Easy & Effective Classroom Management Ideas

Easy & Effective Classroom Management Ideas

1 comment Back to School, Classroom Management, Popular Posts, Tips and Tricks

One of my favorite things to do is see what other teachers are up to in their classrooms. When teacher's share their ideas, I eat it up! I'm always on the lookout for new ideas, new tricks, and new tips.

If this sounds like you, then keep reading. This post will peek inside my classroom as I share more of my favorite classroom management tips and ideas. Click here for my other classroom management ideas post.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

TIME KEEPER
Like I mentioned, I love learning new things from other teachers. Welp, guess how I learned about this handy classroom management tip? Another teacher! My teammate shared this genius idea with me.

Basically, the time keeper holds this oil timer and watches the rest of the class during independent work time to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to. It is a way to encourage kids to stay focused (and quiet) during their independent work time. It works because everyone wants to be the time keeper!

Once the kids have started working, I choose a student to come to the front of the room. I do this by casually placing the timer on their desk. That's their signal that they have been chosen as the first time keeper. This student gets to hold the oil timer at the front of the room (where they can see the whole class). As the timer runs its course, the time keeper is looking for their replacement (someone who is working, not talking, not messing around, etc). When the oil timer runs out, the time keeper simply places the timer on the next student's desk. This continues until your independent work time is over. You can find these oil timers on Amazon. 

FLASHY DESK CHECKS
I know checking the cleanliness of student desks is nothing new, but one day I found a fun and exciting way to do this. The kids loved it so much, that I do use this method of checking desks often.

I took this flashy wand (as I call it) and went desk to desk. If the inside of their desk was meeting the expectations I made perfectly clear to them the first week of school (and all the days after that), I tapped the wand on their desk and they got a reward tag. They take great thrill in seeing the wand light up. It's the little things, friends. Since it was such a hit, I've continued to use this method.

Note: Sometimes I give a reward tag that is specifically for having a clean desk, but other times, it's just a reward tag reminding them that they are awesome (see above).

This is something I'll often do if we have an extra 5-7 minutes because it doesn't take long to peek inside a desk and see who knows how to keep their materials organized and who doesn't. You can find these flashy wands in the Target Dollar Spot (or whatever it's called these days).

REWARD TAGS
Oh goodness, there is sooo much I could say about reward tags. They are such an effective tool to use in your classroom. So effective, that I've written several posts about them. Click here for allllll the details.

Basically, reward tags are little tags that students earn for making good choices, working hard, meeting goals, working toward goals, accomplishments, and whatever else you want to recognize a student for. Over the course of the year, they collect tags and place them on a ball chain necklace (a ring clip works too!). In my classroom, students wear their necklace any time they earn a new tag, and everyone wears their necklace on Fridays. Again, click here to read the many blog posts I have detailing all things reward tags, including useful tips and tricks and the ins and outs of using them. 

MOVEMENT CODE WORD
This trick may just make an appearance in any classroom management blog post I write. That's how much I love it!

A movement code word is exactly what it implies. You move when you hear the word. I started using this several years ago when my class thought they should follow the directions as I was giving them. Sigh. It was driving me bonkers. I started using the code word and told them they could not move until I was done talking and I said the code word. It turned things into a game of sorts (and no, no one loses and you don't get in trouble for forgetting).

I change my word weekly because changing it daily would never work for me. Like never. I like to use silly words. Some people like using academic words. Our day is so regimented that I prefer using a fun, silly word. It's a simple way to add more fun to the day.

I have an entire blog post about using a movement code word. Click here for all the specifics.

NAME STICKS
Sticks with students names. I don't know what genius came up with this idea years and years ago, but it's a management trick that's still going strong.

You can use name sticks for so many things: calling on students, pairing students, choosing a mystery walker, attendance, and MORE! Click here to read (in detail) the many ways that name sticks can be used in the classroom.


FAST FINISHERS
You need to have a plan for students who finish their work early. Otherwise, chaos will ensue. Okay, maybe not chaos, but you'll have a handful of kids just doing what they want and most likely distracting their classmates.

In my classroom, if you finish an assignment early, you can either:

• Work on unfinished work (must do, if you have any)
• Read silently
• Choose a fast finisher activity

Giving students a choice is important, and this is one way I can do so when there are so many restrictions in place that dictate how our day looks.

