Teacher Sanity: An Organization Linky

One of the many things that I wasn't taught in college was how to maintain organization in the classroom.  How are teacher things are organized?  How are student things organized?  What do kids need independent access do?  What do you not want kids to have access to?  Are some questions I think many of us ask ourselves subconsciously and may be different for each teacher's personality and style.
There are many times when I have said to myself - "Why didn't I think of that?!"  So please if you have an organizational idea that you would like to share link up with me below!  
SOAP BOX WARNING:  One thing that really nerves me up is when I hear veteran teachers say things like "Oh yeah I was that organized when I was just starting teaching." and "Someday you won't care that much about having all those papers perfect."  Yes, I may be a bit more critical this early in my career, but after 26 years on this earth I know I am super type A, perfectionist, neat freak, organization fanatic!  So don't tell me what I will and won't do in 15 years.  Sorry, not sorry!
Phew!  Anyways.....
Student of the Day:  Each day there is one student that is the student of the day.  The names are on the stars and are kept in the front of the room.  The student of the day gets the comfy seat pad (which has seen better days and will be my summer project).  This child is basically the helper of all things: calendar, paper passer, office assistant etc.  Anything that needs to be done or can be done will be this child's task.  This way is also very helpful when there is a sub because she/he doesn't have all the kids being bossy, just one! :)  The great thing is the kids do this all independently...switching names and the seat pad.  

Student Stuff:  Our school is blessed that each student has their own cubby space and hook to keep their belongings in.  I printed out special name coloring pages which act as their label for their cubby space.  In the cubby they keep their daily five bags (black Wal-Mart sacks), backpacks, library/AR folder, and probably a bunch of junk because we know kids are all hoarders by nature.  

We have one turn in tray for office notes or homework.  Side note: We do weekly homework and then sporadic math about twice a week so that cuts down on the papers EVERY SINGLE DAY!!  

Before I started teaching I found these mailboxes at the Goodwill for about $12.  They are perfect for the daily papers and have extra spaces for myself and the principal.  I learned the hard way that kids will want to make you and the principal TONS of stuff (especially during the letter writing unit) so having a mailbox can cut down on TONS of trips to deliver the goodies.  I use binder clips on the slots to label and easily switch out each year.  

Here is also where we keep our paper tray that has fun scraps for a variety of uses!  This particular day our book hospital must have been moved because it sits there next to the scrap paper box too.  This way kids are independent in placing torn books where they need to go until I have time to fix them up!

Although my kids have all their own supplies we also have communal supplies as well.  Lost things go here as well - - natural consequence - - keep your things where they belong!!!  One thing we do share 100% are pencils (unless they are special and you teachers know what that means) and glue sticks....I didn't snag a pic of that but hey it would have just been a bucket of glue!  However, it is down where the kids can reach so they can replace glue independently.  

Other than a school issued take home folder my kids have a desk folder and a writing folder.  We use our desk folders a lot so we actually have two so we can replace around Christmas time!  Never fails the kids think I bought them all their new supplies at Christmas when really I have just been storing it for them since back to school night.  

Desk folders keep anything unfinished work or multi-day projects we are working on.  This is especially helpful for guided reading because the kids keep all their stuff!  I keep a can of pencils and any other materials so that cuts down on the time used to get right to work during that precious time!

Writing folders are mostly used during the first half of the year when we use printed paper with big lines.  In January we transition to composition notebooks for writing.

Bathroom Breaks: Also known as the teachers arch nemesis!  We take entire classroom breaks or call by tables every now and again but then of course learning has to stop.  Many times we do something called tapping.  I have the boys and girls listed with their name and picture.  The kid at the top of the list goes to the bathroom/drink and then taps the next kid and so on.  After a while we will go bottom up or even top down and bottom up as long as they are efficient in the bathroom.  Once again something that the kids are completely independent at doing!

At our school the kids have to fill out a nurse note with their name, date, time, and a reason to see the nurse.  This is something they have access to and after permission is given they fill out the information INDEPENDENTLY.  I also keep bandages in the blue zipper pouch and lotion here too.  

It isn't in the picture but right here is also a tin with extra glue stick lids and dry erase marker lids.  Best idea ever!  It is so easy when they have lost or thrown away a lid by accident because we have extras.  They are accessible to the kids so they can be independent.

Our class library is truly a labor of love!  This took me SOOO many hours this summer to complete, however it is one of the things I could never teach without.  This is another area that has been tailored for independence!  There are two sections: Leveled Books and Fun Books.  The students are required to have two fun books and two leveled books.  All the books and bins are labeled the same so the kids are able to browse and return without any help.

Teacher Stuff:  I am a planning freak and I am willing to admit it.  I have anxiety, so having the next week fully planned is always a goal of mine.  I keep my current weekly resources in my labeled drawers and then I have an extra rack for each day when planning ahead or if things need to get shifted around.  Everything has a place!

GoNoodle Sanity Saver Linky

If you teach primary and haven't heard of GoNoodle you are seriously missing out!  I have done technology enhanced brain breaks from day 1 but usually just cute videos I found online and downloaded for the kids.  With GoNoodle it is so much easier and there is an endless supply of videos that have a wide array of uses from calming to getting those wiggles out!  There is also a class mascot that is "leveled up" after every ten minutes of play.  The loudest cheers come from my room when the kids have reached another ten and they see our little creature change!

