Classroom Binders

I started my first year teaching with take home folders, just like everyone else I knew. Within about 2 months those folders looked AWFUL!! I wish I would have taken a picture of some of them... but come on... you know what I mean!! So I asked the parents to donate a binder or 2 bucks for a binder. I actually had a parent donate a bizillion of them which worked out great. They weren't a big deal, just a great replacement in my frantic first year. (Note: if you're a new follower or don't know much about me, I was thrown into a 1st grade classroom fresh out of college 2 weeks into the school year. I had 1/2 day to set up a classroom and meet my new 30 smiling face. Survival was the word that sums up my first year!) My second year I turned them into a much bigger deal, and by last year I perfected them a bit more. I HIGHLY suggest you use this system of organization, or at least one similar, as it is a lifesaver!! Here's all the basics:

Binders: I usually go to Sam's Club and buy the 6 pack of 1 inch binders. I think they're usually about $10-11. They are the binders that have the see through pockets on the front, back, and spine. This is key for me because I can put the covers on and label the spines. I always let the kids make a picture for their back cover. It gives them a sense of ownership. This is one of those many things I splurge on for my classroom, but you could always find ways to use classroom money, ask parents, get donations, etc. *I should note my OCD doesn't allow most of those options because I need all of them to match! ;-)

Pouch: Around back to school time you can usually go to Target, Walmart, etc. and find pencil pouches that have the 3 hole punch for a decent price. I think I should them for 15 cents or something last year. I'm sure bargain hunters can find them for even cheaper. I put these inside of the binder at the very front for money, notes, etc.

Labels: I use address size labels to label the different parts. I usually put one of the spine with the number or name of the students. I also put one on each of the pockets that say "take home" and "stay at home" or similar. I also put one on the pouch that says "money and notes."

Storage: I buy file folder storage crates (see below). I usually get 3 of them and that takes care of a class of 25, barely! If you have more, or you need a little more storage room get more. I put hanging file folders inside of these storage crates and then the students place their binders (spines up) in the folders. The kids place any papers that need to go home in the files and at the end of the day students just grab the whole folder, bring it to their seat, empty it, organize, then bring the folder back. It works phenomenal, way better than mailboxes. Here's a post that has more of a description on that: Binder Storage.

So those are the basic tools I get to organize them. Then I print out the covers and the inserts to go inside of them. I usually print the covers in color at Office Max, then laminate them just for extra durability. It seemed to work really well this last year. I have a table of contents as well as rule page, and cover pages for each of the major sections. I organize all of these at home, usually putting my parents or friends to work ;-)

I have made some covers in the past, as well as insert pages and such. I have made some for this year as well. There are many different acronyms you could use, but I have STRIPE (to go with the zebra theme last year) and DOT (to go with the polka dots or just in general because it's simple and easy to the point). I am thinking of doing a DOT Binder or possibly a BRIGHT Book. I have made some different versions of covers, but I've kept the cover pages and contents more basic. This way they can work for almost anyone with most themes. I'm trying to go for bright and simple this year. Here's what I have so far. Feel free to request things... I can't promise I'll make them, but I'll add to it my ever growing notebook!!

{dark dot covers}

{light dot covers}

{chevron stripe covers} 

 {zebra stripe covers}

{dot binder inserts} 

{stripe binder inserts}

I hope that helps! I'm really thinking I'm going to do this whole BRIGHT Binder things, just because I'm going to have a load of kids I had 2 years ago with the DOT Binder and I'd like them to have something new. If and when I complete that I will post that as well. A few tips for google docs. Make sure you download and save the document to your computer. Often, backgrounds and fonts don't show up correctly or even at all on the direct page. Also, please don't request for me to share with others. Just send the link to anyone you want to share the document with and they'll be able to download and print away. If you share with others please credit back to me! :)

** I know the pictures only show one grade, but if you click on the link each file has a cover for grades 1-5!! :) I have had kinder requests... I guess I didn't think kinder teachers would use folders or binders, but they do!! I'm in the process of making them as well :) **

Binder Storage

So I used to use mailboxes for my little firsties. My wonderful and amazing  Aunt bought me 2 huge, awesome sets for me. I love them, but they just never seemed to work for me. The kiddos would take their paper's out and there would be a trail going from the boxes to their desk. The worst was when they'd leave important papers in there because they got stuck. It drove me crazy. Then I started using binders instead of take home folders and things got even more complicated. There was nowhere for them to store their binders.

So fast forward to 2 weeks into the school year last year. I decided I was not dealing with another year of that madness. For some reason I decided to store the binders up and down inside of 2 Steralite, plastic crates (1 boys, 1 girls). My problem was that I didn't want to put them in order every morning and I didn't want my TA to have to either, so I needed the kids to put them in order. Having firsties do that most days is impossible. There's always someone that doesn't put it in the right area, or ends up somewhere else. This was where, what I think is my best idea ever, came from (lol, maybe not the best ever, but still I'm proud!).

I have 3 Steralite, plastic crates:

 In each crate, I put 10 folders, labeled with numbers:

My kiddos have secret agent numbers, and this way I don't have to re-number than the following year. In the morning the kids come in, turn in homework, and put their binder in their folder with the correct number. They put them open side down, so the spine is facing up (I have their numbers on the spine). I even got them facing them all the same way so the numbers were always on the left. The kids always knew which color crate their number was in, and where their folder would be.

When it was time to get their mail at the end of the day, my helpers would just pass out the folders (that contained the binders, mail, worksheets, homework, projects, etc.). The kids would put their papers in their binders then I would call quiet tables to get packed up. On their way to get their backpacks they would place their folder in number order back into the crate. (Hey, BONUS!! They're practicing number order, woo!! Go me!!) It eliminated the whole papers falling all over thing, and it makes it so easy to breeze through the bins real quick to make sure all the numbers are there and no one forgot their binder (a HUGE no, no!!).

I made signs that go on the front just to help the kiddos remember which bin their binder goes into. I hope someone finds this post makes their life a little easier. If I didn't explain it, or you still don't understand, please let me know!! I would take a picture, but I don't have mine here. This is the best I can do for you :-P

Enjoy!!

STRIPE Binder Signs

DOT Binder Signs