Pack It Up

Every year I try to find more ways to pack things so I can quickly and easily unpack. Also, I have exactly one shelf across my back wall that I can stack things in and on. Everything else has to be put away and empty. 

This year my new trick is my manipulative buckets. Each student has a set of manipulatives that is all their own. I had a student teacher working in my room so we were able to check that every bucket had the right supplies and replace what was needed. She also went through and numbered everything (you should definitely do that before you put them out but I live and learn the hard way).

That was right before testing. This is the first week after testing and today the student's morning work was to take everything in their manipulative bucket and bag it up. The only things that wouldn't fit were their rulers and place value charts so I had them leave those out. 

I took those gallon ziploc bags and put them in a large box. Now my manipulative buckets are ready for next year with minimal effort!!

Small Group Supplies

Small group work is not my forte. I do ok at pulling students for math, but reading is a different story. I'm still trying to find resources that help my students, that don't take a ton of prep, and don't make me want to pull out my hair. One way I'm looking to change and have more effective small group work or even just individual work with my students is to have a supply basket ready to go. 

It seems insanely simple, but before these supplies were in different places and I was scrambling to find them. For example, the students were bringing their own pencil and they would forget them or grab one without an eraser or it would break and need to be sharpened. It was a waste of time and frustrating for me. Well now that won't be an issue. 

As I find things we need on hand and tool that I use often, I'll add them to the bucket. 

Computer Tags

September has managed to run away with my life.  If I thought August was a whirlwind, September definitely takes the cake on busy.  This month our school has been focusing on deploying laptops and getting the school to a one-to-one position.  My classroom has gone from 10 laptops to 20 laptops.  When my students walked in the next day there was lots of squealing and excitement.

What makes it a little more difficult for me is now I have to keep track of computers and how they are functioning.  With ten laptops it was hard enough when students told me what was going on.  Last year I started out putting a post-it note on a computer that wasn't working, but sometimes I couldn't remember what students told me was wrong or I couldn't remember which computer they told me.

Of course, simple solutions are the best! Number the computers.  Seriously.  How did I not think of that? It took seeing someone's blog where they had tagged their computers or iPads or some other technology.  Sorry, I don't remember who it was or I would give credit.  It was a simple fix for the problem I was having.  Everything is numbered and labeled in my class.  I really didn't think about putting labels with numbers on my computers.  Now students can tell me which number computer is having the issue so if I can't take care of it right away I can write down the number and the problem and look at it later.

Of course, if I'm going to label things it has to be pretty. I practically live in my classroom some days and I don't want to be surrounded by things that irritate me or don't look pleasing.  I'm in love with these frames from the Workaholic NBCT.  They are adorable and I use them for so much right now. Plus they come in lots of color variations. I fit about 12 on a page and my name is above the number.

Starting My Day Right (A Wordless Wednesday Post)

This week I am linking up for Miss DeCarbo's Wordless Wednesday!

To make sure I start my morning smoothly, I've learned my desk and table must be organized before I leave the night before. How do you make sure your mornings start smoothly?

Pesky Computer Cords

I mentioned in an earlier post that our school is currently moving towards one-to-one for students and laptops. This is great for me because it reduces sharing issues and my students can do independent projects with less management.  Plus, if a computer isn't working it doesn't disrupt my class as much.  Before when a computer had an issue it meant more students at a single computers, students moving, arguments over who was doing what, and so much more.  You know how one minor problem can spiral into a bigger issue.

Now I have twenty laptops, but with twenty laptops comes lots of chargers, cords, and having to store those cords.  Laptops on desks means their cords need to be around the desks. That means students have to be able to move around them.  Well this isn't the prettiest solution, but it works.  The cords aren't in the way and my students aren't tripping on them.

Our janitors and maintenance staff had these little thingy-ma-jiggers (yes that's as good as the description is getting).

They have a sticky back so all you have to do is peel off the back and stick it on.  You can also use a screw in the middle and screw it in to give it more stability. Then you use a zip tie and run the cords through.  It is super simple and easy.  It doesn't look gorgeous, but it is done and I don't have issues with it. Woohoo!

New Student Checklist

When a new student enters my room there are a million and one things that have to be done for them to function in my classroom.  There are several tests that have to be done to assess level, name tags, computer log-ins, data binders they need to be put in, and so much more.

