Packin' Up! Decluttering Tips

I know you probably don't want to even think about the start of the new school year at this point, but a little effort to clean out and organize now will pay off big time in a few months! No one wants to come back to school after summer and have to go through piles of junk that accumulated in boxes and drawers throughout the previous year.

Here are a few tips for decluttering your classroom so you can have a fresh start next year!

1) Get your recycle bin and clean out those files and drawers! I know I often have piles of student work or other papers that I don't really need, but I have just stuffed in a drawer somewhere.

2) Extra worksheets? Send them home with your students as a summer packet!

3) Straighten up that bookshelf! If you notice there are books that just aren't being read, clear them out to make room for books that appeal more to your students. Sell or trade them at a used bookstore, or with another teacher!

5) Look around the classroom and take inventory of things you didn't use at all through the year. This can range from big things like furniture to small things like manipulatives. Chances are if you didn't use it this year, you don't need it next year, so consider donating it to someone else.

 

 

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Packin' Up + GIVEAWAY {with The McGrew Crew}

The end of the school year, whether public, private or home school, is always a good time to reflect on what worked and didn't work with your students. As a home school teacher it usually means evaluating the style of curriculum I'm using and see what needs to be changed for the following year. I will spend the summer reflecting and researching before making my final curriculum and workbook purchases for the upcoming school year.

Even though we home school, for the most part, we follow a regular school schedule. I pack up all papers and workbooks we've completed throughout the year by binding all papers together, slapping a name/grade on top and filing it in each child's file box. I don't keep EVERY paper we do, but I do hang on to several, especially fun projects, tests, etc.

We (mostly) call it quits for the summer. But, I do put together a review binder that we work on 1-2 times a week to try and avoid the summer slide. It's also a great time to finish up curriculum that we weren't able to during the year. Click HERE to get a free sample of my Summer Activity Pack!

I also like to encourage reading throughout the summer with a fun reading chart. Click on the pictures below to get these awesome FREE reading charts!

I also LOVE this Summer Reading Challenge by The Measured Mom!

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR AMAZING GIVEAWAY BELOW:

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Packin' Up! + HUGE GIVEAWAY {w/ Mrs. Decatur's Little Gators}

Hey y'all! I seriously am in total denial that the summer is coming in HOT!

 My room is barely taken down or packed up, which is so unlike me! I like to take pretty much everything down each year even though this will be four years in the same room, same subjects, and same grade for me! I just like to start fresh each year while building on previous years do's and don'ts. You can tell by this pictures its the end of the year, stuff is falling off the walls and I am not bothering to put it back up! 

My holy grail summer tip is to make a "Summer Look Out" List in my phone because lord knows I will not be carrying around my planner/notebook/28 different list pads while I am bopping around town all summer! 

Before I really get started packing up, I just walk around my room 'surveying' the goods! Each year is different. Some years I have a full prize box in May, some years, like now...it is running super low! So I add "student prizes" to my look out list. So when I am at big lots on July 12th, I can double check to see if I really do need those 12 packs of smelly highlighters!

 I don't like to over buy during the summer or purchase things I won't end up needing. This especially relates to craft supplies, which are not provided by my school (think googley eyes, glitter, paint, chenille sticks). Sometimes I use it all up and some years I have plenty but I will not remember in the middle of the summer. 

I also like to add things that need to be replaced each year but are not your "standard" teacher supplies like dry erase or bulletin borders.. I know I will need these things and I will look for them naturally! But things like my birthday pencils, or calendar numbers, I don't always need to purchase. This year I somehow lost the "1st" and the "3rd" to my calendar numbers set!?! So I will be on the lookout for a new set! 

Don't forget to enter our giveaway for some summer fun! 

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Packin' Up! Tips from Peppy Zesty Teacherista

Hey, Friends!

It's Amber from {Peppy Zesty Teacherista}. I am in the single digits when it comes to remaining school days left---eeeeeekk! Here is the thing, I am not excited that my kids are leaving to another grade level and all that jazz. I am excited for the change to eat food that doesn't have to be heated up, work out 5 days a week in the morning (I do Camp Gladiator and if you ever wanted more information about this life changing experience email me!), and the chance to go to the bathroom and not feel guilty.

