2 Stars and a Wish.. A Little Back To School Classroom Organization

Hi Sweet Friends!

If you are like me, you are gearing up for another school year.

I couldn't want to link up with Mandy's Tips for Teachers for

I'm ALL about staying organized in my classroom.  I feel like I teach better when my classroom is organized and runs efficiently.  SO I wanted to share with you 2 things ( my STARS)  I feel help me stay organized and  something I wish I could do better.  ( I'm hoping you all will have some tips to help me with this WISH.)

Use magazine boxes labeled with the days of the week to keep your needed copies and other items needed for that particular day.

( My magazine boxes are located on the right hand side of this picture.)

I used to keep my copies and needed items in a file folder in my desk.  I LOVE these magazine boxes.  They hold so much more material, AND they are easy for another teacher to access if needed.  It also helps with those last minute emergency plans for a sub if one of my little ones wakes up and is ill that morning.   My parent volunteer comes in every Thursday or Friday and makes the copies for the following week.  Once the copies are made, I quickly refer to my teacher plans and place the copies in the corresponding box for the following week. 

Forgot My Homework Binder

A teacher on my team introduced this to me last year, and I LOVED it.

I am forever trying to keep track of students who have forgotten their homework, didn't do their reading assignment and etc.  The school in which I teach does a monthly Homework Club Reward, and I have a Homework incentive in my classroom as well.  I used to keep track of missed reading assignments and etc in my teacher planner.  BUT with all of the other notes I jotted down, the student names and assignments missed were hard to find.  I needed something easier and more organized to help me keep track of missing homework.   The "Forgot My Homework Binder" has a tab with each student's name.  Inside of the Binder, each student has a homework sheet.  Each student simply writes the date, assignment that is missing or not completed, and I initial the entry.   I have it sitting by the homework basket in my classroom.  Each morning I check student's planners while they are working on their Daily Morning Warm-Ups.  If a student is missing an assignment or did not complete their reading minutes, I ask them to sign the homework binder.

To create the homework binder, I purchased a 3 ring binder along with enough of the tabbed file folders for each student in my class.  I wrote each student's name on a tab.  Then I made a homework sheet that included a column for the date, item not completed, and my initials.

You can download the cover for the "Missing Homework Binder" and the 'Missing Homework" sheet for FREE from Google Docs by clicking on either photo above or HERE.

Classroom Library Check Out System

Oh my, I need SO much help with this one.  I would love ANY and ALL ideas that have worked for you.  I have YET to find a system that keeps my students responsible for classroom books that they check out of our library.  What do all of you use?  I WISH for a system that is easy for the students to use, helps keep the responsible for returning the library books back to the classroom library, and helps me keep track of my classroom library books.  I loose OODLES of books every year.  I also don't want to have to spend a lot of time managing this system.  

I have entered all of my classroom books online into LibraryThing. I've even reorganized my books by subjects. Here's a little peek into my classroom library.

 Thanks so much for stopping by.  Good luck on a new school year!!  I would LOVE to hear your suggestions on my WISH. 

For more STAR ideas, please check out the links from my FRIENDS below.

An InLinkzLink-up