Few Time I've Been Around That TRACK!

Hi All! Before the new school year starts I wanted to share some of my smooth sailing organizational tips for the upper elementary grades. You can read about the first one here--all about desk organization happiness. Today, I want to share how my students keep up with their notes.

We use binders. I've never jumped on the interactive notebook wagon even though I definitely try and make our math binder as interactive as possible. We take notes and log them in our handy-dandy note tracker! This is the reference guide that students can use throughout the year--when they are working on homework, reviewing, or needing a quick refresher. We simply log our note info on the tracker (date, title of notes/subject, and the number of note) and make sure that the "note number" is in the top right corner of their notes. Everything is kept in order and I have surprise binder checks throughout the grading period and a graded one at the end of the term.

WHY? Do I Do This??? Sometimes I ask myself why at the beginning of the school year. There are several reasons and it makes for such a smoother school year.

Organization. I really feel students need some solid organizational skills--even the brainiacs. I've found that sometimes my most gifted learners struggle so so much with organization and their brains think so much differently. It's a good skill to have and we work on organization for the real world. Another bonus is having a note tracker keeps me organized.

When students are absent they can get information from each other instead of hounding me for every little thing (WIN!). My students who are absent will find a friend and we will make copies of notes and go over the lesson the missed during a spare moment. It's a great way to not fall behind!

We all need those pat-on-the-back do-a-Beyonce-dance kind of moments and looking at a full note tracker at the end of a term definitely qualifies. Sometimes when I need to brush up on tips and tricks I model looking back in my binder and guess what my sixth grader's do when they have a questions--first they look in their notes! It saves my sanity and they are using tools, skills, and resources to answer their own questions! Cheers to everyone!

Just some pointers:

I refresh my reference pages every term. It's nice to have a blank slate every once in a while. BUT still keep track of your numbers--it's cool to see how much you accomplish in a school year!

I love using colorful paper--it makes it stand out from the notes-and it's just another tool to keep things organized. Also, this isn't science but I've found my kiddos LOVE colored paper and treasure it more than plain old white paper. But I'm crazy, color-biased, and I tend to influence my students on this factor so I can't call it fact but I can call it a pretty solid observation.

HOLE PUNCH. Invest in a good one. I've also found that at estate sales (dead people have the best things!) I can find really sturdy office supplies and hole punches are one thing that I scoop up. So if you have an estate sale loving mom, aunt, or second cousin have them grab a couple 3 whole punchers for ya! This is keep to keeping things together.

Get Your Desk In Order!

What are your tips or tricks for a smooth sailing school year? It's a pretty broad question. I have tips for my students, myself, my team, and my family to keep us on the right track for 9 months of the year. I could probably write a book about it--but instead I'll stick to my favorite little blog! Stay tuned throughout this week as I post about getting students organized to save time and headaches throughout the school year. You are all about that too, right?!

 One thing that I feel really strongly about is teaching organizational skills. My teaching experience in 6th grade is in the elementary classroom. So we are prepping these kiddos for junior high (woof!) which is another feat on its own (bless you middle school teachers)! Whether the organizational skills stick or not with each student is up to them but having organization really makes the school year go smoother with fewer hiccups and blizzards of loose papers. AND your students are at least organized for one year...and hopefully most of the skills stick! If I had the power I would gift myself and everyone awesome organizational skills but unfortunately that is something that a lot of us have to learn! Darn! I'm definitely in the remedial group on this skill;)! I have found that with lots of modeling and keeping up on things my students are so much more organized than they ever were before AND it also helps keep me organized (30 sets of eyes will do that to ya!).

At the beginning of the school year I spend a lot of time talking about binder organization, notebook organization, and DESK organization. Yes. Desk organization. OCD much? BUT it totally works. All of my students' desks look the same because we work on being organized together -pencil boxes and books have their own assigned desk spots too. Some students require more of a posse of helpers than others to keep it all together which is a great bonding experience for everyone. On the same note those students develop more and more independence with "keeping it all together". I created a desk snapshot so students know how their books, binders, folders,  and notebooks should all be organized.

It takes a lot of repetition and a TON of effort at the beginning but I don't have students losing things which saves all of us time throughout the school year. Being tedious and repetitive pays off...and it's not as bad as it sounds (connotation sometimes!).  The first days of school we check our desks ALL THE TIME, then it becomes, once or twice a day, daily, and then a few times a week. We discuss how everything has a place--from pencils to text books. Because my students use binders and folders every paper has a place--so no loose papers! Also, that random toy from home...yeah, it doesn't have a place in your desk. And your 10 books, 5 of which are scrunched in the back of your desk...those do not have a place and let's narrow this down a little. Oh, your Ratios and Proportions Unit Test? That goes in your math binder. Are you catching my vibe, friend? Things have places in other things to keep all of our things organized. Plus the "clean desk fairy" often comes by and leaves notes or prizes unannounced, which is an extra incentive.

I'll basically do anything to save time and to keep my kiddos and classroom running smoothly--won't we all?! I keep a poster of this at the front of my room so we are all on the same page at the same time! :) When we are packing up at the end of the day I try and always take a moment to have my kiddos glance in their desk to make sure everything is in there. Here's to a smooth sailing 2016-2017 school year! It will be May before we know it!

Treat yo self

This is just a PSA/Proclamation/Notice that TeachersPayTeachers is having their LOVE Back to School Bash/Sale/Party August 3rd & 4th. This is also just so YOU can save 20% PLUS buy using the CODE: BTS15 you can tag on an extra percentage off. Stock up on your most needed back to school resources as well as things you will need in the future (fractions, standard deviation, persuasive writing, heat,light,&sound, Ancient Egypt)...anything in the future...now is the time to buy! I always forget to plan ahead---so here's a reminder for me too!

And here is my mantra for today! Treat Yo Self. This applies to not only the TeachersPayTeachers sale but also when you are at Target, Dunkin Donuts, the Gym (treat yo self to an extra 1/2 mile!), the coke machine (the drink machine in the teachers lounge, y'all!), Nordstrom Rack, Vera Bradley, browsing the iTunes store, and just about anywhere and any situation! Did I mention this is my mantra every day? It's an expensive mantra. But I'm already over it. The expensive part that is. ;)

Over and out!