Day 10: Ticket to Read

After the meeting Monday night, I figured that I really needed to get my kids started on Ticket to Read. The ones that came to the meeting were really wanting to get started. I printed off their user names and passwords and am in the process of taping them into their Readwell binder.

Day 9: Test Organization

Today we started MAPS testing. Of course instead of doing one of the many, many things that I needed to do, I made a new doc for recording. I included a table---I love tables. Basically, I can record the time that they took and their score for the fall, winter, and spring tests. That way I can see them all at a glance. Now I just have to make one for the combined score for reading and one for the math.

Day 8: Puppy Organization

My mom is still involved with dog rescue and has bandannas everywhere. They don't really have a home so today when I was doing laundry, I decided to give them one. I emptied out a plastic drawer that had some sewing paraphernalia. (I incorporated the sewing stuff in with what I had already organized in the boys' old toy box in the hall.) I put all of the pieces that I have found so far in it. Then I put it in an empty part of the shelf that we put up yesterday. Now as I run across other pieces, they have a place to go. Plus, it should be easier on Mom to find them as she needs them. Now all I have to do is bring some labels home from school so I can label it.

Day 7: Garage Organization

Today I decided to work on all the stuff that I have in the garage at my parents' house. I had bought some shelves from Home Depot and shipped them here. They got here earlier in the week, and we finally started putting them up today. They are by Hyloft and are 15 inches wide and 45 inches long. They weren't cheap at around $50 a pair but definitely worth it. My dad said that they were easy to put up. I got four sets of two, but we only got 3 shelves put up. All of my stuff out there is put up neatly, but I figure when I get the rest of my stuff from Memphis, I will use up all of the rest of them.

Day 6: Still Helping the Kids and Myself Get Organized

The last thing that I did yesterday was to put each group's box of binders in a separate place. I first had them all on the trapezoid table. Then I decided that it was a bad idea for them all to go to the same spot at the same time so I separated them. I wanted them all to have their binders at approximately the same time when we begin small group instruction. The Toad group comes to me straight from the carpet so I put their box of binders underneath the radio that I use for whole group. They finish up their rotations in workstations so it works for them to return them there as well. The Terrier group begins their rotations in workstations so I left theirs on the trapezoid table. The finish up with independent work at the blue table which is right beside the trapezoid table making it easy for them to return their binders. The group crayon container as well as the "carousel" that holds the pencils, glue sticks, and scissors also go on the trapezoid table so they can easily return them as well. I put the binders for the Turtle group on the desk by the dry erase board right in front of the small group area. While the Toads are getting their binders, the Turtles can go get theirs and go to the independent area before the Toads get to the small group area. They end up with me, which makes it easy to leave their binders right there.

I also put the bumpy and smooth blending cards in page protectors inside a binder. I am going to leave it with the materials for small group. If for any reason they have to wait on me, they can use those cards to practice with each other. Theoretically, they should be easier to keep up with inside the binder and not as easy to drop and scatter.

Day 5: Helping the Kids Get Organized

We are slowly getting into the swing of things with Read Well. I seem to do better to start things and then decide how I want to organize them as I go along. Today I took this picture of my classroom after the kids had gone to encore. I put it up on the Promethean board and discussed the things that were out of place and the things that they could see that looked good. I feigned complete upset at seeing the glue stick without a top.

The binder that you can see is also a work in progress. Each group got to choose their name today. They could choose from a group of T animals that I had picked out. I got one set of binders done.

Day 4: Website

When I was teaching at the middle school, I was very good to update my web site at least once a week. Since I have been in Kindergarten, I don't think I have updated it once. Today I went through and created different pages so that it would make more sense with the situation that I am in now. I also added a Donors Choose page. Now I just have to figure out if other people can see it or get to it.

I searched on google and didn't find it. Here is the web address: http://teacherweb.com/TN/LexingtonMiddleSchool/KacieHoward/apt20.aspx

Day 3: New Uses

Ok, I took some pictures but forgot to email them from my phone, plus I am a day behind already. The things that I did today included, using wreath hangers to hang my pocket chart on the wall. I think to be well organized you have to use all of your space well.

I also took the wheels from the sterilite three drawer carts and added them to my file crates. I never use them on the carts because it seems to make them sway.--probably just my imagination, but I prefer to have them on my file folder crates. Then I can move them around easily and didn't have to pay over $50 for a rolling crate.

Day 2: Readwell organization

In December, we started a whirlwind trip into Readwell. During the break, I reconfigured my room so I would have a different small group area. I also worked on my whole group area. That is what I want to share today that I organized. I wanted to have all of my whole group materials within arm's reach so I turned one of my boxes around. I had been storing puzzles in it for my puzzle center.(Here it is in the puzzle center without the puzzles.)

Then I moved all the box of trade books from Readwell into it. I had some more room and wanted to put other things in there. I realized that the Capri Sun box that I had saved was the perfect size to store the pocket chart cards. I cut it apart and covered it with contact paper. I have the cards in the front and my cds in the back. I had just enough room to fit the lap books inside it. Since I moved the "house" bookcase out, I now have all of my Readwell materials right at my fingertips.
I think it is going to work out really well. Plus, I love making functional things from something I would just throw away.

Day 1: An Address Book for my Storage

Ok, I have decided to try to do at least one small thing each day to get better organized and to write about it. I figure that if I commit to writing about it, then maybe I will be more likely to follow through. Since moving back from Memphis, I have been doing small things to organize. I just haven't been that consistent with it.

My first piece of organization is to be able to find the things that I have stored. If life were perfect for me, I would be able to see everything that I need at first glance. However, now I have much too much stuff to be able to do that so I need to use a storage system that actually stores things out of sight. My problem with that has always been that whenever something is put away "in a safe place", I can never remember where I put it.

Here is my solution. I commandeered an old address book from my nephew. He wasn't really using it anyway. In this address book, I am going to write the "address" of each of my items or collection of items. That way when Christmas comes around next year, I will be able to use the Christmas pencils that I bought on clearance and promptly lost once spring got here. I can also group all of my things together that are alike and won't have small stashes all over the house.

To make things easier on myself, I am going to cross-reference in my address book. For example, this past fall, I dressed up as Miss Haversham from Great Expectations. I have stored my costume with my summer clothes underneath the steps in the laundry room. I will list the location under: Miss Haversham, Great Expectations, book characters, costume, and wedding. Sometimes I am bad at remembering the correct name for something. I never know which one of these things I will remember first so I can just put it under each spot.

Now I just have to have a good place to keep it so that I can find it when I need to find it.