It is time for another chapter of "The Together Teacher" in our book study. Today it is time for chapter 10 which is all about taming your email. Our hostess this week is Ellie from Middle School Math Moments .
If you have missed my previous posts from this book study you can find them below:
We have all had those days when the bell rings at the end of the day, we smile at our students as we say goodbye, only to turn around to notice that our classroom looks as if a tornado has hit it!
This chapter helps us to organize all the stuff (and boy do us teachers have a ton of STUFF!) that is in our classroom for both us and our students. Maia describes various stations that can be set up around your room no matter the size of your classroom.
A few of these stations include:
Teaching Station
This is your home base where you keep all of your teaching materials for the day. It should contain all the days handouts, supplies, etc, that you will need throughout the day.
The Entry Way
Much like at your home where you might keep your car keys, purse, etc. this should be a place where your students can start off either picking up supplies for the day or dropping off items such as homework or notes. Now that I teach elementary, I don't really have this set-up because my students enter the room at the same time and it would just be a mess. However, when I taught 7th grade math, I kept my Do Now sheet at the door for the students to grab as they came in. This made the transition to getting started seamless.
In this section, Maia mentions student mailboxes as a place where you can distribute papers to individual students. When I taught 7th grade math, I used milk crates with hanging folders in them for this purpose (each period had their own crate). I still use this system in my elementary class.
Having a Well Stocked Pantry
Well, not really a pantry, but you want to have all of your "ingredients" on hand as you teach. No more searching for a dry erase marker or hunting down dice for a math game. Have your supplies ready to go and easy to find so you don't waste time looking for them. I keep my supplies in buckets on an easy to get to shelf.
I also keep my teaching books and small group work supplies behind my desk where I do most of my small group teaching.
Classroom Calendar
Students love knowing what day it is and what to expect. I keep a calendar where they can see all of our upcoming assemblies, important days, birthdays etc.
Classroom Library
Students are encouraged to read when they can find books that interest them. Maia suggests organizing your books either by level or by genre so students can find them easily.
Cleaning Supplies
Let's face it, learning is messy and sometimes you just don't have time to wait for the janitor. Maia suggests stocking up on a few cleaning supplies for those occasions when you need to do a little tidying up.
A few of her suggestions:
*Paper towels
* Regular cleaning towels that can be laundered
*Clorox wipes
*Dry-erase board cleaner
*anti-bacterial spray
What things do you do to keep your classroom in order? If you are following along link up below. And don't forget to visit our hostess, Nicole of Southern Love of Teaching for chapter 11 next week.
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