It is not the teaching aspect that I am counting down to, but the freedom. Can ya feel me? ;)

Here are some of my tips!

WHAT?!
I am advocating to halt teaching and start cleaning? Sort of #RealTeacherTalk

Utilize those small pockets of time with cleaning. I make a list of every closet and drawers in my room and when the kids are working on a project, I tackle a cabinet.

I throw stacks of junk everywhere during the year and this gives me a change to purge and reorganize. 

Those pencil boxes can get really dirty and I want to capitalize on child labor while I can (#RealTeacherTalk) --sorry I don't sugar coat my life hahaha ;) 

I give the kids a gallon gab with a zipper (because the self snap is just asking for trouble). 

The kids put everything in their pencil boxes in the gallon baggie. 

This gives us time to disinfect the boxes and make them pretty again. 

Get the editable labels {HERE}

Cleaning out the filing cabinet? 

That's not an issue for me because I don't have one!

SAY WHAAATTT?!

{CLICK HERE} to read all about how I store all my files digitally :) 

I like to reflect on what worked this year and what was okay and needed improvements. 

I created these checklists to help keep my thoughts in order. 

Are you already thinking about things you would like to do before the end of the year to get ready for next, or things you want to change for next year?! WRITE IT DOWN! So many checklists to use! Click the link in my bio to snag! ( https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Year-Checklists-1815908 )

A photo posted by PeppyZestyTeacherista (@peppyzestyteacherista) on Apr 26, 2016 at 5:46pm PDT

To get these checklists {CLICK HERE}

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I hope these tips were useful for you! 

Packin' Up! Prepping your Student Information Binder with The Friendly Teacher + FREEBIES & A GIVEAWAY

I have one more week, my friends. I am nearing the finish line and I can smell the late nights, sleeping in, frequent bathroom breaks, and lots of uninterrupted Netflix time!

But, before I head out for the summer there are a few things I like to prep for the next year. I like to do the simple things that stay the same year to year. One of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is get all my organization binders ready for the next year. I put my lesson planner together, my daily five binder, my math stations binder, and most importantly my student information binder.

I am here today to share with you my 100% free student information binder. Do you ever have an IEP meeting and you are scrambling for data??!? Or that one parent who calls you out on every single thing and you just can't remember exactly what you said?! That is where this binder comes in handy! I put all of the data for my students in one binder. Their parent communication, intervention data, checklists, and so on! I just put mine together for the next school year and would love to share with you all of its loveliness (soon it will lose all its beauty when I put my not so teacher like handwriting all over it)

First, I have to put a cute cover on it because DUH! :) Grab this cover in a bunch of different colors here for FREE! :)

Then, I separate my binder into sections for each student. I choose to use construction paper to separate the sections. I choose this because then I can write little notes about the students on the dividers or things I need to remember! It makes for a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone! ;)


My first sheet is their reading and writing checklist. I conference with my kids in both reading and writing once a quarter. I keep all the notes from this conference on this little sheet! It is all in the same binder so it is simple when it comes to these conferences!
Grab this sheet for FREE here!

Then, I like to keep their intervention data sheets. I keep one for each kid so I can mark down anytime I work with them one on one. Yes, you may not need to mark everyone down, but if you ever run into a situation where you do need this data you are always prepared! So, I call a kid up work with them on a skill and jot it in their binder. LIFE SAVER when it comes to IAT meetings! I got these sheets from the AMAZING JD's Rockin' Readers for free!! Pick them up here!

The last thing I shove in this binder is a parent communication form. I use this form to track any incidents where I talk to the parents or the principal. This keeps me organized and I never run into a situation where I can't remember what I said or did! WOHOO! Grab this sheet here for FREE! Or click the picture and it will take you right to it!

