Diggin Into Next Year Linky - Week #1 - Classroom Organization!

I am SUPER excited to be a part of a weekly group that will be thinking, talking, writing, and sharing about what is working in out classrooms and what needs a little extra TLC over the summer to get it where we want it.  Also, the teachers participating will be sharing some of their favorite products that you could purchase if they may help you!

Classroom Organization

People at my school tell me I am pretty organized, but to be honest when I went to take pictures of my “organization” I found some things majorly LACKING due to the end of year CRAZINESS!

But first…

What is organized well?

My book area: 

I just recently weeded through my books and got rid of a few hundred (yes, you read that right!).  Now the kids can easily browse through boxes.  The labels on the letter bins are from A Cupcake For A Teacher and over the summer I am planning to make similar labels for the themed bins. 

Math Games:

I have organized my math games by concept.  We use Everyday Math, which is a spiraling curriculum, so having all of the concepts easily at hand is important (one day is coins, the next is shapes).  I also plan to make some cute labels for these this summer – keep an eye out in my store!

Prep for the Week:

Some people think I am a Little LOT crazy, but I have the whole week planned and prepped before it begins.  I am usually 1 full week ahead.  That’s not to say things don’t change, but I like to have everything ready!  Here are my bins that hold everything needed for each day of next week!

Maybe I will make some cuter labels for these too…my to-do list keeps getting longer and longer!!

Now… Some things NEED to change. 

Namely the way I store my games.  I probably have hundreds of games now.  Some are seasonal, some are themed, some are phonics, some are math, some are reading…AGH – I make 8 -10 sets of each game, so there are A LOT of materials.  I have been S-L-O-W-L-Y making my way through my room organizing before the end of the year, but this is one place that continues to get ignored simply because I am overwhelmed by it and I don’t have any great ideas for fixing it.  There are 15 days of school left and I am determined to get it set for next year- or at least have a plan.  Do you have any ideas?  I will be working my way through this linky looking for some BRIGHT IDEAS!

My store is still pretty new, so this year I really focused on making my core phonics products the best they could be.  I have some plans for expansion (you can tell some of them from my notes above), but for now, I don’t have any classroom organization products.  I did link you up to A Cupcake For the Teacher above though, because I use her GIANT set of chevron labels – THEY ARE SO PRETTY!!  Check them out!

Don’t forget to check out some other WONDERFUL bloggers who linked up with their ideas for classroom organization…Stay tuned for next week’s topic…Math Workshop!