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Easy Classroom Organization Ideas

June 15, 2016 By Rachel

Elementary classrooms have SO many things in the classroom that it can sometimes be overwhelming!  Do you know how there’s always random stuff in your classroom just lying around? I’m sharing some easy classroom organization ideas that I use in my classroom every year.
Elementary classroom organization ideas that will save your teacher sanity!

 


Classroom organization is one of my favorite things to talk about, to shop for, and to dream about!  It is my jam!  See here’s my Pinterest board dedicated only to classroom organization! I wish there was a job for a professional classroom organizer!!

 

 

bandages, mints, and nurse passes

 Do you know how one sick child can lead to half your class needing to go to the nurse?
Well, I came up with this little system a few years back and it really helped to cut down on the frequent visits to the school nurse.
Elementary classroom organization ideas that will save your teacher sanity!
It’s just a small, 3 drawer container that I picked up at Walmart. I added bandages, mints, and nurse passes to each drawer. The sign on top helps students walk through how to take care of themselves if they aren’t feeling well.  I really like how this gives students responsibility for managing themselves.  We have many discussions about when we actually need a bandaid, mint, or even a nurse pass.  Now if a student was really feeling bad, they’d fill out a pass and I’d send them right away, but this has cut down on the frequent flyers! 😉  You can grab the chart for free here.

Teacher Drawers

Elementary classroom organization ideas that will save your teacher sanity!
These drawers have kept my desk so much neater since I’ve started using them!  They really help keep papers off my desks and it really easier to figure out where things go.  One thing I’ve learned is that if I don’t have a place for it, it’ll just sit on my desk.  So I try to find a place for everything.
Editable Three Drawer Labels available on TPT

Teacher Markers

Elementary classroom organization ideas that will save your teacher sanity!
This bucket keeps all MY dry erase markers!  That way the students know they are off-limits!
Teacher Tip: Store them upside down to keep the ink fresh!

Missing Parts Bucket

Elementary classroom organization ideas that will save your teacher sanity!
This bucket is for pieces to centers, or math manipulatives, or game pieces.  It’s inevitable that as soon as you put it all away, someone brings you a cube or something!  I put it in this bucket and then the next time we pull out the centers, I can put the missing parts away.  The pick me sticks are just popsicle sticks with student numbers on them.  This allows me to choose students at random.

 

  • Rachel
  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Classroom, Featured, organization

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Creative Undertakings says

      June 17, 2016 at 4:57 AM

      This picture itself makes me super happy!

      Yay more organizational help!

      Anisa @ Creative Undertakings

    2. Unknown says

      January 18, 2019 at 3:28 AM

      I love your drawer labels! Do you sell them on TPT or can I find them somewhere else?

    3. Anonymous says

      September 3, 2019 at 9:20 PM

      I love your idea, but I am not sure about including bandages. My kiddos go through a ton of bandages even when I am in control of the bandages. I used to use a poster of what to do if you had a soar throat, feel hot, itchy eyes, etc. I have to make a new poster now that I teach 6th grade.

    4. Rachel says

      September 21, 2019 at 4:22 PM

      I didn’t actually made the ones in this picture, but I did end up making my own when I was ready for a new look. You can find them here: teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Three-Drawer-Labels-4746272

    5. Rachel says

      September 21, 2019 at 4:23 PM

      Yes, I have had some groups of students who couldn't handle free access to bandages. We just adjust according to our students. I like the poster idea!

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    Rachel | 4th Grade Teacher
    How long is your students’ attention spans? I o How long is your students’ attention spans?
I only have about 10 minutes before I lose them! 🤪
And I don’t know about you but my lessons are typically longer…so I try to mix it up every 10 minutes with a Think-Pair-Share or some kind of movement
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#teachersofig #iteachtoo #iteach4th #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachingelementary #attentionspan #minilessons #thinkpairshare
    6 ways to get your students participating in your 6 ways to get your students participating in your lessons!
1️⃣ Think Time - giving your students time to think about the answer keeps your over achievers from answering all the questions 
2️⃣ Movement - Stand/Sit if this is your answer
3️⃣ Turn & Talk - Everyone shares their answer with a partner
4️⃣ Hand Signals - Perfect for multiple choice questions
5️⃣ Think-Pair-Share - Combines the think time with turn & talk 
6️⃣ Repetition - repeat important information to help it stick
🗣🗣Which number are you trying this week?!
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#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachingstrategies #studentparticipation
    Do you have these 4 teacher goals?! 1️⃣ Instr Do you have these 4 teacher goals?!
1️⃣ Instructional Goal - How are you improving your instruction?
2️⃣ Relationship Goal - How are you building relationships with students or coworkers?
3️⃣ Balance Goal - How are you trying to have a better work-life balance?
4️⃣ Non Instructional Goal - What other area are you trying to improve?
Here’s my 4 goals!
1. Vocabulary Instruction 
2. 2 Positive Notes a Week
3. Leave by 3:00 3 out 5 days
4. Clean off back counter once a week
What are your goals?
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#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachergoals #teachergoals🍎
    Coming back from break is a lot easier than the fi Coming back from break is a lot easier than the first day of school!
Less teacher talk 🗣
More student talk 👥
1️⃣ Give your students time to catch up with each other. Even adults like to chit chat about what we did during break!
2️⃣ Review procedures by playing a fun game. Charades is a great way to act out procedures to see if other students can guess what they’re doing!
3️⃣ The halfway point of the school year is a great time for students to set goals!
What’s your favorite thing to do after a break?!
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