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These classic farmhouse-style desk name plate set includes 3 blank designs with editable text (using PowerPoint) as well as 3 primary designs with ruled lines for writing student names. Teacher Resources, Back to School, Teacher Printables, Printable Student Name Plates, Name Tags, Farmhouse Classroom Decor, Black and White

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Russel Tarr, International School of Toulouse

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ClassTools.net: Create your own interactive learning resources

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Dozens of templates, quiz generators and learning tools for use in the classroom

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Non verbals can help reduce interruptions

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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Browse Printable Worksheets | Education.com

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Browse Printable Worksheets. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Interactive Slideshows

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Pear Deck is on a mission to help teachers create powerful learning moments for every student, every day - using the tools you already know and love.

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Resources that support other teachers

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Teaching Resources & Lesson Plans | Teachers Pay Teachers

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World's most popular online marketplace for original educational resources with more than four million resources available for use today.

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25 Things You Didn't Know About Google Slides

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25 Things You Didn't Know About Google Slides

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25 Things You Didn’t Know Google Slides Could Do

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I talk about the wonders of Google Slides CONSTANTLY and frequently refer to it as the Swiss Army Knife of G Suite. It can do all kinds of things! In this post and podcast series, I will show you 25 Things You Didn’t Know Google Slides Could Do.

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22 classroom systems that make my teaching easier

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My name is Deanna Roberts and I'm a third grade ELA/SS teacher in Ohio. As a lifelong perfectionist and overachiever, the club has helped me achieve a healthier work-life balance and has changed my life for the better. I am much more intentional and productive during work hours thanks to the strategies I've learned ...

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Back to School and Parent Involvement - Mrs. D’s Corner

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Learn more about creating a classroom handbook flipbook that houses all of your back to school info in one handout, and parents will actually keep it.

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Back to School and Parent Involvement

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An important component of any Early Childhood Education Program is Parent Engagement. This 55-pg. download includes everything you’ll need to implement this series in your program including : instructions, a parent welcome letter (describing the program),

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Sep 13, 2021 - This Pin was created by ABCDeeLearning on Pinterest. Skill level: Easy. A DIY project in just 1 step | Follow ABCDeeLearning for more learning activities Www.ABCDeeLearning.com..

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Great for studying!

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Chelsea Nicolino on Instagram: “I have always struggled with keeping my students’ interactive notebooks organized. This idea from @getwisewithweissert is pure genius (and…”

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Apr 9, 2018 - 893 Likes, 54 Comments - Chelsea Nicolino (@justateacherfromakron) on Instagram: “I have always struggled with keeping my students’ interactive notebooks organized. This idea from…”

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8 Ways to Recognize Volunteers and Increase Involvement – PTO Answers

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8 Ways to Recognize Volunteers and Increase Involvement

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Can be used at an open house

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Feb 4, 2019 - Love this idea for getting parents involved

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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
School volunteers are a win-win situation! Kids love having a special visitor, parents love knowing what's going on in the classroom, and teachers not only LOVE, but NEED, the extra help!

Teachers relying on school volunteers may be one of the smartest things, ever! For real! Every year, teachers are having to juggle more and more responsibilities. Why not let the amazing parent volunteers step in to help with the small, everyday, tasks?
It takes a village. If you're looking to increase parent involvement in the classroom, or the parent engagement at school, let's get started building your village of learning.
How to be a Volunteer at the School

If you want to become a volunteer, reach out to the teacher or school, and ask how you can begin the process to volunteer in the classroom.

There are many ways you can help as a volunteer at schools. After a background check, you will likely be able to start helping at your child's school right away.

Ideas for School Volunteers

1. Take down/hanging up student work 2. Take down/hanging up
bulletin board displays

3. Run copies
4. Sharpen pencils
5. Birthday Reader - on a child's birthday, his/her parent reads to the class. If you can't be there in person, you can do a facetime call or skype.
6. Help the librarian restock the books.
7. Ask survey questions (Mothers day, All about me, I'm thankful for...)
8. Staple papers
9. Change out seasonal vocabulary cards in the writing center.
10. Tear pages out of workbooks.
11. Cut and staple decodable books or sight word readers.

12. Monitor students during center time
13. Prep center activities
14. Homework help
15. Label classroom supplies
16. Organize books in classroom library
17. Use flashcards with individuals or small groups
18. Scribe during journal writing (Prek-1)
19. Distribute and collect Highlights magazine forms
20. Coordinate class parties
21. Type letters/send emails requesting donations for parties
22. Bake/purchase treats for a class party
23. Fill goody-bags for a class party
24. Tutor students who are struggling
25. Put flyers in take-home folders

26. Prepare birthday pencils for birthdays in the classroom.

Increase Parent Involvement

Helping in the Classroom

27. Attend field trips
28. Help set-up school events
29. Listen to students read one-on-one
30. Assist/monitor students on the computers or tablets

31. Be a guest speaker: In person or on a zoom call
32. Organize supply buckets (crayons, pencils, erasers, glue)

33. Help monitor lunch and/or outdoor recess
34. Play with individuals or small groups
35. Pull apart Scholastic magazines
36. Put stickers on reward charts
37. Assist kids with special projects
38. Check books out/return books at the library
39. Take pictures of a special event
40. Print material for a special event
41. Assist with fundraisers
42. Hole-punching/binding student work to make a class book
43. Sew costumes for a school play
44. Cut out laminated materials
45. Laminate
46. Assemble binders and/or student portfolios
47. Hang pictures on a Family Display - students bring in photos of their families
48. Makeshaving cream play-doh (PreK-1)
49. Make sight word rings for each student - hole punch and put on binder ring for home/school
50. Playclassic games with small group as a reward (memory, twister, chutes & ladder, jenga,)

Conclusion

It takes a village! If you are a teacher or administrator, get to know the people in your village. Send a letter requesting parent volunteers in the classroom. You might be surprised how many valuable resources are within your reach.

Before you go, here are a few blog posts you may enjoy...
20 Books About Teaching Diversity to Kids 115 Top Picks for Poem of the Day 5 Best Educational Subscription Boxes 35 Ideas for Indoor Recess Games
School Volunteers

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50 of the Best Ideas for School Volunteers - Little Learning Corner

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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. School volunteers are a win-win situation!

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Interactive notebooks are all the rage right now. We all know that that when students interact with learning in various ways (visually, kinesthetically, orally, etc) the information seems to stick with them better.

I have a few interactive notebooks products in my TpT store with pretty easy foldables for students to use. My interactive notebook philosophy is that if students can quickly assemble the flip book, it is worth the extra two minutes that it takes to cut and glue it into their notebook. The more complicated the flip book, the more valuable minutes of instruction are used. Do I really want to spend 10 minutes while the kids cut out a pocket and a bunch of tiny little cards to fit in it and glue it into their notebook only so the pieces get lost a few days later? Nope...although I will agree that those pockets do look adorable. I just like to keep it simple while still allowing the students to get that kinesthetic movement in, which they desperately need. Who wants to be sitting and writing all day? I sure don't!
Well, one of my customers and Facebook followers graciously shared with me how she uses some of my products, not originally intended to be for interactive notebooks, in her students' interactive notebooks.

