In the December issue of Teacher, Cossondra George shared her stolen secrets to having an organized classroom – sort of. Cossondra admits to not having original ideas when it comes to classroom organization. But, there are a few "borrowed" ideas she thought would be worth sharing with others that have helped her.
The Ten Secrets to an Organized Classroom
Organize the Students
- Have specific places for students to turn in work. While this may seem fairly basic, many teachers so not use a bin system with clear markings for each class. By having each class clearly marked, students sort and the teacher doesn’t have to.
- Have a designated place for absent students to collect their work when they return to school. A student misses two or even three days of school and return with an admit slip in hand. They stare at you to give them their missed work. You, on the other hand, are trying to take roll, read announcements and proceed with the next lesson. A way to eliminate this is to have a "Gee, I Was Gone" table with all work sitting for the student to pick up. Teachers may just point to the table if asked a question about missed work. No teaching needs to be lost.
- Have a no name folder. Students are notorious for not putting a name on the worksheet or homework. To save time trying to guess the handwriting’s owner, just place the papers in the "No Name Folder." The sorting job now belongs to the student and not the teacher.
Communicate With Parents
Use an online grading system. Not all schools have this option offered to parents and students. However, if available, use it! When students ask about grades, refer them to the online grading system and let them know that you will be happy to answer any questions they may have. Please stay updated and get grades up as soon as possible. It is very frustrating to be a parent waiting for the results of an exam to affect a current grade and see it remain the same for days or even weeks.
Set Preparation Expectations
- Have a board in the hall outside your classroom where you write what students need for class each period. This may seem silly since one would assume students know what they need for class. They get distracted and forget. If students just need an AR book, post that. If they need a project, a worksheet and special markers, post that. You may only want to do this on days that are not typical days but it may help the students be organized as they enter the classroom.
- Write the day’s lesson for each class period on the board. Some teachers place mini lesson plans on the board. This eliminates students asking what they are going to do in class that day. Students that must leave for an orthodontist appointment, a band lesson or a session with the TAG teacher, will know what they are missing and know what to make up.
- Expect students to come to class prepared. Cossondra does not allow students to leave class or wander the halls in the perpetual hunt for supplies. She says, "If you really wanted it, you would have brought it to class." [Cossondra George, Teacher, teachermagazine.org, "Teaching Secrets: Taming the Dragon of Classroom Chaos, December 2, 2008]
Proper Seating Eliminates Some Behavior Problems
Keep seating charts handy. The teacher is able to scan the chart quickly while taking attendance. Substitute teachers find them very helpful. After all, students are probably sitting in a specific spot for a reason. That reason could be to eliminate bullying or help students with short attention spans.
Email Makes Record Keeping Easier
Use email for parent contacts whenever possible. Email is preferred for several reasons. Email is not like a ringing phone that interrupts teaching or planning time. When it is convenient, check email and respond. Email also leaves a paper trail. In case you can not remember if you told a parent something, looking in the send file confirms that you did or did not. And, it also leaves a paper trail. If a teacher is asking you to do several things for interventions, you have a paper trail of exactly what the request was. Some teachers send on an email to an administrator to give them a heads up of a concern a parent may have.
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
Let go of the things that don’t really matter. Some teachers spend hours a week doing things that no one notices and that do not really matter. Color coordinating everything in the classroom, lining desks up perfectly, organizing classroom books in alphabetical order and organizing student journals. The students will find the journals that are theirs and the books they want. No one will notice if a few things don’t match. A crooked desk does not affect the learning of students unless they are perhaps obsessive and compulsive.
The object is to have a functional classroom and not a perfect one. If students can find what they need when they need it, things are running smoothly. A little clutter here and there never hurt anyone. Clutter clean up may be reserved for those days that have a little extra time. And, what those days don’t come very often? Oh, well.
Source: Cossondra George, Teacher, teachermagazine.org, "Teaching Secrets: Taming the Dragon of Classroom Chaos, December 2, 2008
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