Teaching Tips of the Week:
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| In this weekly column, we offer teacher-tested techniques and tips. |
| Color Coding |
 I keep paperwork in colored file folders. Student information goes in green folders. District information goes in red folders. Lesson plans go in yellow, etc. I keep the folders grouped by color on my desk. I can tell at a glance where to look for a particular piece of information. Submitted by: Catherine C. |
| Organization is the Key |
Create a place or space for the materials you keep. Divide your paperwork into categories: To Do, To File, To Read, To Hold (and any other broad category of paperwork that you need to keep nearby). Have a file holder for each category. As each piece of paperwork lands on your desk, place it in its proper category. You will, of course, periodically file the "To File" paperwork-don't let it build up. |
E-Z Grade Recording |
| At the beginning of the year, assign each student a number which corresponds to the number in your roll book. (Roll books usually have numbered lines for students' names.) Instruct students to put their numbers (along with their names) on their papers. Then, when you collect the papers, simply have one student put them in numerical order. Marking grades in the book then becomes a snap because you are not jumping from name to name trying to find a particular student. (Appropriate for middle and high school.) |
| Time Management |
The best tip for time management with small children is to set an egg timer for however long the project/assignment is. Tell students the amount of time they have and give instructions to clean up when the bell rings. I teach kindergarten and this is an excellent way to transition from one activity to another. |
| Instant Piñata |
 Need a piñata quickly but don't have the time to make one? Simply decorate the outside of a large paper bag with crepe paper, ribbon, etc. Tie the bag to the ceiling and voila: instant piñata!Submitted by: Kate Herold |
| Class Lists |
| I keep several copies of my class list handy. I find that the list of their first names in alphabetical order is the one I use most often. Any time I need a check list for returned forms, report cards, field day t-shirt orders, special assignments, etc., I have a quick way to check the number returned, or the ones I still need. Submitted by: Linda Forinash |
| Pencil Supplies |
| Have a cup filled with "Sharp" pencils, and another cup labeled "Dull" pencils. Children put their dull pencils in the dull cup and take a sharp pencil from the sharp cup. This way you don't get students constantly asking you to sharpen their pencil. Submitted by: A teacher |
| Copier Tip |
| Try and do your photocopying on a Friday after school. There won't be a lineup. Try to do your photocopying for the week at this time. That way if the photocopier breaks down during the week, it won't affect you. Submitted by: A teacher |
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