Follow us on	Like Us on

Teacher Organization

Anecdotal Records
An easy and inexpensive way to record your student observations. I do much of my grading through observation anecdotal records during reading and writing conferences. I write them on the white mailing labels companies use. I usually get the 2" one, but you can find them smaller or larger. You can get them either in long strips or 8x11. Put the Student's name, the date, and the subject on the top. Take the notes. Later, they can be files on a sheet of paper in a binder under the child's name. These are very useful with behavior situations. They are great for conferences, too.
Submitted by: Kimberlee Hannan kimmie0000@email-removed

Desk Binder
Put together a binder that stays on your desk that contains important daily information, along with substitute information. The binder has a cover identifying the contents. Things to include in your binder: daily schedule, specials schedule, medical alerts, lesson plans, class list, discipline overview, attendace forms, dismissal procedures, end of the day note, classroom procedures, classroom & behavior (management strategies), seating chart, welcome letter, in case of emergency section, bathroom procedures, and a school map.

Flipchart Trick
Tabletop flipcharts can bust your classroom budget! They can be used during small group work, at learning centers/stations, next to your classroom computers, or in a variety of other ways. Here's an inexpensive and easy way to make your own. All you need is a notebook, a little cardboard and some duct tape.

Open the notebook to the cardboard back and lay it on a table.
Lay the cardboard from your notebook on top of the new piece. Trace the shape and then cut it out. This will be the base of your flipchart.
Using your duct tape, tape the two pieces of cardboard together.
You will then need to flip around the notebook to the front cover.
Once again, use duct tape to attach the front cover to the new piece of cardboard. Your flipchart is now ready to use!

Remember to always be on the look out for various sizes of spiral notebooks. You can often find both smaller and larger sizes at craft and dollar stores. Pocket-sized notebooks would make the perfect flipchart for individual students to use at their desk.

Keeping Materials Handy
This is a simple task and all you need is a supply apron! "We use a three pocket apron that's similar to a tool belt that we tie around our waist. We put markers, small notepads, pencils, stickers, pens and even band-aides in the pockets so that we are never searching for these items when we are helping the children or teaching a lesson. It saves us so much time and it allows for much faster feedback with the children."
Submitted by: From Suzanne Nayback and Shelly Novotny , multi-age teachers of six through eight year olds at Central Elementary School in Petoskey, Michigan. This tip was published in Put together a binder that stays on your desk that contains important daily information, along with substitute information. The binder has a cover identifying the contents. Things to include in your binder: daily schedule, specials schedule, medical alerts, lesson plans, class list, discipline overview, attendace forms, dismissal procedures, end of the day note, classroom procedures, classroom & behavior (management strategies), seating chart, welcome letter, in case of emergency section, bathroom procedures, and a school map.

You can easily group and tab the related sections of your binder. You can also place any or all of these pages in plastic sheet covers to keep everything neat. Having this type of resource available will help make those sick days and emergency sub days less stressful. Here is a free one-page document that you might find helpful as you put together your full binder.

Message Labels
I have discovered a wonderful use for the printed address labels that so many companies sell. Instead of ordering address labels, I order labels that contain messages to my students from me! Companies can sell up to six hundred labels in assorted colors for as little as $7.95 plus shipping. Some of the messages that I have devised are:
-Great job! I'm proud of your effort!
-Parents: Please sign and return this graded paper.
-You have just earned bonus points, congratulations!
Teachers can customize all kinds of messages for their students. My students love to read what their sticker labels say!"
Submitted by: Melanie Finotti, a fourth grade teacher at Keystone Elementary School in Knox, Pennsylvania. This tip was published in the NEA's Weekly "Works4Me" Email list.

Minature Toolbelt Organizer
Help clear desks of clutter. Use a minature tool belt tied to each desk. This can serve as a wonderful subject/various notions organizer and it frees the desk of clutter and accessibility as needed.
Submitted by: Sarah Woods - Meridian, MS

Recipe Box Organizer
Can't always get to your computer? Have some of your "Pins" disappeared? Forgot which book had your great idea? If there are ideas you want to have at your fingertips, you can organize quick tips, short poems or songs, bulletin board ideas, book ideas, etc. in a recipe box on index cards.

I will also take a photo of a book that I've borrowed or check-out from the library. I can then print a thumbnail of the cover to attach to the index card. Now, when you are looking for that special first day poem it's right at your fingertips in a small, organized box!

Teaching Recipes
Don't loose those lessons and great ideas. Keep them organized and at your fingertips. "As a way of keeping track of all the great ideas I see and read about, I have a recipe box labeled with the different aspects of teaching. The labels include bulletin boards, management, organization, educational web sites, etc. Whenever I have or find a good idea, I write it on an index card and file it in the appropriate place. I am accumulating quite a few great ideas."
Submitted by: Tara Bigner, a student teacher at Beavis Elementary in Cincinnati, Ohio. This tip was published in the NEA's Weekly "Works4Me" Email list.

Transparency Drying
Gets those transparencies dried quickly and easily! If you write with washable/ non-permanent overhead pens on transparencies- an easy way to clean and dry them quickly is to rinse off transparency and place it in a phone book, you can put a different one every 20-25 pages - the transparency dries in about 20 minutes and leaves no streaks and can be reused many times.
Submitted by: Barbara Reichard- gr 7-8 Math Cesar Chavez Middle School, Union City ,CA. b_ryke@email-removed

The Right Pen!
Always looking for that pen? Keep all of your classroom pens organized. "With all the activity in my classroom, I became frustrated with finding 'the right pen.' I use whiteboard pens, Vis-a-Vis, marker pens, etc. So to keep track of what pen is used on which surface, I keep a supply of sticky-back velcro squares on hand and use them to post the proper pen in the proper place - on a portable whiteboard, near my journal chart, etc. It has saved me many headaches! I also use sticky-back hooks to hang charts anywhere there's space!"
Submitted by: From Janis Higley danjan@email-removed , a first and second grade teacher at Chief Umtuch Primary in Battle Ground, Washington. This tip was published in the NEA's Weekly Tip Newsletter.

Math & Literacy Lesson Planning Template
Use this template to plan your next math and/or literacy lessons.
$Math and Literacy Lesson Planning Templates$

“Week Of” Form
This form can be used in a variety of ways:

Overview for your week

Information for a parent volunteer

Documentation of student work and/or behavior

Directions for a substitute