Organizing for the Upcoming School Year

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This year I want to switch it up and start asking you a weekly reflection question. After hearing the question, take a moment to think and jot down your answer. I know some of you are listening to this on the go or possibly reading this in passing. I would still like you to take five minutes and reflect. This can have a huge impact on your teaching. Here is our weekly reflection question: What steps are you planning on taking to organize for next school year?

You might say that I don’t even want to think about next year right now because I am trying to get through this year. That is completely understandable. You also might be a new teacher and thinking “I don’t have anything to organize yet!” That is also a valid concern. The last thing that might be on your mind right now is organizing for the upcoming school year. 

Like many of you I am thinking and feeling the same emotions. A few years ago I was notorious for stuffing all my binders, papers, and everything else in a cabinet and leaving for the year. When I returned the following year, I would feel overwhelmed because all of the junk spilled out of my closet. 

This would lead to me spending unnecessary hours trying to get organized when I could have been spending that time planning and prepping my lessons for the upcoming year. 

To help combat this problem without spending tons of time the year before I decided to spend 15 minutes each day. I did this the 4 weeks before school was dismissed because I wanted to be sure to take my time organizing. The first area I decided to tackle was my cabinets and drawers. I would go through and organize the papers, bins, and get rid of any unwanted items. 

I also took the time to set up my teacher binders for the upcoming school year. This allowed me to start the year with a fresh start and most  importantly I was organized. 

Here are some simple steps to get you started organizing for the upcoming school year. 

• Take inventory of your current teaching space. If you are a new teacher, you can do this as well by thinking of items you already have and the items that you need. 
• Create a to-do list. Start off small so that you will not be overwhelmed. You will feel so much better once those small mini-projects start getting  accomplished. 
• Set aside 15 minutes each day to tackle a mini project. This can be purging old papers, cleaning out drawers, organizing books, and whatever else you can do to get organized.

When thinking about the new school year, think about small items you can do now to prepare. Take 5 minutes a day if you need to start off in smaller chunks. Use the simple steps above and you can be on top of the upcoming school year. 

Also download the Ultimate ESL Teacher Guide to get you prepared for the upcoming school year.  

What do you plan on tackling in your organizing quest? Share in the comments below.