My fast finisher activities are kept in drawers. The students can choose any activity from any drawer. I have 9 drawers total so I don't have to swap out the content very often. I typically stock the drawers with various sight word activities, grammar puzzles, and/or math puzzles. Here are a few examples of what I have put out in the past.

Sight word drills:

Sight word flash cards:

Miscellaneous puzzles and activities from Oriental Trading:

BUBBLE WAND
I'll admit, this little trick is definitely fluff. But, I won't apologize for it because the kids love it. I found this light up bubble wand when we went to Disneyland last year. I had to have it. I

I use the wand to shower partners/small groups of students with bubbles when they are working with an appropriate voice level. When kids work together they have a harder time with voice levels. When one group sees another being showered with mini bubbles, they work harder to control their voice levels because, I mean, who doesn't want a 15 second bubble party?

You can find light up bubble wands on Amazon. I haven't used them, but if you like this idea, and don't plan on visiting Disneyland any time soon, maybe there is one here that would work for you. :)

TEAM CAPTAIN
I have five table groups in my classroom. Sometimes, I need one person at that group to get materials for the table, or get privacy offices for the group, collect papers from the group, etc. I've found that designating one student as the team captain is the easiest way to do this. I don't have to spend time picking a student. The captain just does it.

Every Monday, I choose a new team captain. When the students see a little dino like this one on their desk, they know it's their turn to be team captain. I only have one rule...do NOT touch the dino. If they do, they lose it. They don't lose their position as team captain, they just don't get to sit with their dino pal for the week. Basically, they get to practice some self-control with this position. ;)

The dino is a bath toy. I got this set on Amazon.

That's it, friends! I hope you found an idea or two to try in your classroom. Don't forget to click here for more classroom management ideas like picking a mystery walker, using sticker books, and more. 

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Classroom Management: Movement Code Word

Classroom Management: Movement Code Word

2 comments Classroom Management, Tips and Tricks

Hey everyone! Do you wish there was a way to get your students to stop and listen before they start moving around? Well, I'm about to blow your mind, there is!

I've been using a movement code word for several years now, and while I've shared this trick before, I thought I would dedicate a whole post to it because whenever I share this on Instagram, I get lots of questions.

What is a movement code word?
In short, a movement code word is a word that you say when you are ready for kids to start moving.

It's a way to ensure that students sit still and listen to your directions before they are allowed to follow them. It helps make sure they don't begin transitioning until it is time to.

Picture this, you're trying to give directions, but as you give them, the kids are busy moving around trying to follow them, as you're giving them. We all know that never works and it's very distracting. By using a movement code word, you give your directions, but the students are not allowed to move until you say the word.

It turns the act of listening and getting ready to transition into a game of sorts. Something that resonates with most kids.

So, how does this look in the classroom?
Here's a sample of how I use the movement code word with my students. In this scenario, the movement code word is "taco." I might say something like this:

"When you hear the code word, you need to take out your whiteboard, marker, and eraser. Then, sit with 'hands and eyes.' Remember, we transition at a level zero. Ready, set, TACO!"

At this point, the students take out their materials and then sit with "hands and eyes" (our way of showing that we are ready to get started).

Why does it work?
It works because it turns transitioning into a game. Students are listening for that one word and once they hear it, they know they get to move.  Once they do hear it, they are excited to move. Excited to get started.

What kind of word do I use?
When using a movement code word, use any word you want. I tend to choose silly, random words. I do prefer 2-3 syllable words. Sometimes, I choose two words. Couldn't tell you why, I just do.

I like to have fun with my code words so I tend to choose words like:
-taco
-lollipop
-jellyfish
-nectarine
-applesauce
-Hello Kitty
-cactus pants
-pumpkin guts
-candy cane

Some teachers may prefer to use sight words or vocabulary words. That's just not my thing.

Using silly words is one way that I can mix in a bit of fun to our day. The kids love the words and I like to think that these kinds of words help create more student buy in.

Who chooses the words?
I do. But, that's not to say that you couldn't involve your students. Do what works for you. :)

Where do I display the word?
I keep it simple (my life's mantra). No fancy signs, no magnetic cards with words typed in designer fonts. I take an Expo marker and write the word in the corner of my whiteboard as shown below. That's it.

How often should I change my word?
I change my word once a week. I know myself too well and trying to change the word daily would never, ever work for me. After school on Friday, I change the word so it's ready to go on Monday morning.

How long does it take for kids to learn this procedure?
Like any procedure you teach, there might be some trial and error at first. I say might because each year is different. This was the first year where my students needed a bit more time to get used to a movement code word.

As with any procedure, you need to practice it. More than once. Don't expect to introduce it and have your students follow it without fail from that point forward. Be patient, review the procedure, practice the procedure.

Do the kids get in trouble if they don't wait for the code word?
No. That would be a silly thing to discipline a student over.

If a student (or a few students) forget to wait for the code word (which can be normal when you first introduce this strategy), I simply point out that they are trying to get started without waiting and then initiate a "do over." I stop the students and have them sit with "hands and eyes" (whole brain teaching), repeat the directions, restate the code word, and then we move on from there. Like any procedure, you might need to repeat it several times before kids are able to do it correctly.

Is it too late to start using a code word?
Nope. When it comes to classroom management, you implement strategies as needed.

It may be the middle of the school year, but if your students are still struggling to wait for you to finish talking before they start moving, try this strategy.

Whenever I bring in a new strategy mid year, I just tell my students that it's something I tend to start doing "this time of year." You don't have to tell them that it's a new strategy and that you're curious to see how it goes. Act as if you've always used it and it's now that time of year to get it going in your classroom.

Add a bit of fun.
Once you've established your movement code word routine and the kids have really got it down, have a little fun with it. I like to psych my kids out by calling out fake code words. This keeps the kids on their toes and adds a bit of fun to the procedure.

The fake code words that I call out always sound like the code word of the week. For example. I recently used the code word "stinky socks." I called out "stinky Socrates" and "stinky salami." Doing this makes the kids laugh, and of course they know that I'm trying to "trick" them but it gets them focused on waiting to hear the actual code word.

I don't do this daily, nor do I do it all day long. Most days, I stick with the code word itself. But 1-2 times a week, at one point in the day, I might call out fake words. I'm never opposed to adding some fun and humor to our procedures when I know the kids can handle it.

Final Thoughts
I hope this post has answered any questions you had about using a movement code word. I have found that this strategy has been effective in my classroom over the years. But remember, we all have different teaching styles. This idea may not appeal to you in the least, and that's OK. You may like the idea but see some aspects you'd like to modify to better match your teaching style. Go for it!

If you have any fun code words to share, we'd love to hear them. Be sure to comment below with your ideas.

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Tips for Prepping Reward Tags

Tips for Prepping Reward Tags

2 comments Classroom Management, Reward Tags, Tips and Tricks

I've written several posts about reward tags, but I've never focused solely on tips for prepping reward tags. After replenishing my own reward tag supply the other day, I decided a post dedicated to prepping reward tags was long overdue.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

If you are looking for posts on what reward tags are, how to use them, how to store them, and so forth, click here because this post will focus strictly on prepping your tags.

Reward tag prep can be broken down into four easy steps: print, laminate, cut, and hole punch. But first....

The Most Important Tip for Prepping Reward Tags
The most important tip is to prep all of your tags during the summer. This way, the tags are ready to go on day one and you don't have to think about it during the school year. Prepping your tags can easily be done while you're binge watching Netflix. It's the perfect "TV task" as I like to call it.

Step 1: Printing Your Reward Tags
The first step is to print your tags.

Tip #1: Choose your paper. Card stock is a great option. So is this 28 lb. paper. It's thicker than regular printer paper, and smoother, and when printing in color, the designs look really vibrant. There is also a 32 lb. option, but I haven't tried it yet.

Tip #2: Decide which tags to print. You don't want to print ALL the tags. If you just print any and every tag, you'll end up with a collection that overwhelms you and you'll likely have a hard time using them. Instead, decide which tags you want/need to print.

If you're new to reward tags, decide how you will use them (to recognize effort, behavior, academic achievement, and/or a combination of all three) and print a manageable collection of tags that meets your needs.

