Teacher Week-Organization!!

Good afternoon, Friends! Kerri here...

We are finally linking up with my gals over at Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week! YAY! 

I am excited to share with you a little bit about how I organize my classroom. Lindsay does lots of these same things, since we taught together for 4 years!

Number 1...Bins on top of cupboards! I finally did this this summer and I am sooooo glad that I did. Here is the after photo...

GORGEOUS and ORGANIZED!

And here is the BEFORE picture,,, (warning! It is FUGLY!!)

Isn't that hideous??

Not only does this look so much more organized, now I can just pull down the tub that I need and everything is in one spot! I.LOVE.IT!!

Number 2...Weekly work. I keep all of my papers that the kids will be completing for the week in one box that has labeled tabs. EVERYTHING goes in here, and when I am preparing for the next day, I know just where it is. This has TOTALLY helped my sanity BIG TIME!

Number 3...Centers or Stations Tubs. I put everything I need for each Center (Language Arts and Math-we do different stations on different days, depending on our pull-out schedule) into one of these lovely turquoise tubs and after I have explained the task to the class, I can hand each group (I had 4 groups last year) their tub with all of the materials in it and off they go to their area. When we are finished with our rotations for the day, the kids put everything neatly back in the tub and hand it to me. Easy Peasy, and totally portable!

Okay, I have a confession to make. I. HATE. PAPERWORK. HATE it with a PASSION! It inevitably gets lost in all of my piles, because, oh did I forget to mention that I am also a piler?? Ugh...Paperwork gives me hives. 
My solution this year is this fabulous magnetic board which I will put all of the important papers on so I make sure not to LOSE THEM!! I got it on Etsy from Livy Lou Designs and it is FABULOUS...

 She has all different sizes of these magnetic boards and they are all sooo cute!!

Here is another fabulous idea I saw all over blogland this summer. My units and centers were literally OUT OF CONTROL. They were in the bottom of my big storage cupboard and they were threatening to eat me, I think. Enter the turquoise Sterilite pull out drawers, one for each month (soon to be labeled!). These are behind my teacher table and I can just grab what I need for the week quickly and easily. YAY!

I am sure you all do this, but I got a new student filing crate this summer (my old one was army green filled with gray hanging files. NOT PRETTY!) and I think it is sooo much better! I only send home the kids work once a month (remember, I hate paperwork!) so I have a mom file it once a week (usually Mondays) in this crate and at the end of the month I send it home. The parents get to see growth over time that way, and also they can see what we've been working on for the month. This system works great for me!

Here's another thing I LOVE having in my classroom...

I got these at Lakeshore and they are magnetic pockets for your whiteboard! I put all of my warm-ups for the week in it and then I can quickly grab the warm-up each morning for my kids to do. These are AWESOME and the magnet is super strong. LOVE these!!

Finally...This is my "Welcome Area" right when you come in the front door and I love it! Every Friday, my kids put their homework in one tub, their Library book in the other and then everyday they check their cubby before they walk out the door. Also, the turquoise tray is for important notes, parent questions, etc. This SAVES my life big time and I think it is so cute and inviting!

So, there you have it! A little bit of the organization in my classroom! Hope you enjoyed! I'll leave you with this funny...

I got a groupon for my Hubby and I to have a little getaway, sans children, to the Palm Springs area. Well, last week the hubs got Lasik surgery and then realized he wouldn't be able to go in the pool or jacuzzi whilst in Palm Springs. GREAT. What else is there to do in 107 degree weather! Whatever, we were still excited to get away. Well, this was the view from our hotel (Don't be jealous. It's pretty amazing!)

TADA!!!!

Yup. We were soooo NOT in Palm Springs, peeps!! To be fair, the hotel was nice inside and the pool area was super cute, but walk out the front door and it was sand, tumbleweeds, and trash folks! Moral of this story?? Beware of good deals on Groupon!

Okay, friends, that's it for me! Be sure to link up with Blog Hoppin' and use this button in your post!!

XOXO Kerri B