What she did was take the reading comprehension pages from my Animals unit, reduced it by 80% on the copy machine, and had her students cut and glue into their science notebooks. They highlighted the important parts of the reading passage and completed the diagram on the bottom.

Now, trimming the edges to fit this into the notebook and gluing it probably took all of 2 minutes, but it will serve as a great reference to the students throughout their animals unit. Using this strategy, you could take almost any worksheet you have in your classroom, reduce it, and have students use it in their notebook.

There are so many different ways you use interactive notebooks with your students. They love them, are engaged, and as a result, have a notebook filled with rich content that will help them throughout the year. This is just another example of how you can make interactive notebooks with for you if you have limited time.

If you're interested in the unit where the above example was taken from, you can take a look at it in my Teachers Pay Teachers store HERE .

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Turning Any Worksheet into an Interactive Notebook Activity

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Interactive notebooks are all the rage right now. We all know that that when students interact with learning in various ways (visually, kinesthetically, orally, etc) the information seems to stick with them better. I have a few interactive notebooks products in my TpT store with pretty easy foldables for students to use.

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Discovery Education | Your Daily Learning Platform

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Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Learn more today!

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Upper Elementary

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If you Google "What are the best first week of school activities," you'll get a plethora of answers. But who better to get activity ideas and tips from them actual 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers?

I asked almost 400 teachers what their favorite first week of school activities and ice breakers were. The answers were amazing! Teachers gave first week of school book suggestions, ideas for building a positive classroom community, ice breakers and more for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students!

There were so many great ideas that I can't share them all. So, I organized all of the answers, looking for the most popular, the most unique, and the most practical back to school activities.

Some of the teachers were willing to share ideas but asked to remain anonymous, so I respected that request. The most popular activities - as well as some of my personal favorites - are below!

Several first week of school activities kept coming up again and again. The activities below were some of the most popular, used by many teachers all around the world.

The teachers surveyed had so many great ice breaker ideas that I had to make a section devoted to just ice breakers and team builders.

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament - Amy, who teaches Grade 5, says that "when students lose they cheer for the person they lost to throughout the tournament." Find out more here.

Would You Rather Questions - An anonymous teacher explained, "...students choose a side of the room according to their answer. Example: Would you rather live in town or in the country?"

The Line Game - similar to "Would You Rather Questions," 5th grade teacher Amanda Gornitsky said she puts "a blue line on the floor and if something applies to the student they step on the line. Ex. Step on the line if your favorite animal is a zebra."

Toilet Paper Tell - Another anonymous teacher explained this ice breaker. "Pass around a roll of toilet paper and instruct students to tear as long or as short a piece as they like. Next, have them count how many squares they pulled off. Explain that they will tell one thing about themselves for each of their squares. This is so much fun and totally hilarious because some kids always get overzealous and rip off a very long ribbon of toilet paper and then they have to think of something to share for all those squares! I allow other students to encourage them or help them out by asking questions if the student is shy or uncomfortable."

Small Groups or Partners Ask Each Other Ice Breaker Questions - If you have pre-made questions for students to read and ask each other, this makes a great ice breaker. Plus, students get to practice their reading, listening, and speaking skills. These 33 Free Discussion Questions can help you build a positive classroom community - and keep it all year!

Talk about practical! The teachers below had great first week of school activity ideas that served a dual purpose - after completing the activity, the teachers would use it to create a bulletin board.

"During the first week, I have students write a biography poem about themselves and share them as a get to know you activity. Later in the week I print them out on half sheets and the students draw a self portrait which appears to be holding up the half sheet. It's great to hang up early on to give kids some ownership of the room." - Alexandria Carpenter

"My favorite activity is a 'Crayon Name Design.' Since I teach 3rd, I write their name either in cursive or print it. Then they slowly trace around it using different colors until the paper has no white space left. The colors should bump each other. When they are done, I hang them up in the classroom for the whole year. They LOVE it!" - Lisa Kerrins, 3rd Grade

"Every student gets a paper sized puzzle piece. Once completed with names and favorites, we put them all together on the wall in the hallway to show we all 'fit together.'" - Cindy ELA 5-8

"The students trace and cut out their hands and then decorate it in their 'style.' We use all of the hands to make a big flower that stays up all year." -Anonymous

The ideas below were fairly unique and some of my favorites for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classrooms!

"I love making Snapchat videos with funny faces and welcoming [the students] to my classroom. Doing so automatically brings laughter and comfort to my class. The greatest ice breaker of all time. The kids love it!" - Valerie Golden Nies (Mrs. Golden) 3rd Grade

"I ... like using the iPad in my classroom. We're lucky enough to have one per student. They go to the app Pages and create a poster using shapes, stamps, photos that have taken etc., that represent themselves and their interests. Then through Apple TV, the children are able to use their iPad to show their poster on the screen. They really love this, and have fun asking each other questions." -Anonymous

"I have the kids use Spark Video to make a video presentation about themselves. I then post it on Seesaw and send home QR codes to parents encouraging them to log onto Seesaw to see their child's first day project. I use Seesaw A LOT and this gets many parents to log on that first day. It's also a great way to get kids excited on the first day with an iPad project." - Terri Brown 4th grade

"Students sit in a circle and write their fears on a piece of paper. We crumble them up and stomp on them. The kids love it!" - Anonymous

"Students create a timeline using only 5 events and tell us about why they chose events." -LeAnne Boyer

"A wrinkled heart activity to teach compassion and self control of words and actions. The kids unknowingly decorate a huge whole class red heart with things they love and their name (taking group turns for two days). When they've all finished adding their part, the class sits in a circle and I begin by saying words can hurt as much as actions and can leave our hearts worn. Each bad thing I say, the heart gets passed and each kid must wrinkle a part with the hurtful words I say (I don't let them say the bad phrases). Once it made its way around, we discuss how we feel. We talk about how apologies are helpful, and so are actions of kindness. We do it all again, but this time I say positive phrases (surface level and deep such as you're hair is cute or you're a great mathematician) Once it's gone around once again, we look at our wrinkled heart. We discuss how we need to think before we speak, because words can wrinkle hearts." - Anonymous

"I have the students interview each other and report back either orally as a reporter or write up a news article about their partner." - Anonymous

"I have them throw a marshmallow into a garbage can. We talk about how everyone is different and for some it's easy (they are close to the can) and some it's hard, but we all have the same goal. Some students might get different help so they can also meet the goal." - Anonymous

"We always make a 'time capsule' at the beginning of the year. Students fill out a sheet that details their favorite books, songs, movies, how they are feeling about starting 4th grade, wonders, worries etc... Then we put them all together, roll them up, put them into a tube and seal it until the last day of school. It is so fun to take out our sheets and see how much we have changed over the school year!" Peg Pearson, 4th Grade

"I write and leave my new students a letter on their desk. It introduces myself, tells them all about me personally and I give them a little third grade background. At the end of the letter I give them a direction to use the paper provided and write a friendly back to me telling me all about themselves and what they are most excited about in the third grade. It allows me to see how well they can read, write a friend letter and follow directions. It also lets me learn more about them!" - Anonymous

Ice Breakers

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Teachers' Picks: Best Back-to-School Activities and Ice Breakers for Upper Elementary

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If you Google "What are the best first week of school activities," you'll get a plethora of answers. But who better to get activity ideas and tips from them actual 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers? I asked almost 400 teachers what their favorite first week of school activities and ice breakers were.

