Organized? Me?

I am so enjoying participating in Teacher Week this year and I am wondering why I did not start blogging a long time ago! :) I am especially happy, that for me, Teacher Week occurs before school starts (sorry to all those already teaching) because I have less commitments (the house cleaning can wait, right?).

So, here is the funny thing. When I receive notes from supply teachers, they often thank me for being so organized. This makes me laugh out loud, "Boy do I have them fooled!" I am so far from organized, it is embarrassing! I do, however, have dreams of being organized though! And, this is my chance. In June, I worked very hard to purge and organize (having everything from grade 6 to grade 2, and a beginning collection of kindergarten supplies).  I only have a few boxes that I had to just dump things in (because I was down to the wire of being kicked out of my school) and I got rid of A LOT! What scares me is how much I have left! Yikes! 

Being new to kindergarten, and not having a lot, my plan is to organize (especially the paperwork) right from the beginning. Recently we had to get rid of our 4 drawer filing cabinets (apparently they are a safety hazard). So, after seeing how this worked effectively for a colleague, I am going to binders. I have a wonderful, fantastic, fabulous, outstanding friend who is going to take all of my grade 5/6 files and grade 2/3 files and organize them by subject and strand/unit, making it easier to share with my fellow colleagues. I refuse to get rid of them because you never know what grade you are going to teach from year to year. I had a fabulous student teacher who started this for me! 

They look similar to this:

Check out the post at The Teacher's Cauldron

I also keep a Substitute binder, Parent Contact binder, Student assessment binder, which I will continue to do, but wondering how this will work for me, while using technology for these tasks as well. I will get back to you on that one! Last year, I purchased this binder set from Little Lovely Leaders (check it out here):

But now I am loving this set of binders by Little Lovely Leaders and thinking it may be time for an update. 

If you are loving this, like me, you can get your own copy here.

I also love this idea from Orange Polka Dots for making tabs using sticky notes! Seriously, you can use a sticky note for almost anything! 

Previously, I used a Monday to Friday file folder organizer to keep copies of worksheets I planned to use, but after visiting my son's Kindergarten teacher and watching them in action. I see that they will likely be doing the same thing for at least a week, this organization strategy is not as useful for me. So, I have other plans (thanks to all of you wonderful bloggers out there)!

I will keep my current centers in buckets, ready to use and when they are not being used, I will store them like this: 

A Cupcake for the Teacher 

And I plan to organize my storage buckets like this: 

Erica's Ed-Ventures

It's a start, right?  Just one last thing! Looking around others' classrooms yesterday, there was one thing that stood out that I really liked and wanted to mention! I loved the idea of collecting the books you plan to use for teaching by your reading chair! So simple, but a great idea! The kids can still enjoy them as well (I know my kids always liked to read them on their own, especially right after sharing a book) , and they are all there at your fingertips!

Thanks for joining me! Now please head over to Blog Hoppin' and check out all the other organizational ideas! Remember to share the love and make some comments. It is nice to hear from people! A special thanks to Desiree at Kinders on the Block for linking to my site yesterday! As I said to her, it is nice to know that someone other than my mother is reading! ;) 

Come back tomorrow for Classroom Management ideas!

Yours in organizing, 

Jackie

Where did the time go?

The week quickly got away from me! I can't believe it is already Friday again! I was planning to post throughout the week, but since it is still summer, I couldn't decide what to write about, so while I thought it over, I lost track of time and now it is Friday again. 

As I stalked the many blogs I follow, and saw your beautiful classrooms. I was thinking about setting up my classroom. Unfortunately, I do not have a classroom YET. Our school is under-construction and they are still in demolition mode. Although I am still hopeful that we will be in for the first day of school, I am thinking I will be teaching out of the library and doing a lot of outdoor activities. 

In the meantime...

Thanks Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching

1) A Kid in a Candy Shop

My "husband" (almost 7 years together but no "official" wedding...but that is a whole other story) loves cars! All kinds of cars! He lives and breathes cars! Seriously! Well my car-guy, just got a new job working at Hyundai (where we recently bought a brand-new family car). Not even two weeks at this new job, and he is calling me to come in to do the paperwork, so he can get a car.  

