How do you organize EVERYTHING?!

[jlj]

I have a K / 1st combo class. We use the ABEKA curriculum which means LOTS of worksheets to mark and/or grade & post for report cards etc., homework, reading assessment notes, and on & on... What have you found that works best for you? I start out with good intentions every year of staying organized & on top of things but things just end up piling up & I get overwhelmed with it all. I should mention I have responsibilities at work other than classroom as well so time management is also very important. Thanks!

[jlj]

This is definitely a weak spot for me!! I need something simple, easy to use....
Time management - do you schedule "things to do" for specific days? Like grade math Thursday, lesson plans for next week math ____ day of week.....

[czacza]

I use several magazine organizers for my worksheets...one for each content area.
I generally sketch out my weeks plans on Sunday night or Monday morning...it doesn't take me long as I don't write detailed plans, I've been teaching for 15 years so my plans are more of a reminder to myself than all the nuts and bolts.

I 'grade'/check papers about every other day...I hate when they pile up.

My file cabinet is pretty much filed by month as most content I teach in the same order every year.

[Loves the beach]

Originally Posted by jlj

I have a K / 1st combo class. We use the ABEKA curriculum which means LOTS of worksheets to mark and/or grade & post for report cards etc., homework, reading assessment notes, and on & on... What have you found that works best for you? I start out with good intentions every year of staying organized & on top of things but things just end up piling up & I get overwhelmed with it all. I should mention I have responsibilities at work other than classroom as well so time management is also very important. Thanks!

I wish I had some advice! This is my weakness, too. I have a perfectly organized classroom at the beginning of school. Then, as all the paperwork increases, I don't know where to put it all. It ends up piled up, and I have to go through it all over the summer.

[ciounoi]

Something I've always done since college is overestimate the time I would spend on tasks... give myself a deadline 3 weeks before the actual deadline, for example. This has helped me be very prepared and organized. I leave nothing for the last minute.

[iheartrecess]

I love to use these drawers:


I also have shelved lined with magazine sorters.

[Rabbitt]

I assign each student a number that they write on EVERYTHING. It is much easier to know which paper is missing. Easy to alphabetise. Easy to enter scores into gradebook. Easy to add papers to mailboxes.

[SassyTeach]

I definitely believe in having certain chores for each day, as well as establishing small routines throughout the day. For example, I straighten my desk during my lunch break and again at the end of the day. It takes about 3 minutes, but has helped me manage that particular "hot spot!" Good luck!

[Lotte]

This is one of my biggest problems as well.

I have, however, heard of a teacher that graded half of the assignments and just put an "ok" stamp on half of them during the year.
The students were not told whether they would get grades or just an "I see you have done all the exercises"-stamp (which meant she didn't look closer than to make sure that they did everything. - No corrections made)
I totally see how that must have saved her time.. ;-)

Some teachers are good at letting the students self-check.
They can cover their eyes and raise their hands. The teacher can say "Raise your hand if you got 58" and afterwards "Raise your hand if you got 53" The teacher notices who got it right and not, the students are told which was correct and they can put a star on the assignment..

[TeacherSandra]

Is it possible to have a boxes for each subject so when students are done with their work, they just place their paperwork in it's place. Be sure that your goal is to finish grading their work daily; whether throughout the day or after school, but do it daily.