Teachers have to prepare a classroom that will fit the needs of an entire class, and that can be a daunting task. One of the best ways to keep things in order during a busy school year is to have an organized set-up from the very beginning. Check out these organizational tips from real teachers who are setting up their classrooms for a new school year.
9 Organizational Tips from Real Teachers
Tip 1: Use What You’ve Got
When it comes to organizing the classroom, there are plenty of creative ways to keep things in order. Using the tools and resources on hand might require some creativity, but these clever teachers have their favorite organizational tools picked out.
Here are some teacher tips for those organizational items they just can’t live without:
“Table ‘cubbies’- milk crates tied together with zip ties and painted to match the tables/table buckets. The cubbies hold pencil boxes, math and writing journals, morning work notebooks, and a tub of ‘books in progress’ from the classroom library. Keeps things handy, yet away from fidgety first grade hands.” – Heidi S.
“Can’t live without my 6 drawer cart on wheels! each drawer holds the papers or materials I need for each day of the week, labeled M T W TH or F, with one extra at the bottom for sub plans or activities. This way, I minimize losing instructional time fumbling for materials!” – Kristin J.
“My magnet name board called “where are you”! It tracks who is where at what time of day. Student s”move their magnet”when going to and from the nurse or bathroom or even AIS! Holds them accountable and helps me keep track of where they are!” – Sarahrose M.
Tip 2: Color Code Everything
Color coding is a great way to keep students and subjects straight. Many teachers agree, color coding their classroom is an essential part of getting through the day.
Check out how these teachers use color coding to stay on track:
“Color coded clothes pins. It sounds silly, but I’m an English teacher and it’s easy to get lost in the work load. I have red clothes pins designated for “not graded”, yellow for “graded”, blue for “make copies”, and orange is “file away”. It’s one thing that I find that works for me.” – Kelsey C.
“I can’t live without my table caddies! They are color coded with each table and have matching scissors to make me happy. They also have pencils, glue sticks, and leveled readers appropriate for the kids at that table for easy access throughout the day.” – Julie R.
“My 4th grade students don’t have desks they can put stuff in, so book bins are very important to store their folders and spirals. We have switch classes, so my homeroom class uses warm colors and my switch class uses cool colors.” – Shannon D.
Tip 3: Bins and More Bins
Whether you grab for fun patterns, colors, or see-through bins, storage is an essential part of keeping classrooms orderly. Students and hectic schedules can add stress, but with all your key tools organized in easy-to-find bins, the average school day may get just a bit easier.
Check out these ways that real teachers are using bins to stay on top of their classroom:
“My “can’t live without” items are plastic drawers in all sizes. I use one size to organize all my colored printer paper, and to organize my to copy, laminate, and file drawers. I have another size to hold pens and markers, and another size to hold station games. I could not survive without these drawers!” – Michelle C.
“Book bins are amazing for so much more than books! I organize materials for each day in them, use them for center activities and most importantly, each of my self contained kiddos has their own color so they know which activities are theirs!” – Tamara S.
“Any and all storage containers with labels!!!! I label everything and every drawer so my kids always know where to put things away after they get them out!” – Cassie W.
More Organization & Storage Tips
If you’re looking for more ways to make your classroom feel efficient and organized, be sure to head over to the Storage & Organization topic page to see what’s new.
Also take a moment to browse through hundreds of Teacher Favorite classroom tools and supplies for every classroom space.
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