organization

  • Make your lesson plans work for you

    I’ve always believed that your lesson plan should be more than just activities listed on a piece of paper.  Your lesson plan should guide your day and help you feel more organized, confident, and prepared to start the day.  To make your lesson plan work for you, it’s helpful to evaluate how it is formatted. Think about how you use your lesson plan. Do you follow it like a schedule? Do you pick and chose activities depending on your students interest levels, moods, and current temperaments? Do you use it like a checklist, ensuring that you complete the activities and meet specific standards? Do you make notes on it so…

  • Friday Freebie – New Year Organization

    Happy Friday! Happy New Year! I hope that you’ve got big plans for your last weekend before you head back to reality.  I’ve had a fun, relaxing little break, but I’ve also done some planning ahead for the coming year. It’s inevitable that I will spend part of any vacation I take planning for what’s coming next, it’s just what I do.  I also created some planning pages to help me out a little, so I’m sharing them with you as today’s Friday Freebie! If your resolution is to be more organized next year, then I’ve got you covered.  Download these free planning pages from my TPT store,  These pages…

  • Friday Freebie – Classroom Labels

    Happy Friday! When I looked at the calendar at the beginning of the week, I was in shock. The middle of February already?! I’m itching for spring, and it’s coming quickly (thank goodness).  If you’re anything like me, you’re ready to freshen things up a bit, so I’ve got the perfect freebie for you. I recently revamped my classroom label freebie. It was one of the first sets that I ever added to my Teachers Pay Teachers Store, and it needed an upgrade.  I’m planning on re-labeling my whole classroom (there’s just something about new labels that gets me excited, and I know I’m not the only one!), so go…

  • Creating an Aesthetically Organized Classroom

    I’m a neat freak. When I interviewed for my first teaching position I distinctly remember telling the interview committee that being organized was my greatest strength. I wasn’t exaggerating. Not only does every item in my classroom have it’s own designated space, but I also have a checklist for every possible situation. This is one reason that the Reggio Emilia Philosophy resonates with me. This way of teaching encourages an aesthetically pleasing classroom environment, which helps me manage the chaos that preschool materials can create. Here are some of my all-time favorite storage solutions for the classroom. Each one of these items helps to keep my classroom organized, but they…