If you're a reward tag veteran, make note of what you need before school gets out and print what you need over the summer.

Tip #3: Enroll in HP Instant Ink so you can print all your tags in color without breaking the bank! You do need an eligible printer (using the link click on FAQs for a list of eligible printers), but enrolling in the HP monthly ink program is so worthwhile, especially if you don't have the ability to print in color at school. I do not have access to a color printer at school, so if I want to print in color (and I do), I must do so on my own dime.

The HP program is one of those things that seems too good to be true, but it's for real and it's awesome. Basically, you sign up for a plan based on the number of pages you'd like to be able to print each month (ranging from just a few dollars a month to $20 or so a month). If you don't use all your pages, they do roll over. And, as you print, HP gauges your ink levels. When you get low, they send you more ink. Best part, you can change your plan whenever you want! In the summer I use the Frequent Printing ($10 a month) plan that allows me to print more pages, but during the school year I adjust to a plan with fewer pages and costs less ($5 a month). Click HERE for more info and to enroll.

Tip #4: If you don't like the idea of printing in color use black and white reward tags. All you need is some colored paper (card stock or Astrobright). I offer a full collection of black and white reward tags in my store.

Step 2: Laminate
The next step is to laminate your tags for durability. To laminate your reward tags, you'll need a laminator and some laminating pouches.

Tip #1: Use a personal laminator. This allows you to seal the tags in a much thicker layer of lamination (compared to school lamination) making them more durable in the long run. Many teachers already own a personal laminator, but if you don't, it's a great investment. They can typically be purchased at Target or Walmart for around $20. You can also find them on Amazon (but usually at a higher price).

Tip #2: Don't be afraid to use the "generic" laminating pouches. I use these pouches from Nuova. They are great. They are nice and thick and they seal up really well. And, best of all, they aren't pricey.

Tip #3: Set your laminator to the 5 mil setting. This makes the machine a bit hotter and will ensure that the lamination sets as it should.

Tip #4: Laminate the entire sheet of tags before you cut. It's counterproductive to cut your tags, laminate them, and then cut them again. Trust me, I've laminated the full sheet of tags for years and it works like a charm.

Step 3: Cut
Now, you're ready to cut out your tags. You can do this with scissors, of course, but if you're looking to maximize efficiency, keep reading.

Tip #1: Use a paper trimmer to cut apart your tags. This little tool makes it really easy to prep several sets of reward tags at once, and your hands don't cramp up in the process.

Tip #2: Use a paper trimmer with a guide wire. This speeds up the cutting process. Line the guide wire up with the lines on the sheet of tags and slice away.

Tip #3: Use the paper trimmer to trim the edges off each set of tags. This goes super fast when using a paper trimmer vs. scissors.

Tip #4: Cut the tags into rows (3 rows per page).  

Tip #5: From there, cut the rows apart into individual tags. You can use the paper trimmer to do this, or you can use scissors because at this point, you're just snipping them so they become individual tags.

Step 4: Hole Punch
To hole punch your tags, I have a few tips.

Tip #1: Use a regular hole punch. If you go this route, use a padded one. This pair from Fiskars is great. I own it in two different sizes, but the standard 1/4 in. size works great for reward tags and it's the one I use most often.

Tip #2: Use a three hole punch. This is my new go to when my hands are inflamed and my grip is weak (which is often these days). To use the three hole punch:

• Place two tags beneath each of the three punches. 
• Eyeball it the best you can. Being perfect isn't necessary, but aim for the middle the best you can.
• Make note of the marks on the built in ruler where you lined up the tags so you can quickly align the rest of them. 

This technique lets you to punch 6 tags at a time. It gets the job done quickly and you'll really save your hands while you're at it.

A Few More Tips for Prepping Reward Tags

• Use the summer months to prep your reward tags for the whole year so you don't have to think about it during the school year. Ok, so that tip was already shared, but it's that important. ;)
• Ask your family to help with laminating, cutting, and/or punching the tags.
• Let parent volunteers help with the laminating, cutting, and/or punching if that works better for you.

Ready to Prep Some Tags?

