It's Simply Elementary

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Linking Up with Blog Hoppin’ – Helpful Tips Tuesday! :)

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Happy Tuesday, friends! I’m linking up again today – this time with Blog Hoppin’ – to share with you a few ‘helpful hints’ that I’ve found to be sanity life savers over the last 8 years!
I still find myself – every single day – leaving my classroom wishing that I had just a litttttle bit (ok a lotta bit) more time with my kids.  I just NEVER feel like I get everything done in a day that I want to with them, and I’m not the most patient person in the world, so I don’t always love waiting until tomorrow! However, here are a few tips and tricks that I use – some old tricks and some new –  that help me to tackle and accomplish as much as possible each day.
1 – Days of the Week Folders
SO stinkin’ simple but ridiculously effective. Each week when I plan/make copies – the piles of copies don’t dare try to overtake my organized classroom nor my right-angle covered desk because… they immediately have a place! As soon as I make a copy, the master gets filed, and the copies get added to the day of the week folder on which that activity will be:
Each tray is designated for a day of the week, and each tray has a folder in it.  I put any copies for the current week in the folder, and any copies for the upcoming week UNDER the folder.  I’ve tried the drawers for the same type of system, but with my trays, I like that I can SEE what I’m doing and that I can SEE that my plans and copies are set for the week or week ahead.  All I have to do is turn around!
2. Call-on Sticks – Washi Tape Style
Now – I can’t take credit for this idea.  I saw this idea this summer posted by Michelle from Apples and ABCs:)  . . . .So for YEARS I’ve been using the, “I’m going to pull your number out of my stick cup and hopefully I call on everybody once before I call on half of you twice” method.  No matter how well probability SHOULD work, some kids always seem to get the short end of the stick (pun intended;)). SOOOO when I saw Michelle using Washi Tape to more effectively use your cup of student numbered sticks, I immediately dug my Washi Tape out of the Washi Tape labeled drawer . . . .
See the cute black and white polka dotted Washi Tape on each stick? When a kiddo’s number is pulled, I put his/her stick back in the cup Washi Tape side DOWN.  Then, once allll sticks are Washi side down, I pull them all out of the cup, flip them all back to Washi side UP, and start again! We’re all about everybody getting a turn in Room 201 – add polka dots to that philosophy? I’m sold.
3.  I. love.  labels.
I mean – how a teacher (or anyone) can go without labeling everything is beyond me.  Even though I know darn well what’s inside most of the boxes/bins/buckets in my classroom, I’m still all about labeling it all.  Plus – it just looks nicer and it involves fun fonts and frames! <–fun, fun, fun!
I used some black and white labels this year to label my brand new Reading Wonders reading series’ high frequency and vocabulary word cards:
I bought an index card holder for each unit (Target never disappoints) and inside each unit are labeled word cards for each week of the unit.  I also label each word card when I make them.  For example, word cards for Unit 1 Week 1 words are all labeled with a 1.1 so when I take them off of my word wall at the end of the year, I know exactly where they go!
4. Weekly Planning Checklist
So one of the MOST helpful things I did for myself was to create a weekly planning checklist.
Before creating this for myself, I was writing the SAME things on my to-do list every single week like “math plans, math copies, anchor charts, etc.” I was going through so much list paper and wasting SO much time writing the SAME things every week . . . SO I finally decided to stop wasting my time and create a check list!

 

Wherever my weekly plan writing happens, my checklist is front and center on my clipboard.  It’s NEARLY as much of a staple as my coffee and MacBook.  JUST sayin’.  So when I first blogged about it . . . my teacher friends wanted me to share – so I have! I’ve created a few different versions and styles, hopefully one that you can find helpful and time saving for you! There are free and editable versions available in my TPT store! You can click the pictures above, too, to grab a copy for yourself!

I sincerely hope that you’ve found SOMETHING helpful today that can help you to make it through the day or the week as smoothly as teacherly possible! I LOVE collaborating with the fabulous network of teachers that blogging and instagramming have brought me, and to be able to give back to all of YOU that have inspired me countless times since joining the blogging world, well that’s just something to smile about. 🙂

Have a FABULOUS Tuesday 🙂

Comments

  2. 2

    Alisha Colon says

    Hey Ashley! I'm so glad to have found your blog through the Blog Hoppin' linky! I'm an Ohio blogger too! High-five! I teach first grade in Cambridge. I LOVE your checklist idea! I am such a to-do list person & lately, they're getting ridiculous, especially the one I have to make for the following week…I can't wait to check them out! Thanks!

    I'm your newest follower, too!
    Have a great week!

    Alisha
    First Grade Follies

  4. 4

    Ashley B Schroeder says

    Hi Alisha!! Thanks so much for the comment! And YAY for Ohio bloggers!! 🙂 Thanks for following me – I'm now YOUR newest follower, too! 🙂 And no worries – we can join a to-do lists anonymous club. I'm POSITIVE we wouldn't be alone!:)