It’s time to get organized for July, the end of a summer for some of us! Let’s see if Teach Junkie can help break down some teacher organization stuff as your personal teacher’s assistant. {wink}
So, let’s take a day to really plan and organize your schedule. Here are some of the things to do!
How to Organize – Teacher Organization
1. When you’re planning to score on some teacher supplies and classroom supplies – be sure to write down what you need. Before you go shopping, write down where each thing will live in your classroom or desk next to it so it won’t be so overwhelming to take it into your classroom. You’ll already know where you want it to go! Use this classroom plan to get you started.
2. Now is the time to trash your files. Spring cleaning has nothing on summer preparedness. The rule of thumb when going through your physical file folders and files – if you haven’t used it in a year and aren’t excited about it anymore, then trash it. Let yourself let go of the “maybe I’ll need it” mentality. It’ll feel so amazing if you can. Can’t possibly do that? Scan it and keep a digital copy so you can let go of the paper.
3. Bring sunshine to your digital files by organizing your downloads folder and those free printables you’ve gathered over the summer. If you like downloading files, then creates folders within the folder where all of your downloads go to automatically. It’ll save you so much time if you visit it every once and a while, drag and drop files into an appropriate folder and then you can also delete erroneous stuff. {p.s. did you know you can search your downloads folder by date – totally helpful}
4. Get online storage. You won’t be sorry if you invest in using Google Docs or Dropbox {what I use}. You simply install it on your home and school computer. You then use the folder just like you would your “My Documents” folder {on windows} and every time you change, save or add a file it’ll automatically be on both computers. Your download you found at 1 am and put in your dropbox folder will appear on your school computer ready the next morning! No more carrying around or worrying about a jump drive. Life simplified.
Personal Assistant
5. Clean your cupboards and throw away expired or gunky condiments. Check your spices and trash any that aren’t good any more. Feeling really in the mood? Go through your medicines too and pitch any past their expiration date.
6. Plan a get together with a friend or a teacher friend. Grab a bite to eat or get your favorite coffee drink and take a few minutes to yourselves to catch up and share what your excited about for the near future. Friendships go further when the future is a focus.
7. Write down a personal goal you have for yourself. While many people resolve to create a new habit in January, teachers start fresh in the fall. Start thinking about a habit or goal you want to work on. Plan now, write it down and keep it in front of you.
8. Are you a night owl? Consider giving yourself a couple of days to get back into a normal sleeping routine prior to school beginning. {I know… I shouldn’t even mention it}
Classroom Setup
9. As you set up your classroom, be conscious about your decor but be even more cognizant about your setup. The flow of your classroom will play a major role. If you are changing up your furniture arrangement, walk through it all and visualize how you’ll be teaching from different angles. Consider creating a safe spot to give all students the space they need to pull it together.
10. As you begin to pull your classroom together add functional and/or thought provoking posters or printables that will reach your students. Here is an example of one that I’ve made. It’s the classic Think Before You Speak set of nametags in bright colors.
More Classroom Posters:
11. Now is the time to plan to ask for iPhone donations. Parents may be upgrading their phones over the year and be happy to donate them to your classroom so you can use them as a listening center device.
12. Finish your shopping! When you finish up your shopping list early, it gives you plenty of time to feel like you’ve got it under control and sleep better. If you’re decorating by color scheme, then use this color coordinating tip to ensure you get the best results.
13. Set your classroom up with some management systems that make your life easier. Once you teach the procedures to go with, you’ll love having an everything board or system to keep track of glue sticks already in place.
Classroom Routines
Consider building in some classroom routines that’ll help you make the most of your time with your students. These are my top picks for integrating, adding or tweaking by adding your own flavor.
14. Think about how you can build in the routines for developing a classroom community. Have a sharing time like Pow Wow Sharing to encourage respect amongst students, or consider creating a pledge to each other. Students can make a promise as a class and use this printable to remind each other of it, or recite it daily.
15. Plan a quick routine to get students to reflect on learning. This will give you the tool you need to keep a pulse on your students’ learning and progress.
13. Figure out your plan for pencil management. Pencils are a necessity, so having routines in place to manage them is a simple but crucial piece in building classroom routines that work for you!
14. Lay claim to your classroom space as one that is geared for success and has positive expectations. Bring in routines like creating a class motto for success, sharing what you expect and are looking for in lessons and laying out your positive behavior plan. When you’ve got each of these routines laid out, you can expect success from your year.
15. Ready for partner work? Create a routine where picking partners during work time is made simple. You could use these partner-picking wheels to turn it into a cinch so that even subs can utilize them in your absence.
16. The daily things that could potentially create teacher headaches are why we create classroom routines. Teach once of these simple classroom management procedures ideas for students leaving the room as your classroom routine to make your days smoother. These will be especially helpful if you have bathrooms not housed within your classroom.
Back To School Activities
18. Get students to know each other better by having them work out a list of work partners befores they become too comfortable with each other. Use this partner picking list sheet to make picking partners easy on you and painless.
19. Teaching procedures and expectations is what we do the first days of school, so utilize your time to introduce new students and review for returning students the lunch procedures. You’ll find activities and tools to make lunch time smoother and begin setting expectations for recess too making it the break students deserve in the middle of the day.
Classroom prep is coming up next month! Be sure to share your tip or idea by uploading it to the Teach Junkie community so we can ooh and ahh over it! No blog needed, but if you have a blog, be sure to leave your link so we can read more there if you have more to share. {wink}
Do you ever go into denial about school starting back up or are you chomping at the bit to get back into your classroom?
Let me know below in the comments or we message about it on the Teach Junkie Facebook page. I love to hear from you and really want to help you plan your month. {that way I can have your back!}
Leslie {aka the original Teach Junkie} loves learning new things to make teaching easier and more effective. She enjoys featuring creative classroom fun when she's not designing teacher shirts, making kindergarten lesson plans or planning her family's next trip to Disney World.