My first year of teaching I had what I like to refer to as a "revolving door" classroom.  I had the lowest number of students, so I would get the kids that were transferring in.  This isn't at all unusual, but this particular year after I got a new student I would usually lose one within the next few weeks so I always had the lowest number of students.  That year since I had students moving in and out frequently I was constantly putting together papers for new students and doing all those little tasks and contacting five or six different people in the district to get all those tasks done.  I was always forgetting something though and I had no system to make sure that I did everything.

After about the fourth student I suddenly became brilliant.  You ever have those moments where you want to smack yourself for not realizing there is an easier way to do something?  As I went through and did everything for the new student, I wrote down what I was doing. Name tags, bus tags, clips, binders, supplies, tests, paperwork, etc.  I compiled a checklist for my new students for everything they would need.  If they needed anything done to be in my room it went on the list.

Each year I adapt the same checklist.  At the beginning of the year, as I'm setting up my new class, I change the list to fit what I'm doing this year.  It is a huge time saver.  Now I don't forget to have them tested or not contact someone about getting them into a certain system.  They also aren't waiting on me to get them a password I forgot to set up.  It makes my life soooooo much easier.

Organizing Copies

Several teachers I know have a similar system where they make their copies for the coming week and then they have a tray, bin, or basket for each day of the week.

I love my system for that, but I also have a system for copies farther into the future.  Sometimes you need to get a jump on copies or you want to do a complete unit at one time even though the unit will take several weeks. Instead of throwing those extra copies into a jumble I have baskets for each subject: reading, writing/grammar, math, and science/social studies.  When I have copies that aren't going to be used in the next week, they go into the corresponding basket.  Super simple and I can find the copies I need quickly.

It also has another great purpose, it makes finding extra work for days I have a substitute super easy.  If I have copies throughout the week that I haven't used, I put them at the bottom of my subject baskets.  That way I can use them later if I want them.  I separate the old copies and the new copies with a piece of pink cardstock.  Everything underneath the pink cardstock is old and I can pull it out for extra work, work for a sub, or whatever I need.

Everything on top I plan to use in the next couple weeks.  It makes my planning easier and my copies much easier to sort through.

Holiday Weekends

Well most people are enjoying their three day weekend with last minute lake time or barbecues or shopping or any of the other fun things they could be doing.  When I think of long weekends I think of two things: extra time in my class and sleep. Well I managed to sleep for about 12 hours each of the last two nights (I also happen to be sick) and then I have spent Saturday and part of Sunday working in my classroom.  Have I mentioned I'm a self-professed workaholic? What I like about the extra time on weekends is that there is no one around which means fewer distractions and I can do all those things I have been putting off because I just don't have the time to do them  This weekend I managed to get a few things done.

First, we have a new reading and a new math series.  The great thing about new series is that it gets you out of any rut you might have been in.  They also happen to come with lots and lots of resources that are in separate pieces. I've been feeling like I'm having to go here for this resource and here for this resource and here for a different resource.  So my one big goal this week was to start organizing all of those separate pieces into one place so I would have everything I need.  For reading I made files for each week that includes vocab cards, definitions, and leveled readers.  As I add to my resources, I can add to the files.  Now the resources I need are in one place.  This will make me a lot less stressed in the coming weeks.

After I accomplished that minor feat, I managed to organize some of my binders.  This meant starting a reading resource binder that isn't related to my series but has supplements for different skills (i.e. teaching character traits, visualizing, cause and effect, etc.).  I also made labels for my binders because I had about eight total that didn't have a label and I was having to open three or four before I found the binder I needed.  Can we say waste of time?  Now I have cute labels and that makes me happy.

The other big thing I accomplished this weekend was to set up my intervention/small group binder.  In the next couple weeks we are going to start going to centers and I am now ready to pull individuals and small groups to work on skills.  This binder is set up to track data and keep me organized.

Reminder App on iPhone

This is probably going to sound like the dumbest post ever, but you never know.  I've seen bloggers say that and then I look at what they did and think they are the most brilliant person I've ever kinda sorta met.

If you have an iPhone app and you don't use your Reminders App there is probably something wrong with your brain.  Ok.  Maybe not. It's just the easiest thing in the world for me and I don't have to have a ton of papers running around.  Plus, the app comes standard.  My obsession started with students that were leaving my class to go to other classes.  Maybe they had speech or reading with another teacher or maybe they were getting extra assistance. Some days I would have five or six students leaving my room at various times and that wasn't including the students that got pulled for reading intervention.  I am TERRIBLE at remembering to send kids.  Some of mine automatically remember, but the majority don't.  What else to do, but use my phone to set reminders. My first year I used my iPhone's calendar, but then it cluttered up my calendar and that irritated me. When I discovered reminders it was like the heavens opened up and angels started singing.  No lie.  There were lots of happy dances involved.