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Can be used to store things that I want to keep memory of

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Organize and share education, small business and non-profit resources into virtual binders. Use LiveBinders for hassle-free access from anywhere.

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Can be used for any age

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Classroom bulletin boards can be a terrific way to show off your style as a teacher. If you really want to engage your students, take things a step further and try some of these interactive bulletin boards. Kids can get up out of their seats and immersed in the learning experience, even while socially distancing. Just make sure they use their own supplies. We've gathered examples for every subject and level, so find some inspiration and get started!

1. Create a classroom bookshelf.

Encourage independent reading and strengthen reading fluency skills with this bulletin board that students can color after they've finished reading books.

Source: The Secondary English Coffee Shop

2. Host a morning brain boost.

With this bulletin board students get to create questions to an answer you provide.

3. Invite students to brag a little.

Create a simple, colorful grid that students can use to display their best work for all to see. Add their names, if you like, or leave it blank, but encourage every student to display something regularly.

Source: Miss DeCarbo/Instagram

4. Create an earth science tactile board.

Use rubber bands to match the terms (also marked with push pins) with the parts.

Source: Kutztown University

5. Invite students to change their perceptions.

This interactive board allows the students the opportunity to think about their fellow classmates and to see how much they actually know about each other.

6. Teach various math terms.

Students can learn how to solve math word problems with this interactive board.

Source: Two Sisters Teach

7. Pit music against poetry.

Poetry can be a hard sell for some kids. Help them relate to it by challenging them to determine if quotes are by a famous poet or a famous pop group. They'll be surprised by the answers!

Source: Mrs. Orman's Classroom

8. Create a coloring corner.

Interactive bulletin boards don't have to take a lot of time or effort. Just pin up a giant coloring poster and have students use their crayons or markers to color. Coloring is a well-known anti-stress activity, plus it can actually help focus the mind on the subject at hand.

Source: Cynthia Platou/Twitter

9. Provide a place for burning questions.

Also known as a "parking lot," interactive bulletin boards like these give kids a low-key way to ask questions they have about material you're covering. Look it over daily to see what you might need to review or save questions to be answered in a future lesson. Remove the sticky notes as you respond to them.

Source: Kate's Science Classroom Cafe

10. Challenge them with Sudoku.

Need something for kids to do when they finish a little early? Sudoku interactive bulletin boards might be the answer! Learn how to set one up at the link below.

Source: Activity After Math

11. Practice compare and contrast concepts.

Did someone say giant Venn diagram? I'm in! Post any two items you want students to compare and contrast, and have them write their answers on sticky notes to fill in the diagram.

Source: Laura Kim/Instagram

12. Try a thinking tug-of-war.

Prepare for opinion writing by having students show their thinking on a tug-of-war bulletin board. These are easy to prep and can be used over and over again with different questions.

13. Use QR codes to spark curiosity.

Bring interactive bulletin boards into the digital age with QR codes. In this example, quotes from famous women are displayed on the wall. Students can scan the free-to-generate QR code with their phones or tablets to learn more about each one. This idea can be adapted for so many different subjects!

Source: Study All Knight

14. Bring on the Boggle math.

Game-based learning has so many benefits. This Boggle math board is based on the classic letter game, with a numbers twist. Learn how to play at the link below.

Source: The Routty Math Teacher

15. Craft a color-sorting bulletin board.

Little ones love interactive bulletin boards. Paint empty paper towel tubes with bright colors and set them up with coordinating buckets and pom-poms. Kids get hand-eye-coordination practice by dropping the right pom-poms through the tubes.

Source: Play to Learn Preschool

16. Get to know literary genres.

Lift-the-flap cards can be used for so many different interactive bulletin boards. This board helps kids identify literary genres with examples and descriptions.

17. Build a giant word search.

Word searches are an engaging way to practice spelling and vocabulary. You can change up this board to match new subjects throughout the year.

Source: The Corner on Character

18. Attract their eyes with an I spy board.

Grab your hot glue gun and get to work! This board provides the perfect opportunity to play a quick game of I spy when you have a few spare minutes at the end of class.

Source: 2art.chambers/Instagram

19. Find out what they're thankful for.

This is an easy idea for a fall bulletin board. On the back of each card, have a student write what they're thankful for. Each day, turn one over and share. ( Find more fall bulletin board ideas here.)

Source: Teacher Blogspot

20. Take what you need, give what you can.

You'll find examples of interactive bulletin boards like this one all over Pinterest. The concept is basic: Post notes with encouraging and kind words on a board for students to grab when they need to be lifted up. Provide paper for them to add their own kind words for others too.

Source: Pinterest/Take What You Need

21. Turn a paper roll into an interactive Q&A station.

The terrific thing about interactive bulletin boards made with rolls of paper is that they're easy to switch up. Learn how to make this board (this teacher used a door, but it would work for a bulletin board too) at the link below.

Source: Oh Boy, It's Farley

22. Post a read-aloud board.

Experience a read-aloud book together by posting the characters, problem, setting, and solution as you read. When you're done with the book, have the kids write their favorite part on sticky notes to share. ( See more creative ways to use sticky notes in the classroom here.)

23. Make a mitten match board.

Help little ones learn letters, numbers, sight words, and more with a cute and fun interactive matching board.

Source: Play to Learn Preschool/Instagram

24. Put a pin in the map while you read.

Show students how books open up the world. Post a country or world map and have them put a pin in any location mentioned in the books they read.

25. Win the day with word games.

Words With Friends has made Scrabble games popular again. Set up a board with letter cards and let students battle it out for the highest score. Bonus points for using a vocabulary word!

Source: Pinterest/Words With Friends

26. Get reading recommendations from fellow students.

The teacher who created this board says, "Students use sticky notes to write the title, author, and genre of the book they're reading. They use dry-erase markers each day to update the page they're on and their rating (out of 5 stars). This will let me see how much kids are reading and give students a place to refer to when looking for new book recommendations."

Source: Third Grade Swag/Instagram

27. Set up a bucket filler board.

When you "catch" students being kind, give them a "warm fuzzy" pom-pom to put in their bucket. Periodically empty the individual buckets into a class bucket to work toward a reward. ( Learn more about the bucket filler concept here.)