We have been down to one car for a couple of years now, to save money, as his work at the last place (a small car detailing shop which he loved, but it was only seasonal) slowed down a lot in the off-season and he worked only part-time for a friend.  So with this new, full-time work, I was eager to save money, pay down some debt and all that "fun stuff" but instead we are getting a second car.  Don't get me wrong, it has its advantages, especially since I work 40 minutes out of town, but I have to laugh, giving a car-guy a job at a dealership, is like putting a kid in a candy shop!

This is the car he has chosen - Hyundai Genesis

2) Swimming Lessons...

So my 4-year-old loves the water! When a heat-wave hit us late last month, we went out and got one of those large size kid pools for the neighbour and ourselves. I think the one day, he was in from 9 am to 5 pm - making a career out of it! I would like to say that he loves to swim, but that wouldn't be the complete truth, he actually likes to play around in the water.  When we go to my friend's and hang out in her "big pool," he spends most of his time on the stairs! He has some anxiety and gets really nervous about things, but we couldn't have him nervous about water. We live on Georgian Bay, and his grandpa has a boat.  Knowing how to swim is a must! However, his anxiety sometimes gets the best of him...the best of us...so, when the opportunity came up for private lessons, with someone he trusts, I took it! 

Meet Jazmin, my "little sister." She isn't actually my sister, she used to be the little girl I babysat, beginning when she was 3 years old. We have been so close ever since. Well, now she is 22 years old *sigh* and she is an amazing, loving, sweet young lady and my son just adores her! We got talking about his need for lessons, but how nervous he gets, and being as though she is trained to be a swim instructor and a lifeguard (there isn't anything this girl can't you), I realized this is the perfect opportunity to get some real swimming lessons in. Last night was his first lesson, and he did great AND she was wonderful with him! Seriously! 

3)...and Sisterhood

So above, I introduced all of you to Jazmin and told you how great she was with my son, Hayden and how much he adores her! Well, I could go on and on forever about this girl, and her lovely family, but since this is only #3, I will try to keep it short. Jazmin has been accepted to teacher's college and starts in a couple of weeks. I am so very happy for her! She is going to be a fantastic teacher and students, parents and her staff are going to love her! She is always telling me that I was meant to be a teacher, that it is in my blood and the same goes for her! Not only is she on her way to becoming a teacher, but I get to carpool with her every day and live the adventure (again) with her! I am so thrilled! On top of that, a very good friend, and past-university-roommate has made the decision to return to school to become a teacher as well. So in the spirit of beginning teaching, I am linking up with Ash at The Polished Teacher for her Student Teaching Linky Party. 

Click on image to enlarge!

Head on over to The Polished Teacher to join the Linky Party and help our new teachers get off to a good start! 

4) Miracle Treat Day

Yesterday was Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen, where all of the proceeds from Blizzard Sales went to help Sick Kids Hospital. Not only is it a great cause, but also a great excuse to treat yourself to some delicious ice cream. Well my boy and I made an event of it! It is important to me that he understands how good his life is. We do not have designer everything, we do not go on luxurious holidays, or own our own home (yet) but he is happy, healthy and spoiled rotten (with love and toys) by all his family. We talk often about how everyone is not as lucky as he is, and how we can do just little things to help, such as contributing to events like this. Well, I think he gets the picture, because here he is with fists full of change to donate. Not to mention how fun it was to race the coins in the fun "machine." 

 

5) Organization and Preparations

I may not be able to get into my classroom, but I have begun the preparations for the September start up...I am just doing it at home.  We have moved some things around and gotten rid of some furniture and brought in some new (to us) items over the last few months (honestly more than a few months, but who is counting...) and the result is chaos. My mission is to organize the chaos, that that when I return home from the chaos that will be my classroom at the beginning of the year, than I will have some sense of order in my life.  

Image from Organizing Solutions

Wish me luck!!!

Wish me luck! So far I have only managed to keep up on the day-to-day chores and organize 1/10 of my son's toys! If you know my son, you know that is quite a feat in itself! Now to keep going! Good news is, my brother is planning to come visit, so it gives me more purpose and reason to stick with it! I will share some before and after pictures soon!

Thanks for sticking with me! If you have any organizing tips, or advice for new teachers to share, please comment below!

Yours in Friday Fun, 

Jackie (a.k.a. Ms. M)