Teacher Finds!

 Target is AMAZING! I am on a budget so this find was a real blessing for me. I have a lesson plan template that I am required to use from the district, but I find that I still need a lesson plan book to sketch out my plans. It's easy for me to sketch out what activities, work-pages to be completed each week. I also keep a back up grade book that I would STRONGLY suggest even with the electronic versions we use. Last year a few of the courses we taught were changed mid-year, and BAM my grades also disappeared! If it hadn't been for my paper grade book all would have been lost. The grade book saved the day. I also find that it is helpful for grading at home or at an evening activity with my kids when I am without a computer. The red thing is also a Target $1 find and will be PERFECT for those students that require a picture schedule! I will also put classroom procedures at the bottom.


                   I don't know about you but I walk a LONG, LONG, LONG way to my classroom every day. The weight of books, laptop, lunch and supplies is a little much for me to carry. I had no great solution until now. I found this Rolser at HomeGoods this week and trust me it will hold EVERYTHING! I am so excited to have a roll cart that is attractive and holds soooo much. This will allow me to bring supplies back and forth with ease. They had several colors to choose from too. Oh, and it was $29.00!!!!!! It is retail $60!

I think I had a great shopping week. Let me know what you think! 

Teaching Binder

                   Yes, I know that I should be enjoying my last few weeks of summer-not thinking about work, but it has been soooo HOT here that inside activities like creating a cute Teacher Binder are most appropriate. I have looked at many Teacher Binders online but this cover is my design (: I LOVE owls and flowers so this will be fun to use. I also laminated the cover so I could transfer it if the binder broke from being overused, hehe. The owl is a stamp from my store and the printing was done on the computer with my favorite Handwriting font.
                   From this project I discovered that each teacher's binder will and should be personal/different. I am a special education teacher, so my data sheets and lesson plans are complicated and in their own binders. I will use this binder to keep track of all the little things I struggle to keep organized such as; district calendar, grade periods, IEP progress dates, numbers of teachers and building numbers, student information and class-list, birthdays, standards, scope and sequence for the subjects I teach, meeting notes, co-teaching information, PD papers, passwords - I am sure I will add to this list as it occurs to me. I do think that I will have a better year with everything in one spot (:
 I am REALLY trying to think about how I want to organize all my work-pages/reading materials. I have a self-contained class with students on a variety of levels all learning the same topics so papers are EVERYWHERE!  I like to see the papers so I think ideally I would like to have them in binders with page protectors. If you have a system that works well for you let me know! I love to learn new things (:

Let me know what you think! 

Binder- Classroom Organization!

             If you use binders to organize and plan units like I do, this idea may work well for you. Last year I taught several subjects and I used binders to organize; work-pages, journal pages, reading material,  study guides and rubrics or scoring guides. I have used a few methods for storage, but I found this to be the very best! I had two of these Chrome Lid/Plate Rack's by Closetmaid at home that I did not use when I organized my pot lids and baking pans. I had the idea last year that binders may fit in them and THEY DID! This can hold 8 binders. I created personalized covers for each binder with the subject, clip art and their name. At the end of the semester I took off the cover and stapled all the papers to it and sent it home. The binders did not belong to the students, and defiantly had to stay in my classroom for reuse! This is a nice solution and clears up your book shelves for more books (: They are really sturdy and neat.
 I will take a picture when I set up my classroom in August. I do not have access to my classroom now and am not sure where my room will be this year in the building! They are doing major construction but I am excited to design my new space. I only hope that I have windows again!!!!! I have some fun ideas to share with you, YAY!

Let me know what you think! I love to visit Blogs (: