Teacher Week '13 Now Teach

ORGANIZATION, the thing I keep trying to accomplish every year.  As I walk through the halls of my school I peek in my colleagues rooms and I am amazed at the neatness of some.  After speaking with them and getting to know their teaching style I realize I will never be that organized, but still I keep trying to improve my own system. Here is what I learned from the OCD teachers with the rooms that have no papers out of place, I mean never!

•  they never save extra papers or notices.  I always think what if I lose the original so I keep 5 extra copies.

• they read everything in their mailbox as soon as possible and throw it out!  I always think maybe I will need that notice to remember what time and date the important meeting is at.

• they never do crafts so they don't need half the supplies that I have.  I always think I will never be the teacher that doesn't do crafts.

My original system of keeping a file folder for each month that had everything from multiple copies of worksheets, to patterns, to sample art projects,  was my system for the last 16 years.  Well finally after Damien laughing at my over flowing files in my over stuffed filing cabinet, I changed.  I now have a binder for each topic or theme that I teach plus a monthly binder and subject binders.  One copy of each worksheet is now in a page protector in my binder.  When I need a copy I just pop it out of the binder and take it to the copy machine and make a copy.  If it's in the page protector I know it's an original.  How long did it take to organize 16 years worth of file folders into neat binders? You guessed it one whole year!  I took one file folder home each month and organized my worksheets into page protectors and binders.  For example my February  file folder used to hold groundhog's day, Valentine's day, President's Day and Chinese New Year.  Now each is housed in it's own binder.  I also keep all patterns in Ziploc bags labeled by month in a container.  Best system ever!

I wish I had pictures but I just got back from vacation and haven't been back to school yet.  We don't start school until September 3rd.

Since I know everyone loves pictures here's one from my vacation to Canada.

Niagara Falls

Happy teaching,

Kelly