We are massive advocates of all things organisation over here at Rainbow Sky HQ!
Why? Because organisation is often the first step to a less overwhelming teacher life.
When sitting back thinking about all the things we put in place for teacher organisation, we realised there were lots of little tips and tricks involved in the process.
These things, although small, are not to be underestimated. Every little strategy can make a difference in being a more organised, efficient and time-effective teacher.
So we thought we would blog about some of our favourite teacher organisation hacks here. You never know; you might discover a hack or two that changes your life!
1. Store stamps/stickers in an easy to access space on or near your desk. We have discovered clear boxes from both Ikea and Kmart store stamps standing upright perfectly.
Read about our Kmart teacher hacks here and Ikea tips and tricks here.
2. Store games in Ziploc bags. It is easier to see what’s inside and a super affordable way. Plus, they don’t take up too much space on shelves or in cupboards.
3. Sort books by colour. This is so much easier for kids to keep organised (and let’s face it, it looks super pretty too!)
4. Take a photo of an organised communal space, so students know how to pack it up each time after use. Do the same for shelves and cupboards. (Psst: This also helps when other teachers are in your classroom).
5. Store regularly used stationery items in a toolbox for your personal use or for students to access (this one pictured can be found in Bunnings and the matching labels here)
6. Label all containers, shelves, magazine holders etc., so you and the students know where items are located. Labels are life!
7. Label clips to indicate work marked, photocopying needing to be done or activity sheets for a specific group of students.
8. Use tabs or sticky notes to mark the pages in students’ workbooks and create a system where students complete ‘tabbed work’ in the morning or during rotations.
9. Store printables in folders or a labelled tray ready for the week. The key is having a central location that is labelled and easy for you to access near your workspace.
10. Store resources or games for students in clear A4 containers making the content visible and accessible (make sure you label them, refer back to point 6 – labels are life!)
11. Save time by having a location already prepared for the learning objectives of the day or week. It could be on your whiteboard or pinboard.
12. Have a central place for items to need to copy. It will save you time when you go to the photocopier because you can kill two birds with one stone and get a few sets done at the same time.
Have you discovered anything new that you are going to give a try?
If you are looking for more organisation help, we have you covered. Check out our Get Organised Checklist for teachers here.
Before you leave us…
Are you ready to learn how to save hours in your teaching week?
What if you had more time outside of school to do the things you love?
Imagine…
- Leaving school each day at a reasonable hour.
- Feeling prepared and ready to teach each day.
- Less stressed and more in control of your workload.
- Having systems, templates and checklists in place to make life easier.
Introducing…
TRANSFORM YOUR TEACHER TIME
Discover our 8 areas of focus that will promote efficiency in all aspects of your teacher life.
Learn how to:
- Fine tune your time management
- Take control of your personal organisation
- Deal with data so you can use it in a meaningful way
- Spend less time planning
- Organise digital teaching files
- Gain hours back in your teaching week
What to read next?
Our Parent-Teacher conference checklist
Planning Hacks that will save you TIME
8 Tips for running successful Reading Groups
