As a teacher, the start of a new school year can be both exciting and overwhelming! The beginning of the school year always represents a time where teachers can build new relationships with students. At the beginning of the school year, there are also many back-to-school professional developments, curriculum updates, and preparations that need to be made which can be overwhelming. With the pressure of preparing for the beginning of a school year being so great, the most important thing that you can do is to have a plan. A plan always helps with the pressure and allows me to remember to look forward to gaining new students whom I can grow over the school year. This article details practical and effective classroom organization tips that will help you develop a plan to get ahead of the game and start the school year off strong.
Get ready to start your school year off with a bang with these classroom organization tips!
Declutter Your Classroom
As a new teacher, I often spent hours planning for the décor of my classroom. I would choose a theme, select coordinating colors, and buy all the borders I could find. I still believe classroom décor is important but my priorities have changed and believe classroom organization should be a top priority.
Many years teachers often move classrooms or by the end of the school year are so ready for the summer break that they pack up all our classroom items with no plan.
This often means that when teachers return to their classrooms for the new school year, they are greeted with boxes with items that may not be needed.
Go through your entire classroom including closets, cabinets, boxes, desks, etc.
Have a trash bag and boxes near and throw away any trash and place in your boxes items that you have not used and do not serve a purpose for your students.
If you have personal items that you no longer use consider donating the items to a new teacher.
If your classroom has curriculums, books, and supplies that have not been used in years, ask what the protocol is for removing unneeded items from your classroom.
Create Classroom Zones and Organize Your Physical Space
After decluttering your classroom, define and create zones for your classroom. Zones are areas in a space where specific activities happen or where specific items belong.
For example, in my home kitchen, I have specific zones for my plates, cups, and silverware. In my pantry, I also have specific zones for my canned goods, snacks, and staple foods (sugar, flour, pasta).
Some examples of zones in a classroom are:
Supply Station
Technology Station
Classroom Library
Student Belongings
Calm Down Area or Safe Area
Teacher Desk/Personal Space-Make sure that you are able to see all the students from this location
Small Group Area
Space for Manipulatives
Establish A Storage System
Once you have your zones established, bins are great tools for you to organize the materials that will be in each classroom zones. Bins (with labels) allow students to know exactly where materials belong, help promote classroom expectations, and teach students organizational skills.
Paper tray organizations, crates, shoe bins, drawer carts, caddies, clear bins, baskets, stackable baskets and magazine holders are also great storage tools for classroom zones and overall classroom organization.
Tip: Label, Label, Label. Labels and visual representations are great for universal understanding.
Classroom Organization
After you have established zones and have a storage system, begin to place your classroom items in their assigned spots. In the beginning of the school year and as a general overall rule, don’t place a lot of materials in the zones. Introduce the items to the students slowly and teach students the purpose of the items.
Teach your students (in-depth) where every item belongs and how to return it. Even pencils! It may seem silly, but it will pay off in the end!
Due to the student’s needs you may have to re-arrange your zones and materials several times. Before each break, I like to analyze my classroom for strengths and weaknesses and make adjustments as needed to my classroom set up.
Tip: Before a major transition (lunch, changing academic subjects) and at the end of the day build in 5-10 minutes where every student helps organize and clean the classroom. Before you leave for the day, clear and clean your desk. You will not regret it when your return the following morning to your classroom.
Create A Few Weeks Of Lesson Plans
The first weeks of school can be crazy! I remember the days that I would come home and take a nap because I was so mentally tired. One thing that always helped me destress at home was knowing that my lesson plans were planned and completed.
The first weeks of school are vital. Students have been out of school for several weeks and it will take time for them to respond to structures and routines. If you don’t have a plan and students have a lot of free downtime, you are risking the quality of the classroom environment for the entire school year. In your lesson plans include instructional activities that include instruction in classroom routines and procedures. Incorporate assessments to gain knowledge of their current instructional level.
Some days you may not get to every activity. Save those activities for days where you have extra time.
While planning for your lesson plans, think of the resources that you will need for the activities and organize those as well. Simple activities for the first weeks of school are golden.
Tip: Plan, Plan, and Plan! Include community-building activities, ice breakers, and lots of getting-to-know-you activities in your lesson plans.
Establish consistent procedures and routines
Establishing clear and consistent procedures and routines is just as important as having an organized classroom and lesson plans. In fact, I believe that if you don’t have consistent routines and procedures, you will not be able to consistently teach due to disruptions which can lead to overall chaos.
By implementing clear and predictable procedures for everything from entering the classroom to transitioning between instructional activities, you can maximize your instructional time which is something that we can never have enough of as educators.
Mama Teaches discusses 10 practical classroom procedures to teach on the first day!
When introducing and teaching your procedures and routines provide classroom examples and non-examples. Be sure to model each procedure as well so that they truly understand your expectations as the classroom teacher.
Prioritize Self-Care and Work-Life Balance
Lastly, don’t forget to create a work-life balance. As someone who enjoys working, this area is hard for me but necessary. Teachers often devote so much time and energy to their work that they forget to prioritize their own well-being. However, it’s essential to focus on self-care and work-life balance in order to avoid burnout.
Whether you enjoy exercising, incorporating healthy eating habits, shopping, reading, or meditation, find an outlet that will allow you to reduce your stress.
Designate and organize time to truly unplug and complete these activities. By prioritizing self-care and work-life balance, you can help prevent the dreaded word burnout. This, in turn, will allow you to be more organized and present with your students.
Final Thoughts For Classroom Organization Tips
Starting a new school year can be stressful but implementing classroom organization tips can help reduce stress and create a positive learning environment for both you and your students.
By decluttering your classroom, creating zones, organizing your physical space, implementing storage tools, preparing lesson plans, establishing classroom management, and prioritizing self-care, you can get ahead of the game and set yourself up for a successful school year.
Remember to ask for help when needed and prioritize self-care and work-life balance, as these are crucial to maintaining a positive and productive classroom. As the saying goes, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Take time to organize your classroom and get ahead of the game. Your students will thank you for it!
I would love to hear your classroom organization tips in the comments!
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