Can't believe *I* am talking about organization, lol

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week. I totally wrote and All About Me type post on Monday...I typed it up on my spiffy iPad app....it was tricky typing up a post on the app and there was a learning curve. Yeah...um...well...after all that work it wouldn't flippin' post!

my error message!! 

So, I copied the HTML thinking I could post that way...well, I could but none of my pictures would show. I can't believe I paid (and I'm pretty frugal people) for that app. Urgh!

Today is allllll about organization. I'm just going to let you know I'm not very organized personally or professionally. I'm just throwing that out there. There are a few things that work well for me and they're probably things I picked up from coworkers, Pinterest, or fellow bloggers.

I number my students. So helpful for organization. Papers get their name and number for speedy alphabetizing, it helps me mentally account for every kid (hmm, I have 18 kids lined up and I'm supposed to have 19...who is missing. Well, I start with number 1 and I figure out the missing kiddo), mailboxes get numbers, I number popsicle sticks so I can do random grouping/helpers, and I use numbers for centers. 

One of the most important things I've learned and used are storage containers. Find storage options you like. 

(I forgot to take a picture of this so bare with me)

I inherited a homemade set of cubed cubbies. They're 4 cubbies across and 3 going down. Each spot is filled with one of these baskets that I prettied with ribbon. 

I sort each basket by genre or level. Right now the top row of the cubbies mostly have back to school/beginning of 1st type books. Other baskets include Dr. Seuss, Junie B. etc. That a big part of the reason I made my labels--they help show me which books are in which basket at a glance. I even made labels that were numbered so I can tell kiddos that they can only book shop from basket 2 (for example). 

click here

some other storage I use

These 3 drawer organizers have helped me out a lot. 

I'm not 100% sure about those monthly labels. That's why I haven't posted them or modge podged them. There is a drawer for each month with seasonal worksheets, craft samples, small decorations (like window clings), and seasonal centers. Since my discovery of TpT I have so many thematic & seasonal centers but nowhere efficient to sort them. It'll be so nice to just pull out my December centers and not go hunting around for them. Each one of those 3-drawer things was about $11 at Walmart. They make them in different sizes and even colors, too. I'm loving it so far. I didn't make a June or July one--instead I made one for things I need to file away and the other is for things I need to copy. 

For my daily worksheets, read-alouds, and materials I use stackable trays. Some are starting to crack so I'm thinking I'm going to order some more of the plastic containers that I use for book boxes. My teacher's manuals really weigh down the stackable trays and I love my book boxes (colors & durability)

This summer I made over my student mailboxes. I put notes, flyers, newsletters, and homework in them day-to-day. On Friday I put their special Friday Folder and all of their graded papers in their mailbox and they take them home. 

I color code all of my centers. I have cardboard magazine files that are in varied colors. I put a center or instructions for a center in a magazine file. 

I used to use a pocket chart and clothespins to organize the groups. I made some labels this summer that I like a lot more. 

The kids will stay in that color for the whole week (four days of centers and one day of whole group computer lab). They may choose any activity from their color group. They may do it and redo it throughout the week. We model scenarios of what to do if we don't like a center, if we've done them all, if one is too hard/easy, or if you're waiting on a new center. (no, I don't group them by number, that was just my beginning of the year pic) The color word cards and other center cards are included in my label bundle that I showed above. The numbers are from a freebie I posted about weeks ago. I use the numbers for centers & my book boxes. 

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