Source: Little Mrs. Preschool

28. Spark joy in your students.

Such a simple concept-spell out a word in large letters and have students fill it with their thoughts on that word. You can easily change this out to fit seasons or subjects.

Source: Paulette Metivier/Pinterest

29. Measure angles on a paper pool table.

Have students place paper pool balls on the table, then calculate the angles they'd need to shoot in order to pocket the ball using a protractor and string.

Source: Ryan O'Donnell/Kutztown University

30. Give them a space to "tweet" all about it.

Social media is everywhere these days, including classrooms. Create a Twitter wall where students "tweet" the answer to a question, using laminated sentence strips and dry-erase markers.

Source: Life in Fifth Grade

31. Craft a reader's choice board.

Find out which books are hits and which are misses with reader's choice interactive bulletin boards. Kids can move their picture to show how they felt about a specific book.

32. Put together a pushpin poetry board.

It's like magnetic poetry, but using a bulletin board instead! Cut out words and provide a container of pins. Students do the rest.

Source: Residence Life Crafts

33. Encourage random acts of kindness.

Post a series of envelopes with random acts of kindness ideas inside. Students draw a card and complete the act, then post a pic if they like.

34. Recognize new classmates by playing peekaboo.

Post a pic of the student under a flap with their name on it to help students learn their classmates' names and faces. This is geared toward younger kids but could be tweaked for older students, too.

Source: Play to Learn Preschool/Instagram

35. Plot points on a big Cartesian plane.

Give students practice plotting points and finding the area of shapes on a Cartesian plane. Use fun pushpins to jazz it up!

Source: Melody Bienfang/Kutztown University
Need more bulletin board ideas? Try these 20 science bulletin boards or these 19 magical Harry Potter boards. Want to know what makes a bulletin board easy and effective? Check out these tips.

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35 Interactive Bulletin Boards That Will Engage Students at Every Level

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Classroom bulletin boards can be a terrific way to show off your style as a teacher. If you really want to engage your students, take things a step further and try some of these interactive bulletin boards. Kids can get up out of their seats and immersed in the learning experience, even while socially distancing.

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Pin by Summer 💗 on Education Tools in 2021 | Teaching classroom, Teaching writing, Classroom quotes

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Jun 25, 2021 - This Pin was discovered by Summer 💗. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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Jun 29, 2021 - This Pin was created by Cecelia Magro I Love First Grade on Pinterest. Classroom Motivational Sign..

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Sep 23, 2021 - This Pin was created by Peace In Primary on Pinterest. Classroom Organization..

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The Power of Yet Printable Poster, Growth Mindset, , Motivational Wall Art, School Office Classroom Teacher Decoration Art

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Printable THE POWER OF YET! Classroom Poster Great for Teachers and GROWTH MINDSET Classroom Decor! A cute way to add personality to the classroom, school office, hallway and more! Design features bright, fun and cheerful colors - prints beautifully! Bright and Inspiring! ___________________________…

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Social Media to Promote Parent Involvement

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Social Media to Promote Parent Involvement

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How social media can help market your elementary school -

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Elementary schools can use social media to engage parents, communicate reminders, and share academic achievements. Get your school in the social scene!

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How social media can help market your elementary school

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Teaching is about your students, not tracking down handouts or playing phone tag. Remind makes it easy to reach the people you need to reach.

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Keeps parents updated on what their students are doing throughout the day - Great for PreK or Kindergarten

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‎Procare allows you to run your entire school operations through our childcare app and website. Save time and money by streamlining core administrative functions while raising the bar for the parent experience with professional communications, easy-to-access portals, and the opportunity for real-tim…

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Nov 13, 2019 - This Pin was discovered by Ajhani Abraham. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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Counting and Cardinality FREEBIES - Keeping My Kiddo Busy

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KINDERGARTEN MATH - UNIT 1 I am thrilled to be sharing this huge Counting and Cardinality Unit with you! This is the math unit we start the year with in kindergarten. The kids love all of the hands-on activities we get to do, and I love how easy it is to keep them engaged.

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Before I share some teacher organization tips for managing student assignments in your classroom, I would like you to pause and think about this question: In which of the two classrooms described below would you rather be the teacher?

Classroom A has 3 kids thrusting papers in your face, 2 dropping their work on your desk, 8 yelling out "I'm done. What do I do next?" and at least 3 who had no idea what to do in the first place. Their desks are jammed with unfinished tasks and you don't know where to begin catching them up.

Classroom B has all students working on task with the completed assignments neatly placed in a labeled container. You can tell at a glance who has fallen behind on their workload and have the ability to tell within a minute exactly which assignments each student has completed.

I know which one I prefer!

Kids work at different paces, on differentiated assignments, and come and go from interventions and services throughout the day. That's why it's so important to have clear expectations, routines, and procedures for turning in and completing assignments in your classroom. Read below to get some teacher organization tips and ideas to help you manage student assignments!

5 Teacher Organization Tips for Managing Student Assignments

If you feel disorganized, stressed and overwhelmed, try these 5 easy-to-implement teacher organization tips for streamline managing student assignments.

1. Determine what you will be collecting and grading each week.

As you write your weekly lesson plans, write down exactly what written assignments the students will need to complete. Enter these into a checklist. This will provide you with a simple way to definitively track completed assignments. These teacher checklists may be helpful!

2. Designate spaces for turning in assignments.

Never utter the words, "put that on my desk.". Instead, have containers set out in permanent spots for students to place their work in when completed. I recommend having a designated spot for each subject area. This will be the one central area that all completed assignments get turned in. Students will learn this procedure and be able to quickly turn in their work and move onto the next activity. This will prevent them from wasting time standing around waiting to ask, "What do I do with this now that I'm done?"

Tips for Setting Up Turn-In Bins

Let's talk about turn in bins. Below are my best tips for setting up turn-in bins.

Choose a Type of Container.

I found dishpans worked great, but other teachers have found success with boxes, baskets, binders, folders, and other containers. It doesn't matter what you use; however, there are some things to consider. First and foremost, you need to make sure it is large enough to hold 8.5 x 11 papers or larger. Another thing to consider is using a different color bucket for each subject area with color-coordinated folders. Also consider using an ELA bucket as opposed to a reading bucket, a word study bucket, and a writing bucket. Finally, if you alternate between teaching a science and social studies unit like I did in my classroom, put those two labels (science and social studies) on opposite sides of the same bucket. You can rotate it around to reflect which subject you are teaching.

Label Your Containers

Label each container with the subject area. You can stick laminated labels to containers easily using tape, glue, hot glue, or Modge Podge. You could also tie it on using string. You may find these turn-in bin labels helpful!

Tips for Managing Turn-In Bins

Utilize Student Helpers

At designated times during the day (e.g. snack and dismissal), have students help you. They can first sort the work into piles by assignment. Next, they can arrange them in numerical order using the number in the corner. Finally, they can clip them together with a number sheet on top. By doing so, you are able to quickly see who has not turned in an assignment.