I hope you're ready to give a few of these tips a try! Grab this FREE set of tags and start prepping them for your classroom today! Click HERE to grab your freebie. The download includes a black and white version. :)

More Reward Tag Related Posts
I have a few other reward tag posts that you might find helpful. Check them out here:
Raving About Reward Tags 
Reward Tags {All Your Questions Answered}

Reward Tags Tips & Tricks

6 Reasons to Use Reward Tags in the Classroom 
Getting Started with Reward Tags

Reward Tag Resources
Looking for a more complete reward tag collection?  Be sure to check out my resources on TPT.  I have lots of options available.  Click on an image to learn more. :)

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25 Tips for New (and Not So New) Teachers

25 Tips for New (and Not So New) Teachers

1 comment Back to School, Just for Teachers, new teacher, Tips and Tricks

If you're a new teacher about to begin your first year of teaching, chances are you are mildly freaking out about the upcoming school year. No need for that teacher friends. This post has lots of tips to help you feel more at ease (and more prepared) as you begin your first year of teaching.

This post contains an affiliate link for your shopping convenience. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

And, if you're a not so new teacher, there may be a few reminders or tips that you could use as well!

This post includes 25 tips broken down by category: Classroom Management, Teaching, Efficiency, and Stress Less (tips for not letting stress rule your life).

Classroom Management
Know your students. Get to know them. Talk to them. Joke with them. They know when a teacher isn't interested in them, and getting to know them as individuals is an easy way to show them that you care. While you're at it, let THEM get to know YOU! Make a book about yourself and add it to your classroom library, or show a PowerPoint. Or both! Click here to check out my "Meet Your Teacher" book and PowerPoint templates.

Determine your classroom rules. Create a set of classroom rules (or expectations) and determine how you will follow through when they are/are not being followed.

Understand how you will manage behavior. Decide how you will manage behavior. The Responsive Classroom model is a great place to start.

Know how you will use positive reinforcement in the classroom. Choose a few specific ways in which you can positively recognize your students for their effort and choices. Whether it's reward tags, stickers, verbal praise, or a combination of all these things, pick what works for you. If you know you won't be able to keep up with something, then don't use it.

Determine a hallway routine. Most likely your school will have some rules about how students are expected to move through the hallway (independently and as a whole group). Learn those expectations and teach them to your students. Then, develop a system that motivates students to follow those expectations. Choose a mystery walker each time you leave the room, create a line monitor job, use nonverbal cues to quiet a noisy line, use verbal praise to point out exemplary habits, or award class points. Choose strategies that will work for you.

Manage those pencils. If you don't create a system for pencil use in your classroom, you will go bonkers. Create a system that details who is responsible for sharpening pencils, where to put dull pencils, how many pencils students may have at one time, and where pencils are to be stored when not in use.

Create a working library. The point of having a classroom library is to give your students access to books, but if you don't have a system in place, you'll soon find that your library is more of a headache than anything else. Determine when kids can borrow books from your library, and where they will store those books if they are allowed to keep them for several days at a time.

Use student numbers. One way to streamline student organization is to use student numbers. Yes, students are more than a number, but using a system like this isn't as impersonal as it sounds. Labeling mailboxes, sign out boards (see below), files, reward tags, and the like with student numbers is way to save YOU time. By labeling your mailboxes with numbers instead of names, you never need to create individual labels with specific student names at the start of the school year. Instead, you can just leave the numbers in place. Tip: Write your students' names and assigned numbers on their desk name plate so they never forget their assigned number.

Manage restroom breaks. Kids love bathroom breaks, well, they also need them. So, you'll want to have procedures in place for restroom breaks. Maybe the idea of several whole group breaks throughout the day will work best for you, or maybe you're better off just letting kids use the restroom as needed. If your school requires hall passes, be sure to incorporate that into your procedures. At best, make sure you have some sort of sign out board so you know when your students are out of the room. Click here for the tutorial for making your own numbered sign out board.

Create absent student folders. When students are absent, they miss out on lots of learning, classwork, and information. Use a special folder to collect all the materials a student misses out on while they are absent. This way important make up assignments and notes don't get lost while the student is out. Sending the work home in this folder is a visual reminder that the work needs to be completed and returned. Just attach a post it note to the work inside the folder with a due date, if desired.

Click HERE to grab these free folder covers.

