During the school year, your classroom becomes a second home, so why not treat it like one? Evaluating your current system for storage and organization might be a good idea too. This list will help you kickstart your efforts and give you a few ideas of your own. What are you waiting for?
Place items where they will be used
This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s not always so obvious. Most people have a hard time deciphering between everyday items and situational items. Anything that falls into the everyday category should be stored within arms reach and out in the open. Everything else can be put away in a designated place that’s out of the way.
Well labeled filing system
Between handouts, homework, tests, and graded/ungraded assignments, there’s always a lot of paper flying around. Set up a labeled filing system. Don’t be afraid to use binders, folders, and containers for hanging folders to organize your things. This way, everything is in a neat spot and doesn’t end up in an unproductive pile on the desk.
Use what you’ve got
Conventional storage is probably hard to come buy in most classes – so make the best of what you have. Use every nook and cranny you have at your disposal to organize your class and keep things neat. Not to mention, with more tech in the classroom, additional storage space is needed for laptops and tablets.
Mailbox
Use a mail sorter that’s traditionally used as an office’s internal mailbox for handouts. You can include past assignments, handouts to go out, or extra copies for students to pick up without asking. This is a good way to keep all paper consumption under control too.
Table Bins
Keep bins handy for each group of tables within your classroom. It’s a great way to have materials in a central location for students. You can even place only the necessary items needed for a particular activity. Plus, having everything in one place is the best way to take a quick inventory before any materials are lost or accidentally taken.