As a teacher, having an organized classroom is so important. I feel that a classroom runs efficiently with an organized space. Obviously, most teachers keep files saved to computers. I do the same. However, I print off my units and file them away. This saves me time as well! Find out how I organize my thematic units to save me time and get more teaching done.
Bring Back Your Filing Cabinet
Yes. I did just say that. Bring your filing cabinet back to your classroom. Of course, I keep all files stored on my computer. That’s obvious for this day in age. But, how many times have you printed off the same unit over and over? It might not sound like a huge deal, however, it takes time to walk to your copy machine to grab it.
And if you do that week after week, think about how much time you’ve spent copying something. It’s A LOT!
How to Get Started
Here are the supplies I use to print, laminate and keep my units organized and tidy in my filing cabinet:
Obviously, if you’re in a school you will have access to a lot of these supplies. Since I do a lot of homeschooling, it was necessary for me to purchase these items. And I’m so glad I did!
Printing and Laminating
I highly recommend printing color and black and white copies on cardstock. Cardstock is very durable and won’t bend as easily. Cardstock is also the best when printing to laminate!
First, I print the entire file on cardstock. Print master copies on cardstock and place in the manila file folders.
Next, I print the colored activities. If you have a room mom that can help with laminating and cutting, it will save you a lot of time.
Laminate and cut out the activities and centers. Place small pieces in the baggies to keep them all together.
Next, place laminated resources in the expandable folder along with the manila folder.
File It Away
I’m all about how my filing cabinets look. I like consistency throughout, so you won’t find me writing on folders when I label them. To stay organized, I place the image picture at the top left corner of the expandable folder.
I keep my thematic units together, along with my math and science units. Don’t mix them up or you will never find it!
You can even go as far as to file the units in order for the year. Can you imagine how much time you will save?!?!
If you’re a follower of my units, you probably are wondering how you can get a hold of these labels. Well..click on the link below for my thematic and math unit labels! With a classroom where you organize thematic units, you will be able to teach more and do more of what you love!