Favorite GoNoodle Brain Break: "Freeze It" is a favorite of mine that has a variety of categories both educational and just for fun!  The educational categories even let you choose a grade level to meet the needs of the kids.  This is a fun one with emotions - - - I definitely wanted this one to set for just a bit longer :)

Happy Place: I am such a Type A personality that I can hardly just sit there and do nothing...to most people this is called relaxing, but for me, this is hard to do.  Truthfully, I need to do more of it and not always feel the need to be doing something productive.

Guilty Pleasure: It has been almost a year since I went low carb and although it is still hard to this day my one pleasure is COFFEE!  I don't really eat anything sweet so I can really get my fix with a nutty cup o' joe...sugar free of course.  I am very particular - half decaff and half regular with 5 creams and 5 splenda or if I am feeling an iced coffee it has to be sugar free vanilla with 5 creams and 5 splenda on the side.  I do not let them put the sweetener in so that I can taste it beforehand and make sure they didn't accidentally use the sugary vanilla  - - - it happens!

Keep Calm And: PRETEND IT'S ON THE LESSON PLAN!  Either I had a rough week or my blonde roots were showing -- sorry if you're a natural blonde -- but Friday this week I actually did the complete wrong reading lesson that was scheduled for next Friday....of course once we were 10 minutes in we just went with it.  Then during Math, one of my kids raises her hand and asks, "When are we going to take the spelling test?!"  FACE PALM - yep completely forgot.  No didn't forget to do it....never put it in the lesson plans ugh!!  Oh and there is more.....I am catching up on some lessons for next week with 5 minutes until my kids come back from library and I overhear the teacher across the hall telling her kids to not take their report cards out of the envelopes until they get home.  FACE PALM - yep completely forgot.  Now this one I did have the cards just never got them into the envelopes, so I frantically stuffed 19 report card envelopes and made 19 copies of our spelling test.  The kids didn't notice a thing!

Thanks to Elizabeth at Kickin It in Kindergarten for hosting this fun linky!  If you are interested in linking up please visit her blog!!!

My Classroom

A teacher's classroom can tell a lot about her personality so I thought this would be a great subject as one of my first posts.  My overall goal is for my students to be as independent as possible and be able to transition throughout our day as seamless as possible.

What do you do with all those sweet notes your kiddos give to you?!  I have had this board since I have started teaching and it is right above my computer, in the front of the room.... so I see it ALL DAY LONG :)

This is the front of the room where we spend a lot of time!  I use my Lucky Duck can to choose kids at random during lessons, partnering, and taking turns.  My fast finishers have been a life saver this year.  I taught K for my first two years so I am hoping to use an adaptation of them when/if I go back some year.  They are magnetic so I can switch them out depending on the kids, the time, or just what I feel.....AH the power of choice! Just as any other primary classroom - - we label everything!  If it is in my room it probably has a label on it!  My storage stool was probably the best $75 I have ever spent! It doubles to get my littles reaching the top of the board and is amazing storage for board games, math resources, and whisper phones.

We use our class coupons as rewards for a variety of things but the kids L.O.V.E. them!!  We have lots of free and non-food choices!

I have always loved the idea of not having a teacher desk and finally got rid of mine after a conversation last year when I taught Kindergarten.  Me: "If you choose Teacher's Desk, then you may sit at my desk all day." Student: "Where is your desk?!" Nuff said!  It was just taking up room and was a crutch for clutter so I got canned!  Now all I have is my little nook and our small group table that frames "MY SPACE"!  The source of all my sanity is my weekly lessons filing system where I have one drawer for each day of the week and an extra space that really gets used for guided reading materials.  I try to keep everything I need for guided reading so all my students have to bring is their desk folder and we save yet another valuable second.  My crown is probably my "signature" item....it was selected as my desk swap item at our work holiday party.  When I wear the crown no one can talk to me...simple as that...and it works!  Oh how can I forget the ra-raca (done in my best Kindergarten voice)!  We use that to transition through our daily five rotations.  I also like to keep band-aids and lotion in an accessible place for the kids so they can get to it without help.

This is most well known as our Work on Writing area but doubles where we keep our sight word photo frame, our community markers, crayons, pencils, and our word wall.  The most used resource here has got to be the dictionaries and word resources.....I send kids here everyday to search for spellings of words!

If someone asked what I was most proud of in my classroom arrangement; my library would be it.  I spent countless hours this summer labeling every single one of MY books (and yes I own every single one of those 400+ books).  Each bin is also labeling with the same label which has made keeping it organized a breeze this year!  I also have a beautiful bookshelf I got from a retiring book distributor that I place seasonal books and ones that don't really "fit" anywhere but I can't bring myself to get rid of.  

Ok if someone asked me what I was most proud of in my classroom arrangement; I would DEMAND to pick two areas.  HEHE!  This is best known as our Work on Words shelf which has sooooo many resources for a variety types of word work!  This is a hot commodity and I limit it to 6 kids, depending on class size.

Of course a place that hopefully doesn't get used often but is a necessary beast...the Quiet Corner.  We spend A TON of time going over virtues and building our classroom community all through out the year.  Each month we have a virtue we study and try to relate to our daily experiences.  This year I place two seats here....and no not because I want to place two kids in time out but as an option if they need to settle a disagreement.

Well that is the rundown and if you stuck around this long I have a freebie for you!  Just like every where else in the world, we have been spending a lot of time indoors during our school day so I wanted a fun way to embrace the winter and still learn.  I saw this original idea on pinterest and whipped it up real quick! It is editable so you can change the facts if you need to.

Click one of these images to download.......