As the year goes on, I may print emails and put them in the binder, put test scores, or important papers! I like to add a sheet protector for each kid to shove these things in, so I don't have to hole punch anymore! :) I just love that I have all the documentation in one place for each student! By preparing these before I leave for summer I am 100% more likely to use it!!! Prepare now so next year you are an organized teacher superhero! Happy summer, friends!

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Packing Up Tips from Aloha to Second and a HUGE GIVEAWAY

I cannot believe the end of the year is already here.  I am going to be so sad to see my kinders leave me.  This has been the best class, and they are so smart!  Once I am done pouting about losing my kids, I am going to have to get my room all packed up.

I have to put everything away in my classroom. {Insert tear.}  I am not allowed to leave anything on the walls and I have to pack up all my stuff since summer school is in my classroom.  I'm sure many of you are in the same boat. 

One of my goals this year is to place all my file cabinet documents onto my hard drive.  I bought a hard drive and I am going to electronically transfer everything. My school has a scanner that can email me the documents of items that I don't have on my computer.  Then, I can save them to the hard drive.  I am going to create folders on my hard drive and sort my items by reading, math, etc.  Then, I am going to be even more specific within those folders by sorting by phonics, abc's, sight words, etc.  I think it will help me keep track of all the items I have and help me be more organized. 

I am also going to pack my bulletin boards up neatly.  To help me remember where things are in my room and to keep things together, I am going to place all my bulletin board items in a gallon ziplock bag.  Then, I place all my bags in a drawer.  This way I don't have to rummage through all the letters to make my bulletin board words.  I think it will make set up in the fall much quicker!

Now, it is time for you to enter our giveaway!!  You don't want to miss this amazing prize.  We are giving away a $50 gift card for TpT, $25 for Target, and $25 for Amazon.  I am so jealous - I really want to win!

Please enter below and be sure to spread the word. :]  Thanks for stopping by!

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Packin' Up! Tips from The Learning Chambers + HUGE GIVEAWAY

Hey friends!  We are so close to the end!  I have 10 more days!  How many days do you have left?  I am super excited about today's post because this year I am packing up my WHOLE room.  After eight years at the same school, I am moving to a new school and to a new position teaching 3rd - 5th graders.  I am thrilled to share some packing up tips that will help whether you are moving rooms or staying in the same room.

Y'all!!  I know this is so hard but trust me on this one....if you haven't used it or needed it the last year or two...then get rid of it!  My teammate, Kristen, from a few years ago stressed this to me and you know what...she was so right!!  I'm not lying, it was hard to get rid of some of the stuff but trust me my room is even more organized than before.  It feels good and it makes packing up so so much easier.

This year we had several brand new teachers on our campus and I was so happy to pass some things on to them.  I was blessed to have some teachers help me when I was starting out.  It felt good to pay it forward.  Let me know how the purging goes for you.  I promise it will only hurt a little but the end result is so worth it!

The end of the year is one of my favorite times of the year because my kids are so independent.  I love watching how much they have grown.  I do several end of the year projects with my kids.  This year we are ending the year learning about geometry.  I wanted to do a simple yet fun project to show off all that my kids have learned about 3D shapes.

I had my kids work with a partner to create a 3D shape.  I gave them straws, washi tape, and fuzzy sticks (Is that what they call them now??).  

I had them create their own 3D shape and I asked them to write about their shapes.  I also wanted them to identify the number of faces, edges, and vertices of their shape.  Lastly, we drew some examples of our 3D shape in real-life.  The rest was really up to them.  I think they turned out pretty great!!

The best part is that while my kids are independently working on this project, I can finish some testing or work on some packing.  It's a huge time saver, especially at the end of the year!

I hope that these two tips will help make your end of the year packing a little bit easier!  I still have a lot of packing to do, but you know what...it will get done!  I have to always tell myself that.  Happy end of the school year, friends!!

Want to make the summer even more sweeter?!?!  Make sure you enter our HUGE end of the year giveaway!  You can win a TpT Gift Card, a Target Gift Card, AND an Amazon Gift Card.  That would really make your summer super sweet!

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Good luck!  Fingers crossed for you!