Log Grades Weekly

Consider using a printable to track the assignments. If it is being graded, record the grades directly onto these sheets. I log grades in once a week. This lets me return the graded work quicker. It also makes it easy for me to record grades when I do sit down to do that.

Store District Assessments

You may find that your district requires you to hold on to certain assessments. It is helpful to set up a box, file drawer or plastic tub in advance for this purpose. I have a box designated for this purpose. At the end of each marking period, I staple together any assignments that serve as support for a student's grade and house them in this same box. Typically I don't need to revisit these documents, but they are handy to have if a parent questions a report card grade or I decide to bring a child up for testing.

The picture above gives a glimpse into how I set up my turn-in work area. I designated one specific space in our classroom to house all of the incoming and outgoing papers. As you can see, I used a single shelf in the front of the classroom for everything students need to turn in (folders, worksheets, homework, etc.). I included a basket for the students to place their folders into each morning as well as a tray for collecting homework. In addition, I provided labeled bins for the students to use when passing in their assignments. This whole bookcase was dedicated to managing so many of the papers we deal with daily.

In addition to those materials, I used the bookshelf to house my daily lesson plans and daily work boxes. The only other thing I kept in this area was the district-wide assessments that the children take throughout the year on the bottom shelf as well.

3. Use student numbers.

A third teacher organization tip is to use student numbers. Train your students to not only write their name on every paper but to also write their student number in the top right corner of each page. This will enable you (or better yet a student assigned to do the task as part of your classroom job system) to place the piles in numerical order for quick checklist completion. Check out these student number cards!

4. Invest in Unfinished Work Boxes.

Buy a sturdy paper sorter and label the slots with numbers. Each student will use the box with his number to house unfinished work.

As a side note, I purchased two literature organizers. One was for student mailboxes and the other was for unfinished work. These two organization tools, as well as a large paper sorter for construction paper are some of my all-time best classroom investments. The time they saved was priceless!

Never ever ever ever ever (to infinity) have your students place their papers into their desk. Instead, instruct them to place all unfinished work into their designated spot within the sorter. This will enable you, at a quick glance, to see exactly how much work each student has to do.

This system is great because it allows the teacher to tell at a glance who is falling behind on classwork. You can easily see who has work to complete and who has A LOT of work to complete. You can also tell when children are making "may do" choices when they should be doing their unfinished work from the "must do" board.

It is beneficial to have everything in one place. Your "late finishers" are often your more disorganized students. You no longer need to spend time helping them find their missing assignments before they could finish it. Now it's all in one central location.

Tips for Setting Up and Managing Unfinished Work Boxes

Assign Each Student a Box

I used a paper sorter so each student had a slot that was labeled with their student number. I chose to label them with student numbers rather than student names so I wouldn't have to replace the labels every school year.

Empty the Box at the End of the Week

At the end of each week, empty the unfinished work boxes. You could have students come in before school or after school to finish the work. Another option is to send it home to be completed over the weekend.

Don't Keep Long Term Projects in Unfinished Work Boxes

If you are working on a whole-class ongoing project, collect the student work and hold onto it until the next time they are going to work on it. However, if the children have not completed work during the allotted time, tell them to put it into their unfinished box. The students will then slide their assignment into their box until a time arises when they can finish it.

5. Create a "Must Do / May Do" Assignment Board.

The last teacher organization tip on this list it to create a Must Do May Do Board. You can do this using a whiteboard or pocket charts and is easily one of the most effective classroom management tools I've ever used.

Divide the board into two columns. Label the left "Must Do" and the right "May Do." As you give an assignment, list it on the must-do side. Include specific page numbers and any other information needed. This tells the students which tasks must be completed and provides a reference for those who may not comprehend or remember auditory directions.

Use the right side to list the activities they "May Do" when all their work is finished. I highly suggest making the may do choices be purposeful, but not so inviting that students rush through the required assignments. Avoid things like "free choice" or "technology time" if you don't think your students will put forth their best efforts. Some of the activities I found to be perfect as may do choices include: monthly writing prompts, read to self, student book clubs, and enrichment activities such as animal research or making a game to reinforce skills.

If you want to save time, I do have printable resources available for labeling turn in bins as well as planning and tracking assignments and creating a Must Do and May Do Board. Not only will you not need to take the time to design them, but they are offered at a price that is less than the clipart to make them would cost you. There are editable components which means you customize and print components from the resource. You can also alter the look of them by mounting them on colored card stock or patterned scrapbook paper to match your classroom theme or classroom color scheme.

Each of these are available on their own via the links below or as part of my Classroom Management Bundle. That bundle includes an eBook with tons of tips and ideas for all aspects of classroom management, an editable teacher workbook to guide you to planning out how you will effectively manage your classroom and 30 printable resources.

We hope you found this post about teacher organization tips for managing student assignments helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:

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Before I share some teacher organization tips for managing student assignments in your classroom, I would like you to pause and think about this question: In which of the two classrooms described below would you rather be the teacher? Classroom A has 3 kids thrusting papers in your face, 2 dropping their work on your desk, 8 yelling out "I'm done.

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Education Resources | National Geographic Society

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Inspire learners to explore National Geographic through interactive lesson plans, maps, storytelling and a wide variety of resources to illuminate their world.

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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I don't do furry friends in the classroom, but Desk Pets are the perfect classroom friend. I love animals, just not in the classroom. Desk Pets are the next best thing to a classroom pet. The best thing about having Desk Pets in a classroom is that the teacher doesn't have to remember to feed them or worry about who will be taking care of the class pet during vacations.

What Are Desk Pets?

Desk pets are miniature erasers shaped like animals. These nonfurry friends made their debut on TikTok thanks to Marrssa Begay. Since then, teachers have adapted the idea to meet the needs of their own classrooms. Teachers are using Desk Pets to motivate students and foster positive classroom behavior.

Thanks to the Target Dollar Spot and Amazon, the actual erasers used for Desk Pets are easy to find. Many teachers have been lucky enough to find their adorable animal erasers at Target. I found mine on Amazon. There are many options to choose from, but these are the ones I am using.

For their individual homes, I purchased plastic food storage containers from Dollar Tree. I created backgrounds to fit inside the containers. Students earn Desk Pet Dollars that they can use to purchase backgrounds for their pets or food. I found my food erasers online at Target.

How to Use Desk Pets

Each day when students arrive, they may get their pet out and play with it until it is time for class to start. If a student is having difficulty paying attention, following directions, or is caught playing with their pet instead of working, their pet must go to Pet Daycare. So far only one pet has had to go to Daycare.

Desk Pets for Behavior Management

Want to start your own Desk Pet store and behavior management system? You can find my resource here on TpT.

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Classroom morning greetings are a powerful way to deepen relationships, build our students' confidence, and learn communication skills. Make sure to download the free printables in this post.

