New Student Crate

When all my students start the school year on the same day or at least within that first week, getting them everything they need is easy.  Syllabus, information sheets, birthday index cards, and the like are at my disposal and when I see a new face, I simply give them the necessary sheets.

Getting information to new students beyond this time period is difficult for me. Granted, they will get their purple folders (I buy purple pronged folders for my students every year), but at times, I might miss giving them other forms they need. I've also made the mistake of not giving them their birthday index cards and I then miss their birthdays which defeats the purpose of the epic calendar.

This year, I decided to reserve a half-crate to organize myself through this shortcoming.

This is an old literacy crate.  I cleaned it up and labeled it New Student to help me remember where I've put their necessary forms.  If I'm busy, I can easily send the new student to the crate and have him/her remove a folder for him/herself.  

The folder contains a syllabus for the school year. I will have them fill out their index cards with their names and birthdays.  I will pick up the card and stick it in my filing system.  As the year progresses, I will have a few more forms to add to this folder: Writing Tips, Citation Rules...  Although a folder is not suggested to be used as an Interactive Notebook, I will try and use it that way this year.

I bought 160 purple folders at Wal-Mart at .15 each.  Buying spirals would've been impossible and we have limited funds at our school.  I will go against the rule and do the best I can to make this folder as interactive as possible.  We'll see how it goes.

Objective Board

I've always written my objectives at the far right of my white board.  This year, a filing cabinet and shelf unit are in the way.  In order to utilize as much space as possible, I laminated a poster board, punched two sets of holes on the top and then I ran ribbon through the holes and made decorative bows. 
If this works like I want it to work, I'll be able to pull the board to the left and get it from behind the shelf, write the objective(s), and put it back. As with anything, I have to put it in practice before I know if it will be effective.

I couldn't get away from the glare. I apologize for that.

Information Corner

As you walk into my classroom, you will see my corner of information.  As most school districts, we are required to post emergency procedures.  I was planning on buying frames for the procedures but time got away from me.  I ended up laminating the fire drill evacuation diagram that's at the far right.  Our other emergency procedures is to the left of that and we are required to show our status with a green, yellow, or red card. I made a convenient pocket and put them in place.

The schedule is to the left. A Daily To-Do's poster will help me have a checklist to go over with my students after the first of the year.

Finally, I laminated a purple pocket folder, hot glued it together to make a pocket for my lesson plans. 

Assignment and Missing Work Bulletin Board

This is the main bulletin board in my room.  Since it is regularly modified, it is a very important board for not only me but especially my students. (My phone camera does not always work well so I apologize for the picture being fuzzy.)

Our district requires us to have a weekly agenda posted.  This year, I decided to add a folder system for missing work.  I decided to put them all together.

I wrote out each day and then put the white paper on purple tag board.  I then laminated them. When my lesson plans are ready, I will use recycled half sheets of paper and write down the daily assignments.

This paper is a procedure paper for the missing assignments area.  Studies show that have procedure papers posted around the room will reduce the number of situations where students claim they don't know how to do something.  I introduce each section/center to my students at the beginning of the year and regularly mention them for the first month.  After that, only new students will be informed of each section/center.  (I will add the number of days once I find out if district has changed over the summer.)

I laminated the sign as well as the folders. 

When we get an assignment done, I will put the worksheets in the folders of the day we did the work.  However, this won't help for days when we had tests/quizzes or assignments that are not on paper.  For those days, I'm planning on putting a calendar on the left side of this bulletin board and write in the assignments for those days. This way, the students can see what they missed even if they weren't given a paper for those days.


 

Cover Up with Curtains

I do not have a closet in my classroom. Thus, I have to get creative in how I hide clutter, supplies, workbooks, and teacher's manuals from view.  I first made the curtains two years ago when I was in another room.  The shelves in this new room are not the same distance as the shelves of the other room.  Sadly, my curtains have to overlap one another and there is a gap just underneath the counter. However, the curtains do the job of covering everything. 

 

 

As you can see, although everything is organized, it takes away from the uniformity I'm trying to project.  I also want students to know that they just can't get my supplies when they want them.  I always provide supplies for my students but only do so during activities where they are required. I've sadly had many supplies stolen because they are in clear view.  This also prevents a lot of theft.

Where each set of shelves meet, you can see a vertical brace.  I put the new adhesive hooks at the top of each vertical brace.

This particular hook was being stubborn, so I ended up putting on some hot glue and it worked well.

When I first made the curtains, I used dowel rods to support the curtains.  I painted the ends white so that they would go with my purple/white theme. Go Wildcats!  There was no point in painting the entire rod since the curtain would be covering most of it.

Once I had all the hooks in place, I carefully worked on setting the rods and curtains on them.  As I said, they overlap in this room, so I will have to go back and tape some of them together so that they don't fall every time someone is at the counter. 

This gives my room a uniform, cleaner look.  The books that are exposed to the right of the picture are a part of my student library.  I also have the grammar, literature, and reference books exposed so that access is easy. 

Word Wall

Today, I put together a word wall I'll be using in my freshman English classes.  Word Walls are invaluable for any grade level, not just elementary. One of the biggest problems students face as they test are weaknesses in vocabulary.  Actually, weak vocabularies are the BIGGEST problems students face throughout their school careers (even well into graduate school).

The above is the west wall of my classroom. I like the white brick look but making things stick to it is quite difficult. Thus, I used hot glue and it worked well. I only needed to dab on a little glue. 

I cut out 26 stars from yellow laminate construction paper.  I also cut out all the letters in CAPS.  A friend of mine helped and put one letter on each star.  I then cut out the letters for the title of my Word Wall.  I also cut out a HEART and then a KEY.

This is a picture of the completed Word Wall.

The wall is titled :Words are the (Heart)s of our lives and the (KEY)s to unlock any (door)!

Far Left

Middle

Far Right

I will introduce at least 1 word a week. I will have them keep a word wall log in their Interactive Folders. I will require them to use a certain amount of words during assignments.  The words will mainly be "testing" terms, but I will use any opportunity to introduce new words from wherever they originate.

Epic Calendar

8 Days to Go for a new school year.  I HAVE TO GET ORGANIZED!!!

I put up my Big Calendar for the year.  It's a great calendar to use all year, and I got the idea from a fellow teacher, Nikki Hahn.  I saw a huge calendar on her wall a few years ago and have used her idea ever since.

I bought eight yards of purple fabric (Go Wildcats) and cut it in four-yard pieces.  When I put up my first calendar, I used ribbon.  After thirty-minutes of HIGH FRUSTRATION, I went and bought white electrical tape that I staple at every foot.

I wanted to create a line for the month titles, so I ran the tape across the width of the calendar and then stapled it in place.  (I once tried JUST TAPING IT... Let's say when I came back the next day most of it had nearly fallen off the wall.)

I measured across the width and then divided by seven for the seven days.  Today's columns needed to be 12 inches in width, more or so.  Sunday's column was shorter than the others in order to make Monday-Saturday equal. 

I then measured the length of the calendar and divided it by five for the five rows.  I ran the tape from left to right.  This is a pic of it halfway done.

When I was done with the five rows, I had enough room for a thin row at the bottom which I will use as a NEWS section that will have breakfast and lunch menus, passes, school newspapers, and sports schedules. 

This is a picture with the grid done.

Saturday is a bit wider than M-F, so I will use it to add some reminders for the following week. 

I have die-cuts for the months and days.

This calendar helps me get organized in A BIG WAY!

At the beginning of the year, I have students fill in their birthday announcements with colored index cards.  I then split them into twelve months, put them in numerical order, paper clip each month, and then I put them in an index card holder. I have two, one for each six month period.  I label the outside of them August-January and February-July. 

When it comes to May, I hate that my summer kiddos won't have their birthdays acknowledged so I make a large display on the right of this and put the summer months: June--- July--- August.  I put all those birthday cards underneath so they will be recognized as well.

This calendar helps me and my students with:

1.  BIRTHDAYS (They acknowledge each other's birthdays and I use the calendar to write them all birthday notes.  Each student, even the summer ones, get birthday notes from me.)
2. IMPORTANT EVENTS:  I either write important events on WHITE index cards or I write them on repurposed paper (Sometimes it's half a sheet of lined paper, where I wrote a note and cut out the part I never used.  Sometimes it may be that I copied too many worksheets and will use the back for the note).  Important events at our school are test days, library days, pep rallies, homecoming parade, picture days, when certain forms are due in the office, field trips...  Like that.  (Sometimes I like even putting an extra copy of required forms or worksheets on the calendar so they'll have visual reminders of them.)
3. SPORTING EVENTS:  I have die cuts of footballs, basketballs, golf balls and bags, volleyballs... You name it.  When I get the game schedules, I staple them at the bottom of the calendar, but I also like to put a die cut on the day of the game.  For example, let's say there will be a football and volleyball games on September 21st.  I will staple both of them on that day so students see it.  If they want to know location and time, they can look at the actual schedule.
4. BAND, CHOIR, ART, THEATER...: I have die cuts of instruments as well.  We only have 1 to 2 plays a year, but I'm thinking of printing out a comedy-tragedy image for the calendar.  

This calendar has helped all of us keep track of what's going on in and out of school.  It solved the problem of CONSTANTLY being asked... "Hey, Miss, when are we taking picture re-takes?" or "Hey, Mrs. Anthony, what days are we having our Algebra and Science 9 Weeks' tests?"  I point to the calendar. That ends that!

It's my INSURANCE POLICY at times.  When I put due dates on the calendar and I mention it to my students and point to the calendar, I have less situations where... "I thought it was due the next week" or "I don't remember." 

The most important element of this calendar is that it helps me keep track of birthdays and events.  Sometimes, sadly, the only birthday wishes my students get are from me and other students.
Sometimes, I am the only one who actually gives them a card. 

When I go to their games or school events, they light up and beam with pride because I'm there to watch them even when their parents aren't.  The calendar helps me remember the events and helps me be there for them.

That is why I truly choose to do this.  It's easier not to do it. I have to change it out every month and keep track of events.  It takes work but it eventually gets easier.  In the end, it's worth the effort just to see their smiling faces as I give them their birthday notes OR watch them score a touchdown OR watch them march OR even see them perform in a variety show. 

Every form of organization is just another way to be more efficient and effective in the kind of teacher I strive to be.
 


       

Point A

I haven't blogged in years.  I am attempting this so please, bear with me.

This blog will illustrate how I go from Point A to Point B in the organization of my classroom and all things therein. 

The CATEGORIES where I need organization are as follows (not in any particular order):

Paper Work:
     meetings (teaming and PLCs), curriculum (Common Core),  Assessment Data, IEPs
Housekeeping
Calendar: for teachers and students
Substitute Binder
Emergency Situation Instructions and Diagrams
Grading Procedures
Classroom and School Procedures
Student Work: artifacts, assessments, notes, and projects
Student Organization:
     Interactive Notebooks/Folders, note taking, syllabus
Filing Cabinets
Lesson Planning
Artifact Creation
Interactive Bulletin Boards
Teacher's Desk
New Student Packet
Passes: Bathroom, Nurse, Library, Counselor

I'm sure there are more things I will add later. 

Every classroom is like the thumbprint, unique to its owner.