Teaching is hard…we are trying to keep kids alive, teach them, and keep ourselves organized. I used to feel as though I could stay at school all night long and still not be ready for the next day! Now that my kids are school-aged, they come over to my building at the end of the day, and this adds a layer of CHAOS to my afternoons. To help TAME the STRUGGLE, I have complied a list of 5 things I [try] to do at the end of each day. Hopefully you will find it helpful as well!
1. Change the Board
(2 minutes) This seems so simple, yet I was never consistent until this year. Change the board before you leave for the day. Change the date, the homework, and the schedule. This has saved my behind more than once, especially if I unexpectedly have to be out or have a sub! It also helps me think about the next day’s homework which works out great…I am more likely to know what the next math lesson is going to be and I can make sure I have the materials I need. No more “oops! I forgot to grab the scales” when I open the teacher’s manual at the start of the next day’s math lesson.
2. Clear Your Surfaces
(5 minutes) Make a circle (or square) around your room. I start in one corner and make my way around the room once! It takes me typically about 5 minutes to do all my counters (sometimes a little longer). I pick up drying paintbrushes, drying artwork, loose papers, center bins, lost books, pencil numbs, etc. I quickly put them back where they go. It makes it so much BETTER to walk in the next morning…especially if you are running a little later than planned!
3. Check my Daily Bins
(2 minutes) On Friday I set up my daily bins for the next week. These bins are a GAMECHANGER! I make my copies (as many as I can) and PLUNK each set of copies in the correct bins. If I am doing the activity Wednesday, it goes in the Wednesday bin. Friday grammar quiz goes in the Friday bin…and so on. So the rest of the days, I do a quick check of my own daily baskets to make sure I have what I need for the next day. I also move anything we didn’t finish to the next day’s bin. This helps me so much in the mornings if the copiers are down or if I get held up talking to someone.
4. Re-shelve All Teacher’s Manuals
(1 minute) A simple way to make sure you are all set for the next day or if you are unexpectedly absent is to make sure all your teacher’s manuals are in one spot. I have a small shelf at the front of the classroom that houses my manuals and current-unit binders. This not only keeps me organized, but it also allows me to know right where things are if I wake up in the morning and my kids are sick and I have to write subplans!
5. Leave yourself Love Notes
(2 minutes) I don’t know about you, but every afternoon, in my head, I say, “don’t forget _______________ tomorrow.” Then the next day comes and I completely forget! Now I leave post its right on my desk or on my computer. This simple trick has helped me so much as I rush to get ready in the morning. My post its might remind me about a meeting or remind me that someone needs to finish an assignment etc. This is especially true when it comes to long weekends or vacations.
So there you have it! How to do a quick clean-up in 12 minutes or less. It will save your sanity and help you walk in to a room ready for you to teach in! I also hope it will help you prioritize yourself and your family. Nobody wants to be stuck in their classroom for hours after their school day.
~Heather