One thing that I love about teaching is that no matter how my morning starts at home (wahhh... spilled coffee!), on my way to school (argggghh...terrible traffic!) or in the school building before the students arrive (seriously, the copier is broken AGAIN?!), when my students arrive to my classroom it feels like it's the start of something positive and new, our day together.

I want my students to feel that same sense of "fresh start" when they walk into my class each morning. One way to help build this feeling is to implement a special morning greeting. You've probably recently seen online videos of students doing them like the one below.

The greeting can be done at the door as the students enter the classroom, or during a morning meeting when you are first gathered together on the carpet.

I know mornings in the classroom can be hectic. Some days it feels like quite an accomplishment to get the attendance taken and sent down to the office on time! So then why would I suggest adding one more thing to the busy morning buzz? Because it's a simple thing that can have a tremendously positive impact on the rest of the day for both you and your students.

A special morning greeting starts the day on a positive note. Smiles appear when students get to choose a greeting that allows their individual personality shine through. It serves as a chance to restart a day that may have gotten off to a rough start. A greeting allows every student the opportunity to hear their name spoken with warmth and respect, maybe for the first time that day.

Morning greetings are also a wonderful way to build strong relationships with your students. They allow students to feel seen by you. Hearing their name makes them feel that someone cares about speaking to them as an individual and makes them feel valued. This sense of belonging is key to ensuring students feel safe and are ready to learn.

Finally, a morning greeting routine provides students the opportunity to practice communication skills such as looking at each other, using a friendly voice and body language, speaking clearly and audibly, listening, and waiting one's turn.

How do I start Morning Greetings?

While the start of the year is probably ideal, I believe a morning greeting is a routine that can be implemented at any point throughout the year, as long as it is introduced and taught properly. As with all new classroom routines, it is something that must be modeled and practiced many times over before we can expect students to do it properly.

If I were introducing it to my class I would act as the greeter for the first few weeks until students fully understood the procedure. I would then turn it over to the students and allow them to take turns being the greeter. It would no doubt become a coveted classroom job!

To help you get started I have created a few different resources to help make the implementation of this routine simple and stress free!

The first is a "How to Greet a Friend" FREEBIE! The download includes two versions (with/without eye contact) of a colored classroom poster, as well as black and white student versions. It's a great FREE resource I am happy to share to get you started!

If you are looking for something a little more you'll definitely want to check my morning greeting resource. This resource allows you lots of options! It includes printable choice posters in color and black and white. You can choose to print greeting choices in circles or squares. Circles could be hung with magnets or tied together with a ribbon and the squares could be turned into a choice board or put onto a ring to hang. Finally, it includes a slide that can be projected at the classroom meeting area. This resource is the full package. It's colorful, cute and appropriate for kids of all ages!
UPDATE: I have recently updated my Morning Greeting Choices to include contactless greeting choices! You can make a poster for your classroom or use the included slides during remote class meetings!
If you've previously purchased, just download the greetings again to get the free update!

I hope this resource will motivate you to begin morning greetings with your class. It's a fun and simple routine which sets a positive tone for the day. It has the potential to brighten days, deepen relationships and build our students' confidence and communication skills. That seems like a whole lot of good for one simple routine!

- PIN for LATER -

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Classroom morning greetings are a powerful way to deepen relationships, build our students' confidence, and learn communication skills.

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Improving Classroom Management

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Learn how two little behavior note templates can be a complete classroom management game-changer.

Glow and Grow Behavior Notes are a simple and highly effective behavior management strategy for kindergarten and beyond. Parents will love getting positive behavior notes sent home, students will love earning them, and teachers will love how easy they are to use and implement in the classroom. These notes are an excellent alternative to the traditional color clip chart. Read on to hear how glow and grow behavior notes to send home came to be and how you can use them successfully in your classroom.

Did you ditch your clip chart because everyone told you how terrible it is? (That's a debate for another blog post!) . You tore the chart off the wall, but now what can you do? If you are anything like me, you don't have time to keep up with a complicated behavior system with tickets and cashing in for prizes or little behavior tags to pass out when you catch your students being good. Maybe your school has a school-wide PBIS system that you are required to use but it's not enough motivation in your classroom. Who has time for another complicated classroom management strategy? I needed a simple, quick, and effective way to positively communicate and document classroom behaviors. Thus, Glow and Grow Behavior Notes to send home were born.

An Alternative to the Color Clip Chart

When I first threw out my clip chart, I found myself writing long notes and emails or worse yet, making phone calls daily to address parents' questions about classroom behaviors. There were also parents that I truly needed to address certain behaviors that didn't warrant a phone call or conference but needed to be addressed none the less. Dealing with negative behaviors began to consume my planning time and I often forgot or ran out of time to recognize kids for their positive behaviors. It just wasn't working. I had to find something that was less time-consuming and still motivating for students. Sound familiar?

On a whim, I developed 2 behavior checklists. One for positive behaviors and one for negative behaviors. On each list, I added a place for notes and a place for parents to sign and return to school. I copied the checklists on brightly colored paper, like this Astrobrights paper on Amazon (affiliate link). Then, I kept a stack of each on my desk. At the end of each day, I sent at least one positive note home with a student and I sent home "needs improvement" notes as needed. All I had to do was check a box or two to note the behaviors I saw that day. That's it. Simply write a student's name at the top and a checkmark or 2 is all I needed to effectively communicate with parents. Sometimes, I jotted an extra note if I had time.

Soon, students were begging to know who was getting a note sent home at the end of each day. That's when I knew I was on to something special. So, I reworked the checklists to be prettier and have more positive language. I called the positive notes "Glow Notes" and the improvement notes "Grow Notes". This simple change allowed me to send improvement notes home more often because parents and kids could view them as opportunities to grow and not as a punishment.

Keep It Simple So You Can Be Consistent

Being consistent is the key to success with any classroom management tool. Kids need to know that what you say is what you mean. When I started using Glow Notes, I made sure to send at least one home every day. Because this only takes 30 seconds per note, it wasn't difficult or time-consuming. This helped to build anticipation and got students to "buy-in". After a few days of only sending home Glow Notes, I was able to send home Grow Notes as needed. A student called out all day long? Grow Note sent home to let parents know. A student went out of her way to help a friend who was having a hard time? A Glow Note was sent home.

As a classroom teacher, I never have enough time to devote to keeping track of who got a note sent home when. That's just another thing to add to my never-ending to-do list. Instead, I kept a parent signature line on each note and hard students return them to school. Then each note went into the student's folder. This allowed me to keep a record of communication with parents. If an administrator every wanted to know how I was communicating with parents or more about my classroom management, I had the notes on file to show them. It also helped me to see at a quick glance who I needed to be sure to "catch being good" soon. The beauty of Glow and Grow Behavior Notes to send home are in the simplicity!

