Does anyone have any tips for routines and organization at the middle school level? I have posted before and no one says much. I think that's because I am foreign language and there aren't many out there...let's pretend it's English we're talking about What are your tricks for keeping kids on track, planning and remembering who you taught what to, grading, etc...Thanks for sharing your experience!
Dizzykates, So I don't exactly have an 'answer' for you, more of just an understanding. I'm a special ed new teacher this year. I just met with my principal and I don't have any resource classes, it's up to me where I go when, and I don't have a classroom of my own. I'm losing my mind just trying to think about this. But I did my student teaching in a little bit more of an organized fashion and to keep classes straight you might want to keep plans in a color coded binder or collapsable folder. KEEP EVERYTHING COLOR CODED by class and period, it makes things so much easier. As far as grading goes, I'm doing the weighted grade option, Hope this helps a little.
I just finished 3/4 of a year in a long term sub position for 8th grade so I am not an expert but I can share some of the other teacher's techniques that worked for me. To track 120 students in 5 sections, I had 10 folders in 5 different colors. For example, the red folders were for section 8-1 and one was marked as "graded" and one was "to be graded" so when students put work in the proper basket, I immediately put it into the to be graded folder and never switched it to the graded folder until the grades had been recorded. Once recorded, they went into a hanging folder on the bulletin board with the section number. The students sitting next to the board would pass them out when they entered the room. When someone is absent, put their name on the worksheet and put it into the hanging folder. I keep track of daily assignments (what we covered, what was assigned and what was collected) thoughout the week on a paper I called "While U Were Out" that I posted on a board. Students are responsible for checking that paper when they come back to class.
- Everything color coded for each class - Give them each a # in your classroom and have them use that number from everything from signing in at the beginning of class to turning in work. If you hot dog fold papers it makes passing papers and grading soooo much easier - Have routines for moving in and out of groups and those types of things. - Have a set place where you put all the objectives for that day and what the kids will be doing. This allows them to know and prepare for the class day. -Have one set place to turn in homework and papers. Last year, we had a lady bug that we used. I have no idea what I am going to do this year.
Some ideas: - I do a "math log", each student has their own math log where they write down what we are doing for the day and any homework they have for that night. I use this to keep them busy during attendence, talking to students, etc. - I echo texasaggie....have prearranged groups or a set routine to get students into groups or pairs quickly. I just pair student up by rows, columns, etc. - WRITE DOWN A BREIF DESCRIPTION for each class on the board...this not only allows the students to prepare for class, but eliminates the "what are we doing today" and also helps me keep the class on track and not "forget" something - Again I echo texasaggie have somewhere for students to turn in all homework, papers, etc. I like to use a class mailbox for each individual class. I also LOVE the color coded folders idea...I am going to try that this year - Last hint: ASK OTHER TEACHERS IN YOUR BUILDING veteran teachers are a blessing....I don't know what I'd do without them (I'm in my first year of real teaching, but during student teaching I learned this)
I bought this really good book called First days of school by Harry Wong that touches on everything from lesson planning to classroom management.
I am teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade spanish. I have four sections of each and it's beginning level Spanish. What about you? I am not sure where to even begin. I have a book, but I was trained to build my own lessons. I am greatful for the book, but I don't want to just teach what the book says, it seems boring. I just don't know how to cover everything and make it fun at the same time. And the organization....I am an organized person and it is just driving me nuts b/c I don't feel like I know where to start. How about you?
Hola! I am also a middle school FL teacher. One thing I do for "bellwork" is to write a short summary on the board of what we are doing in class that day. Our students are required to use agendas, so when they walk in, they copy down the agenda information off the board. It's great for when you inevitably get asked, "What are we doing in class today", I tell them to look at the board. (in Spanish, of course) If there is homework, it's listed there, too. That way, there's no excuse or rushing at the end of the period to try and write down assignments.....they know as soon as they walk in what the assignment will be, what we are doing, any special dates coming up, etc. I have large plastic drawers/bins, one for each class period. Everything gets turned in to the bin, and I empty the bins at the end of each day. The drawers keep the papers in one space, without getting them mixed up with other classes. I keep these on a table away from my desk!! This keeps MY paperwork from getting mixed up with theirs, and allows me to keep my work on my desk without worrying about students messing with it. Also, kids with make-up work just throw it in the bin....I don't have to keep making seperate folders and piles. I also color-code take-home folders for each class. I'll either put the entire folder in the bin when I'm done grading, or empty it out. If I know I won't have time to hand back papers, I keep them in the folder so I don't have to sort through graded/not graded stuff. Not only do I teach Spanish, but I am also the 504 resource teacher for all the 7th and 8th grade 504 students. I also use a variety of folders and bins for them, and have significant storage space reserved for all of the assignments coming from all of their teachers. My seating chart is arranged into cooperative learning groups. That way, I don't have to waste time getting students into groups for daily communicative activities. I have 7 to 8 groups of 4 desks each (depending on the class size). I have supply boxes labeled 1-7 (or 8) on the same table with the turn-in bins. If we are doing an activity where we need class supplies, the group leader of each group gets their box. It saves time passing out markers, glue sticks, etc. All the supply boxes are plastic with snap-on lids to keep them somewhat neat, and have things like markers, crayons, scissors, rulers, etc. I've figured out a lot of tricks over the years, as we all have! I've been teaching since 1992. For the first half of my career, I taught at the high school in the morning and the middle school in the afternoon. Since being given the 504 students for 2 periods, I've been full time at the middle school ever since.
