging file organizer helps me out there – one pocket for each hour.
- End of day checklist. I am a list person. For some reason I also do much better with printed lists than digital ones. I’ve got a list that I keep in a sheet protector and add to or check off with a dry erase marker throughout the day. It’s got activities that I do every day on it and room to add new ones.
- Whiteboard calendar. Pretty self-explanatory. This helps me keep track of what I’m doing each hour. I write in different colored markers for tests, activities, etc.
- Schoology. We’re a 1:1 school, so Schoology helps me keep organize materials digitally to share with students. I really like it.
- Retake forms. I use Google forms for students to set up test and quiz retakes. I have an add-on set up that emails me when a form has been submitted.
I’m less skilled at keeping my digital ideas organized, but I do use a few tools that I would recommend.
- Dropbox. Great for keeping files synced between home and school.
- Pinterest. I try to keep my new activity ideas here. The internet is a black hole of things that I find and then can never find again, so I try to pin them when possible.
That’s about all that I can think of at the moment!
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