If using a paper folder: print the covers on regular paper, trim off excess paper, glue to folder. Laminate the folder for durability.

If using a plastic folder, print the cover on 8.5 x 11 labels (Avery makes them). Trim off excess, if desired. Attach to the folder. 

Click HERE to check out the Avery 8x5 x 11 labels.

Teaching
Implement Whole Body Listening. Set listening expectations from the get go. If your students don't know how to listen, they won't learn. Whole body listening is a way to teach your students to listen and not just hear. When you see students getting off track in the middle of a lesson, simply pause and say "Whole Body Listening" to redirect them. Post some visual reminders around the room for your visual learners. Chalkboard Superhero has a super cute poster set and it's free. :)

You can grab these free whole body listening reward tags in my TPT store. 

Learn more about reward tags HERE.

Find a few go to engagement strategies. Find some go to engagement strategies that will work for you. Ideally, you want strategies that you can use with any content area. This way, you can reuse the strategy with different content. The strategy will be familiar and it will go over with little issue. You can read more about engagement strategies HERE.

Let your students talk. Build talk time into your lessons. Encourage them to share thoughts and opinions, have them share their observations/what they just learned, or task them with answering specific questions. Then, regroup and move on. This is a good way to break up the monotony of just sitting there while the teacher talks and talks (well, that's how it often feels to kids even if it's only been a few minutes). Kids do not have long attention spans and they need to interact with their peers. Just be sure you teach them how to partner talk in the first few weeks of school.

Look at Your Students. When you're teaching, look at your students. Don't look above their heads at the back of the room. Scan the room. Let them know that you are present and you are noticing them. Plus, it's the best way to tell who is tuned in or tuned out. ;)

Efficiency
Organize ALL the things. This includes math manipulatives, leveled readers (that's what you'll find in the bins pictured below), reading materials, library books, task cards, art supplies, files, read alouds, and so on. Making sure that everything has a place (and everything is kept in its place) is the ultimate time saver. BUT, keep in mind that organization is an ongoing process. You will always be tweaking and refining your organization. You can read all about CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION here.

Make daily to do lists. Prioritize your tasks and write them down. To do lists help keep you on track and ensure you don't forget to do what needs to be done. At the end of each day, write a quick to do list for the following day. Decide which tasks need to be done before school and which ones can be done at prep or after school.

Use communication apps. In the digital age, newsletters are beginning to lose their effectiveness. Time is spent drafting a beautiful note, only to find that maybe 2 parents read them. So, if your school doesn't require you to send an actual newsletter, use a communication app like Dojo or Remind to communicate regularly with your parents. You can send last minute announcements, reminders, or message parents individually as needed.

Streamline your sub plans. Find a sub plan template that you like and reuse it. Fill it in once and save it. Each time you are going to be absent, you can update pertinent info and specifics. This turns a tedious job into a fairly quick one (like 20-30 minutes tops). You can find these (and many more) templates in my TPT store.

Click HERE for more teacher productivity tips.

Stress Less
You can't do it all. Nor should you try to. Sometimes we have this voice in our head that tells us we have to do more, we have to try ALL the things, or create over the top experiences for our students on a daily or even weekly basis. You don't. All your students need is a teacher who knows the content and practices good pedagogy with a kind heart. They will learn and they will love you.

Do not compare yourself to others. In the words of wise mamas everywhere, "Worry about yourself." Life is too short to compare yourself to others. It isn't a helpful practice. Plus, it isn't healthy. You've made it this far because of your skills and determination, don't let them fail you now. Be confident.

Learn from others. Chances are many of your colleagues have several years of experience. Instead of feeling envious of their skills or ideas, or comparing yourself to them, talk to them. Learn from them. Ask them for advice. Most teachers love to share ideas, don't be afraid to seek their help if you think it's going to help you be a better teacher.

Find yourself a bestie. Teaching is an all consuming profession. You need someone to vent to, rely on, and laugh with. A close teacher friend can help you think things through, make decisions, give trusted advice, and support you in so many other ways.

Take care of yourself. Teaching demands so much of us. As a result, life often gets pushed to the side. Make it a point to prioritize your own life, health, and happiness.