Here is how reminders work (mine may look slightly different because my phone is ancient and due for an upgrade):


Once you are in the Reminders App you can Add a List.  I have a list for "Special Classes" that encompasses speech, pull-outs, and resource classes.  Once you have your list setup, just go to the list and click on the plus sign or a blank line to make a new reminder in the list. I usually put my student's name and where they are going.  Here is an example of what a list might look like.

 

The best part is you can also set alarms.  For my ancient iPhone I click on the arrow out to the right.  For updated phones or iPads just click on the i that is on the right side. You will come to a screen that looks like this:

To set an alarm you turn "Remind Me On a Day" to the on setting.  Then you can change the day and how often it repeats.  If a student goes to the class every day I have it repeat daily. This means the alarms go off on the weekends too. If that bothers you (I don't really care), you have the option to do it a little bit differently.  Just set it up where you have a reminder for each day, Monday through Friday. Here is how that would look for one student daily:

If they only go a few days a week, I do set it up where they have a reminder only for the days they go.  For example, most of my speech students only go to their speech class a couple times a week.  If they went to speech on Monday and Wednesday I would set two reminders for them.  I would make one reminder for Monday and one for Wednesday.  Then I would set those reminders to go off every week.  This lets them go off only on the correct day of the week instead of every day.  

 

I'm also going to use my reminders app this year for another purpose.  My weekly checklist of things I need to finish to be ready for the next week. Last year I was constantly writing a list and marking things off.  I've seen teachers create a printable list or laminate their list and use a dry erase marker.  I'm going to use my reminders app.  Once you are done you can check it off and you can see what you have left.  Plus, once you have completed it the item will actually disappear and go into the completed category.  That way, your list gets visibly shorter.  That motivates me.  Once you are ready to reset the list you just click on the Completed and uncheck the boxes.  Then they go back to your list and you can start fresh.

Storing Posters

I hate posters. I say that because I spent the last two years trying to figure out how to store the gigantic life sized monsters that take up space and frustrate me to no end.  I had a mass of posters that were all mixed together and rolled up.  At one point I put large clips on the edges to keep them together, but that failed miserably because they were different sizes.  I ended up still having to roll them and shove them into a top cabinet and pray I didn't need to switch them out.

Then the Bright Ideas Bloghop came to the rescue.  Teaching with a Mountain View did a great post on her adorable Anchor Chart Bin.  I have to admit I'm super jealous of her bin.  It would go perfectly with my polka dot classroom.  Unfortunately, I don't even have room for a bin, but I realized I have something almost as good, corner space between two shelves.  So I rolled my posters, used color-coded Avery labels and rubber bands, and stuck them in the corner.

It may seem like a huge amount of space devoted to my posters, but it is a small corner and it was completely wasted space before.  Now at least it serves a purpose.  Plus I know where my anchor charts are and I don't have to spread them all over just to find the one I need.  Love it! Big thanks to Teaching with a Mountain View for the fabulous tip!

Make Your Own Labels

So I haven't been the best blogger.  I have several in progress posts that just aren't getting done for one reason or another.  That is what summer is for right? Blogging more is on my summer to-do list, aka the List that Never Ends and Just Gets Longer and Longer.  I am making progress though!

Another thing on my to-do list is to get more organized in my home office.  Last year I pulled three large tubs out of my extra closet to find them filled with office supplies. I vowed not to buy office supplies any time soon because I obviously had plenty.  True to teacher style more post-its made their way into my cart a couple days later.  I'm a teacher. You can never have too many post-its.  My three gigantic tubs got whittled down into various areas, but most ended up in a twenty tray organizer that I had originally bought for my classroom.  Today I went through and made another box of supplies to go to my classroom and combined some trays.  I now have several empty trays which means I can go buy some new goodies!! That's what that means right??

Well I put post-its on there to show what was in each drawer, but they kept falling off and they looked horrible.

I found this tutorial on Pinterest for making backgrounds and tags. I am in love.  I can now make cute tags for my home and classroom.  You can bet I'm about to go crazy. Here is the finished product of the tags.  It is super simple.

All it took was some scissors and some packing tape and here is the much nicer looking tray (if you ignore the giant filing box on top).