Everyone Wins with Glow and Grow Notes

Communicating student behaviors to parents and families does not have to be difficult or time-consuming. Behavior notes do not have to be long and complicated if you have the right template. Keep things simple and to the point, while using positive language and you will win families over. With effective behavior communication, everyone wins. Kids are happy to be acknowledged for their positive choices, parents are thrilled to see happy notes come home, teachers have an easy way to keep communication open and admin will love the focus on the positive to improve student behavior and promote a positive classroom community. The terms glow and grow help to keep the communication light and positive. These notes are truly a game-changer for classroom management.

When you have more challenging behaviors in the classroom, Glow and Grow notes may not be enough for certain students. Like any classroom management tool, there is no "one size fits all" approach. However, at least the Glow Notes will help you to recognize students who consistently are doing their best. Over the years, I've learned that visuals are a powerful tool in the early elementary classroom. Read more about how I use visuals here. The other strategy that I've used with great success is a calm down space.

How to Get Started with Glow and Grow Behavior Notes

Every classroom is unique and has its own challenges. That's why I created editable Glow and Grow Notes templates for teachers to use. I have a few different sets available in my TPT store. Teachers can use the premade templates or add their own behaviors to the checklists to mee the specific needs of their classrooms. For this resource, editable means you can change the list of behaviors but not the entire note (due to clip art restrictions). If you are ready to jump right in and want an editable set, you can find all my editable Glow and Grow Notes here in my TPT store.

Not sure how these will work for you? Click here to join my e-mail list and grab a FREE set of Glow and Grow Notes today!

If there is a specific clip art or theme you'd like to see on these notes, send me an e-mail at TeachingExceptionalKinders@gmail.com. I love creating custom sets to meet teachers' needs. And if you are using these notes in your class, please tag me on Instagram (@teachingexceptionalkinders)! I love to see how teachers are using my resources.

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How To Use Simple Behavior Notes To Improve Your Classroom Management - Teaching Exceptional Kinders

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Learn how two little behavior note templates can be a complete classroom management game-changer. Glow and Grow Behavior Notes are a simple and highly effective behavior management strategy for kindergarten and beyond. Parents will love getting positive behavior notes sent home, students will love earning them, and teachers will love how easy they are to...

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Technically, yes. However, most schools and districts using Schoology Learning have opted to have just one LMS to increase consistency and productivity throughout their organization.

Technically, yes. However, most schools and districts using Schoology Learning have opted to have just one LMS to increase consistency and productivity throughout their organization. Schoology Learning also provides additional features, including standards mastery tracking, parent engagement, support for younger learners, and an enhanced overall look and feel of course layouts that Google Classroom does not support.

PowerSchool Schoology Learning has over 20 million users across 60,000 schools across the globe. To learn more about bringing Schoology Learning to your school, please request a live demo of our LMS solution.

Ready to Learn More?

See how our K-12 learning management system can help support student growth and performance to ensure learning continuity.

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Schoology Learning K-12 learning management system makes it easy to implement hybrid learning and integrate your favorite teaching and learning tools.

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GROUPS Classroom Poster, Classroom Decor, Classroom Management, Teacher Printables, Educational Poster, Elementary Teacher,

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A great poster to hang in a elementary, middle school or high school classroom. A great reminder for the rules expected when dividing kids into small groups for projects, discussions and more! Remind them to stay on task, in their groups, be respectful and use soft voices! A very cute and functional…

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Can be used for lessons or an activity right before break

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Breakout EDU - Educational Games for the Classroom

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Breakout EDU gamifies learning to create an engaging and empowering experience for students of all grade levels.

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Sight Word Practice - During Reading Groups

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Sight Word Practice - During Reading Groups

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Jul 9, 2019 - Nearly every instastory I’ve tuned into for the past two and a half weeks has mentioned the Netflix Documentary “Tidying Up.” This documentary centers around Marie Kondo, author o…

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classroom ideas

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Calling all Cricut lovers! Have you been using your Cricut machine to prepare for the new school year? Teachers around the world have been finding new ways to use theirs to maximize classroom organization and appearance. Slowly but surely Cricut machines are replacing label makers, printers, and die-cut letters. From designing bulletin boards to organizing bins, there's so much you can do with a Cricut!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored promotion for Cricut. We're simply loving the many awesome ways teachers are using their Cricut machines in their classrooms and at home and wanted to share! We may, however, get a small share of the sales made through the Amazon affiliate links below.

If you're convinced after looking at these 15 awesome classroom ideas, you can find our favorite Cricut machine HERE - currently on sale with a Beginner Guide, Tool Kit, Vinyl Pack, Designs, and Project Inspiration Bundle!

1. Decorate a painted stool

via: @ castlesandcubbies

@ castlesandcubbies painted her stool then used her Cricut to personalize it. It's perfect for sitting on during read alouds!

2. Label the drawers on your rolling cart

via: @ thecanadianteacher

Many teachers print labels to stick on their rolling drawers, but this is truly a job for the ! Label the drawers by day of the week then place paper materials for that day inside. Additional drawers can be for papers to grade, copy, or file!

3. Label your pencil buckets

Neatly label buckets to showcase which pencils are sharp and which pencils need sharpening. You could also label the bins "clean" and "dirty" given today's circumstances. These pencil buckets are from the Dollar Tree, but you could also find them in multiple colors on !

4. Ditch the cardboard crayon boxes for these plastic containers that can be labeled with your cricut!

This is so simple, yet such a game changer. Cardboard crayon boxes are always ripping apart, so using these plastic containers instead will keep the crayons safe in one place. Label the boxes with student names or numbers so that students each have their own. Find these plastic containers at Michaels for less than $1 each with your teacher discount! Amazon also has cheap options in multiple sizes !

5. Make a "first day of school" sign for your students to pose with

Making signs for your students to pose with is a fun way to connect with parents when sharing photos. You could also make signs that say "Published Author" or "I received a 100 on my math test!"

6. Design bulletin boards with your Cricut instead of die-cut letters

Loving this brilliant time-saving hack by Kristen and Alexis, the two teachers behind the account @taleof2teachers . Rather than using vinyl for the letters, they laminated cardstock paper before putting it into their Cricut to cut the letters for them. All they needed to do was print them out and stick them to the bulletin board paper. Best part? Since the letters are laminated they'll easily be able to take them down and use them again next year!

7. Randomly call on students with this "Lucky Duck" system carefully labeled with the help of a cricut!

via: @ thatteachertaylor

Rather than labeling your bins with sharpies, try using your cricut instead for a cleaner look. This system in particular is used for randomly calling on students (kind of like pulling popsicle sticks). You could even label the ducks with student names using your cricut! Grab a 50 count of rubber ducks for under $10 on Amazon.

8. Spice up your teacher planner

Many of us are addicted to overpriced, personalized planners! With a , you can buy any planner and personalize it yourself.

9. Drop little reminders around your classroom to promote personal hygiene

via: @ justpeachyinelementary

Cutting out letters isn't just for labeling drawers and decorating bulletin boards! They also make for great reminders around the room, like washing hands or listing class rules.

