08.08.2016

An Organized Classroom

One of my favorite things about being a teacher, but also one of the most difficult, is recognizing that education is a dynamic field that is always changing. The needs of my students vary from year to year, and the methods I use must adjust to meet those needs. Furthermore, as a multitude of research studies are conducted in the educational realm, ideas that were once held as "best practices" can evolve into new forms. Great teachers then recognize these changes and assimilate these ideas into their lessons. Why then, do so many teachers harbor outdated resources that take up precious space in their classroom?

I have come to realize that many teachers hold on to an inordinate amount of fear. They fear that they must keep all of their previous lesson materials and a wealth of unnecessary or outdated school supplies, just in case they might need it in the future. This mindset can leave teachers with filing cabinets filled to the brim and closets overflowing. The time spent searching for a long lost manipulative or a paper on independent clauses could be saved by limiting our volume of resources. We teachers must recognize the balance between holding on to items of value and keeping every single thing we have used in the past. Quality over quantity in the classroom is as important as it is in the home.

One way to cut down on unnecessary clutter is to clean out filing cabinets. Start by looking at each resource and think back on how it worked in your classroom. If it was an all-star lesson that your students enjoyed, then keep one copy of it. Once you have filtered through every paper and kept only the best resources, then begin to organize them into specific skills sets or by yearly unit. This will make searching for lessons a much more manageable task. Furthermore, technology can be a fantastic way to organize handouts that you have created. Make a virtual filing system by assigning meaningful handouts into specific folders in Google Drive or Microsoft Word.

Another way to create an organized classroom is to make sure that your storage closet has extra necessary supplies separated into categories. For example, having separately labeled bins for pencils, dry erase markers, and crayons can quickly cut down on search time. This will also curb the urge to "stuff" items into random slots, which easily undermines organization. A wonderful trick for keeping construction paper easily accessible without worrying about toppling over piles of paper is to arrange the paper vertically. Vertical desktop filing organizers are a great resource to keep papers in line, and it is best to sort the papers into colors. In addition, make sure every item is easily accessible. Putting items far behind each other or pushed into a hard to reach corner is a common mistake. Chances are that you will completely forget about the item or you will be frustrated in the time-consuming search.

Finally, teachers, I know firsthand how hard it is to part with school related items. However, just like too much clutter in your house can cause unnecessary stress, too much clutter in your classroom can have a negative effect on you and your students. You have specific procedures for the children in your classroom, so in the same way, you must have routines in place for how you maintain your own personal organization.