Using File Folders to Create Organizational Systems in Your Classroom

My love for organization and systems is well-known, so I especially adore finding practical and affordable supplies that help keep a classroom well-organized and ultimately, help save teachers a bit of time. I believe students learn better in tidy, organized spaces where they can focus and concentrate on academic tasks without the distraction of clutter . . . so I'm all about office supplies! Finding supplies that also add a pop of color -- like these sturdy and budget-friendly file folders from Oriental Trading Company -- makes my teacher-heart pitter-patter!

Middle school and high school teachers know how challenging it is to find the exact right pass for students at the exact right time. Students need passes to see the nurse for their allergy meds, go to the office to call a parent about their forgotten gym clothes, finish their research paper in the computer lab during study hall, see the counselor during lunch about the argument they had with their best friend on the school bus, early dismissal for an appointment with a doctor who doesn't see patients after 3pm, go to the media center, the science lab, the library, the discipline counselor . . . the list -- and the corresponding pass -- is never-ending. File folders to the rescue! Here's how I solve the pass dilemma:

1 - Fill out all the info on each pass that is going to be the same every time (usually your name, grade, and room number).

2 - Make a few dozen copies of each pass.

3 - Store passes in labeled file folders taped (or stapled) to a wall, door, the side of a filing cabinet, or a cork board.

4 - When students need a pass, they're responsible to get the appropriate form and fill in all the necessary information.

5 - Glance at the info they included on their pass and sign it.

This simple system accomplishes several things at once:

• It saves you time -- no more digging through filing cabinet drawers or desks looking for the right pass to match the right need.
• It maximizes your storage space -- free up that precious drawer space for papers that need more confidentiality.
• It makes students responsible for their own needs and self-advocacy -- important life-skills. 

With five extra minutes and some packing tape, you can create a cascading file.

In addition to organizing forms and passes, cascading files can be used to collect or distribute papers to each class period, store daily classwork for absentees, organize papers to be copied or filed, or collect exit tickets as students leave the classroom.  

Here's to using five minutes and some "found space" to keep our students more organized, our classrooms running smoothly, and our decor engaging!

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Literary Sherri Looks Ahead

It’s the most wonderful time of the year . . . papers are all graded, tests are all taken, report cards are finished, textbooks are turned in, electronic files are organized, the classroom has been packed into carefully categorized boxes (that will seem chaotic in August!) and cleaned so that it virtually sparkles, the count-down is in single digits, and you and your students are actually enjoying all the various end-of-year activities . . . oh, and it’s time to start planning for next year!

After 23 years of teaching, the best advice I can give as you plan for next year is this: Take some well-deserved time off and enjoy unplugging from all things school-related this summer! Seriously . . . there are 8,658 things you need to get done this summer in order to be well-prepared for next school year . . . but the single most important item on that list is to get some much-needed R&R!

You have easily averaged 60 hours or more of school-related work a week. You have given and given and given and you are exhausted to the point of complete physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual depletion. So before you spend the bulk of your summer working a seasonal job, strategizing for next semester, planning an entire year’s worth of lessons, creating 9 months’ worth of fabulous bulletin boards, re-organizing all your digital files, scheduling fall field trips, attending inservice days and professional development workshops, and spending countless hours on back-to-school tasks, give yourself some real time to truly enjoy a restful break. Put your feet up and read a few books (not because you want to assess whether or not they will make a great read-aloud or will supplement a unit perfectly) . . . soak up some sunshine, enjoy those activities you always wish you had time for during the school year, relish time spent with family and friends . . . because the single best gift you can give yourself, your family, and next year’s students is returning to the classroom rested, relaxed, and reenergized!

Oh, and when you are ready to get down to brass tacks and put several hours of thought, reflection, and research into some serious planning for next school year, here’s a must-have resource for you to start your year off on the right foot:

Tools for Positive Behavior Management is packed with tools and tips to help you work effectively with tweens and teens to quietly diffuse potential mishaps, provide students with the encouraging recognition they need, create a positive classroom environment, set your students up for success, and save your sanity! Check it out . . . but not until you have taken some well-deserved time to rest and recharge!

Be sure to check out other ideas for looking ahead, as well as some fabulous resources for next year, from The Literary League:

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