You don't have to grade everything. Or comment on every single piece of student work for that matter. You don't even need to return every single piece of student work. So don't wear yourself out being a slave to grading all year long.

Some days you will feel defeated. Some days you will leave school feeling like you failed. This happens to veteran teachers too. Step back and evaluate what went wrong and how you can do better the next day. Then, adjust your mindset. Remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day. You got this!

To all my new teacher friends, you've got this. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. All the things you dream of doing as a teacher in your new classroom will evolve and fall into place over time. Don't expect to implement every new teacher tip you read in one day, week, or even month. Go in with all the knowledge you have and be patient as your awesomeness falls into place. Because I know it will.

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How to Organize Your Classroom Files

How to Organize Your Classroom Files

No comments Classroom Organization, Clutter-Free Classroom, Declutter Your Classroom, Organization, Teacher Productivity, Tips and Tricks

It might be 2019, but filing cabinets and files are not a thing of the past. If you have filing cabinets and master files of important documents and resources, this post will help you tackle this space in your classroom and make it work for you.

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Maintaining organized files makes things easier on you in the long run. When your paperwork is stored where it's supposed to be, you can find what you need quickly.

#1 - DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO USE YOUR FILING CABINET(S)
Over the years, your paperwork files have likely been pared down, but they still demand some space within the filing cabinets. If you have more than one filing cabinet, you may not need to use both of them for actual paperwork. Maybe you can use one of them for storing items like read alouds.

If you only have one filing cabinet, decide how it can best meet your needs. What do you want to store in the drawers that you do have. How many drawers do you have? Do you need all of the drawers for paperwork? Or just a few? How can you best utilize the other drawers?

#2 - DETERMINE WHICH FILES (IF ANY) NEED TO BE WITHIN REACH
Take stock of what you keep in file folders. Are there any file folders that you know you need quick and easy access to throughout the day? If so, maybe these files won't be stored in a drawer. Maybe you'd prefer to keep them on your desk in a hanging file box.

A box like the one below is compact and won't take up a lot of space. I keep one near my desk to store math fact pages that I send home with my students as needed.



#3 - PURGE YOUR EXISTING FILES
Given that many of our resources are digital these days, there's a good chance that if you haven't gone through your files in the last few years, you have some things in there taking up unnecessary space. Go through your drawers one at a time and get rid of the files you no longer need. A good way to do this is in front of the television with your favorite beverage. Bring home a few files every day for a week or so until the job is done. Toss what you don't need and take the keepers back to school the next day.

Plan to purge your files annually so they don't get out of control.

#4- FILE FOLDERS OR HANGING FOLDERS-PICK YOUR FAVORITE
Organizing your paper files can play out in a number of ways, but first, decide how you want to store those files. Do you prefer legal or letter size? Are you a hanging file folder kind of person, or do you prefer a basic file folder? Below are some fun colorful options to meet your needs.

#5 - CREATE A SYSTEM 
Once you know what you want to file away, create a system that works for you. Just remember to keep it simple. A complicated system is an overwhelming system.

One way to keep it simple is to break things up into categories: Reading, Writing, Math, etc. From there, color code your files based on those categories. Use pink folders for your various Reading files, yellow folders for your math files, and so on. Group the color categories within the drawer so you can quickly and easily find what you're looking for.

Instead of using colored folders, you could opt to use colored labels.

Label the outside of your drawers, if that helps.

#6 - KEEP THINGS TIDY
File papers daily. Don't let things pile up. It only takes a few minutes to file a few pieces of paper. Remember: if it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it.

Honestly, things are likely to get lost or misplaced if you let them sit around for days and days before putting them back into their files. Spend a few minutes each day keeping on top of the filing, instead of wasting large chunks of time down the road.

#7 - BE SELECTIVE
You don't have to file everything. You don't need to keep everything. This takes up too much of your time, and ultimately, your space. Make note of important information from memos, then throw them away. No need to file papers like that.

Only keep what's most important to you. What's important? Well, ultimately, that's up to you. But, maybe it's important to you to keep hard copies of your observations and evaluations, parent handouts that you know you use at the beginning of each year, or materials that you use to supplement each unit of your reading program.

I hope you find this post helpful. Happy organizing!

DON'T FORGET IT, PIN IT!

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