Getting Organized from the Get Go!
|
Here’s a low-tech but highly effective organizational system I have used in my many years of teaching. This idea is so fabulous; I wish I had it in place from my very day of teaching on. To get and stay organized, I keep a large 3-ring binder on my desk at ALL times. Inside this binder, I store items such as:
• A master class list of student’s names (useful for many tracking purposes from homework to collecting field trip money) • A map of the school plus a map of all the fire exits • A daily and weekly class schedule • A list of my colleagues’ e-mail contacts • A list of students’ home e-mail addresses and phone numbers • Student information sheets we collect at the beginning of each school year • A list of emergency phone numbers • A confidential list of health concerns (allergies, medications, etc.) from the school nurse • A list of field trip contact names and numbers, plus a list of dates (as these are scheduled ahead of time) • A list of important dates including Back to School Night, Parent-Teacher Conference dates, dates for standardized testing, etc. (I keep this master list of important dates in my computer and can easily update and print out a new list as the year progresses.) • A master copy of forms I routinely send home such as a request form for classroom volunteers, a field trip permission slip, a Parent-Teacher conference sign up sheet, etc. In addition, I include a plastic pocket page protector for each student In these pockets, I store correspondence to and from home, phone call documentation, copies of e-mails with parents, copies of report cards, annotations of progress and concern, summaries of conferences, copies of teacher observations, etc. I also punch holes in manila envelopes and use these to collect money for class trips and book club orders. I label dividers to separate each section of my organizer notebook. I also use this folder to store a set of master activity pages that can be duplicated and used anytime in the school year in the event that I am absent for an extended period of time. This binder system is really quite easy to set up and has saved me lots of time and energy through the years. I never find myself scrambling for information and rest assured that it helps my teaching assistant and substitute teachers as well.
For Really Good back-to-school products, see what Really Good Stuff has for you! This article was part of the August 2010 Classroom Connection Newsletter. Check out the other articles from this edition: |
Organizing from the start is the key to a great year with this idea by Norma, a Kindergarten Teacher in El Paso, TX.
At Really Good Stuff, we're committed to bringing you the best teaching resources online and off. We under-
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 7:41 pm
I LOVE this idea! I have something similar set up, but need to revamp it a bit this year to be even more effective!
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 10:31 pm
This information on organization is very helpful. I keep copies of everything on both my computer and my flash drive, but I’m really liking the idea of a binder. Must try this!
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 5:56 pm
Thank you for this idea! I am always “tweeking” my organization within the classroom. I really am excited to try this one out!
Commented On August 5th, 2010 1:37 pm
These are some great ideas! I, too, keep a binder – but not so extensive. Would you please tell what size binder accommodates all of your ‘files’?
Commented On August 21st, 2010 10:20 am
It is my 3rd week of school and I really need to get more organized. Thanks for the tips.
Commented On March 20th, 2011 12:10 pm
What an awesome idea! And such a simple idea at that! This is great! It would also be a good resource for a substitute who is in your class. She can use that binder to take roll, learn the schedule for the day, etc. Now I must take a trip to the office supply store!
Commented On June 4th, 2011 1:24 pm
I use a binder as well, but I keep my substitute activities elsewhere because of my class sizes. I loved your idea for the envelopes–I may use this to collect classroom work instead of hauling it in something separate. Thanks!
Commented On September 4th, 2011 8:55 am
I used a 3 inch binder last year – I TRIED anyway – but wasn’t successful because I didn’t use it efficiently. When I saw your list of suggested items to keep in the binder I made note and organized my binder pretty much the same way. We’ve just finished the 2nd week of school but I already feel much less stressed about where to find some of these papers. Thanks for sharing!
Commented On September 4th, 2011 12:19 pm
Thanks for sharing. I have a similar system, but reading about yours makes me think of what eleemosynary I need to add to my binder. I also use binders for striding units of study in. Makes it easier when using the unit and e drugging is in one place.
Commented On September 18th, 2011 6:54 pm
I have kept a few smaller binders with similar info the past couple of years, but I love your description of having it all in one place! With 26 students I am concerned about it fitting into one binder, but I am going to create a plan and see what I can do… thank you for sharing!