Use Clothespins to Keep Your Classroom Library Organized
Here is your weekly Teacher Tip: This one is for setting up your classroom library. Everyone wants their kids to read as much as they can, but this can make your library a big mess of books really quick! I don’t know about you, but on a Friday afternoon on my way out of my classroom, the last thing I want to do is spend any time reorganizing the book baskets in my library. This past year, with the Covid rules, I had to have a quarentine bin for the books to sit in for a few days before reshelving. UGGGH…I didn’t like having to reshelve my books (mid year it turned into a student job).
During typical years, the SIMPLE way I have battled this problem is to give each student a clothespin with their name on it. When they choose a book, they clip their clothes pin on the bin. This lets them know which bin to put their book back in when they are finished reading it. In my classroom library I have index card book bin tags attached to the front of each bin with a piece of tape. They hang like a flap on the front of the bin. As my chooses their books, they each clip their name to the card. If your bins don’t have a flap-tag ont he front, you could have students clip their name clothespin to the actual bin or basket.
I promise, this makes it SO EASY for your kids to return their book to the correct bin.
I hope this helps…and makes your Friday afternoons smoother!
~Heather Johnson 33