10. Make your own calendar display

via: @ letthemplayinpuddles

This teacher used plywood as her base to add vinyl letters for a calendar. She drilled holes into the wood and used twine to hang each part of the calendar.

11. Label book bins by subject

Label your teacher bins by subject, day of the week, or type of material.

12. Apply motivational quotes to the surface of lap desks

Students love using these , so why not add some motivation to these well-loved pieces of our classroom?! Remind students just how smart and loved they are.

13. Repurpose your rolling cart into a sanitation station labeled with your Cricut

via: @ sincerelymrsvaught

Clearly label your sanitation station on wheels! This hack is easy to roll around for sanitizing and easy on the eyes thanks to a !

14. Use your cricut to design your tap lights!

via: @ elementary_with_mrs.b

can be used for reminders when learning virtually (as pictured above), or for levels of voice in the classroom (level 1, level 2, or level 3). Label the front of your push lights with your so that students know what each lit up light stands for. Check out these clever ways to use tap lights in the classroom!

The possibilities are truly endless with a Cricut machine. Are you convinced yet? Here's a link to our favorite Cricut machine you can purchase with Amazon Prime (currently on sale!)

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14 Awesome Things You Can Do for Your Classroom With a Cricut

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Calling all Cricut lovers! Have you been using your Cricut machine to prepare for the new school year? Teachers around the world have been finding new ways to use theirs to maximize classroom organization and appearance. Slowly but surely Cricut machines are replacing label makers, printers, and die-cut letters.

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The words NEUTRAL and RAINBOWS aren't usually associated with one another.

Until now!

Rainbows will always be a beautiful symbol of hope which makes them a perfect fit for the classroom.

If you love the idea of rainbows in your room but are searching for a more neutral and calming color palette, I've got you covered!

Introducing the NEUTRAL RAINBOWS CLASSROOM DECOR COLLECTION!

This post contains affiliate links for classroom products. Should you make a purchase via one of the links, I make a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
BORDERS & PAPER

Picking out the right bulletin board paper and borders can be time consuming so hopefully this saves you some time!

The beauty of the neutral color palette is that it will coordinate well with a variety of bulletin board papers.

Much to my surprise, the paper that made this theme pop the most was the Dark Wood Bulletin Board Paper paired with the Messy Dots borders!

You can find the Dark Wood Paper here:

If you'd like to go even darker with the paper, the Black Wood Bulletin Board paper is a great choice too!

Option to add some twinkly lights for a little extra pop!

If you've been around Heart of the Class for a while, you will definitely be familiar with these lights.

They are amazing and add instant warmth and coziness to any space.

So let's get into the good stuff!

Here's a peek at what's included in the Neutral Rainbows Classroom Decor Collection!

Keeping teaching resources and supplies organized is always a challenge.

One of the keys is having a home for everything.

To help you create your organizational systems, the Neutral Rainbows Collection includes editable labels for the most popular types of storage containers.

10 DRAWER CART LABELS

These carts are versatile and can keep a lot of papers organized and accessible.

The wheels make them easy to move around the room which is a bonus.

TEACHER TOOLBOX LABELS

If there was one organizational tool that I wish I'd discovered earlier, it would be this one!

26 Drawer Teacher Toolbox

We spend so much time looking for little items in our classrooms... sticky notes, staples, remotes, PENS!!

You can personalize the toolbox labels and create homes for those pesky random things that you often need to find in a hurry.

Organization at your fingertips!

Create your custom design: Solid small labels with Rainbow accent large labels

Not only can you customize the text on the labels but you can also create your design by combining your favorite styles. So many possibilities!

If it's your first time assembling a teacher toolbox, you can check out my blog post all about them here: TEACHER TOOLBOX TUTORIAL.

STERILITE DRAWERS

The 3 Drawer Sterilite Organizers are another handy option for desktop organization.

They're a great tool to gain control of the endless piles of papers that seem to magically accumulate on your desk.

Stack 2 and you've can keep your plans and copies for the week organized.

This is REALLY helpful if you have to be away from the classroom for an emergency.

Stack 2 Sterilite Bins for weekly plans

Your supply teacher can easily find the day's copies and it's a whole lot less stressful for you at home!

CLASSROOM CALENDAR

Set up your classroom calendar with ease!

Choose from days of the week and months of the year cards OR pennants.

Pennants are a great option when you have limited bulletin board space. Hang them on string with clothespins and you're all set.

String them lower on the wall and they can be a hands-on center for your students. They can practice placing them in order!

The calendar cards are the standard 2.5″ x 2.5″ so they fit in most pocket chart calendars.

Another of my favorite ways to set up a classroom calendar is with a dry erase board.

You can use magnets, string & clothespins, stikki clips or sticky tack to attach the calendar numbers.

My go-to is this UBrands Dry Erase Board that is 20″ x 30″. It's durable and the perfect size!

If you'd like to try out the Dry Erase Board option, I have more details for you in this CLASSROOM CALENDAR DIY.

CALENDAR EXTRAS

A tip to keep your season and weather cards organized: hot glue a small bucket near your calendar area. Use a high-temp glue gun and it will stay put!

SCHEDULE CARDS

Keeping a visual schedule in your classroom will do wonders for your little ones who need to know what is coming next.

After a decade in first grade, I realized this is time well spent.

It allows children time to prepare for upcoming transitions and limits the amount of 'surprises' in their day.

All cards include graphics to help even the youngest learners follow along.

Move the arrow cards to help your kiddos keep track of the schedule.

If you're like me and often forget to move them, you can make it a classroom helper job 😉

CLASSROOM HELPERS

Involving children in the day-to-day maintenance of the classroom is a great way to create a sense of community and ownership of the space.

44 job cards with graphics are included along with editable options.

You have the choice to use numbers or student name cards.

I switched to numbers a few years ago and it saves so much time since you can reuse them each year.

ALPHABET, NUMBER, SHAPE & COLOR POSTERS

The smaller color poster options take up much less space on your walls.

INSPIRATIONAL POSTERS

Let's wrap up with a few positive messages, shall we?!

Our little ones spend a lot of time in our classrooms and a few inspiring messages can brighten their days.

Primary print posters are also included as an alternative to the cursive font.

We've just skimmed the surface of all that's included in the Neutral Rainbows Classroom Decor Collection!

Click below to see more details about all that is included in the collection and to start creating your own Neutral Rainbows classroom!

Until next time,

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NEUTRAL RAINBOWS CLASSROOM DECOR - Heart of the Class

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The words NEUTRAL and RAINBOWS aren't usually associated with one another. Until now! Rainbows will always be a beautiful symbol of hope which makes them a perfect fit for the classroom. If you love the idea of rainbows in your room but are searching for a more neutral and calming color palette, I've got you covered!

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Welcome to our classroom teacher gifts teacher sign classroom decor teacher items

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Dec 8, 2021 - Choose from two different shapes,round or rectangle. THE ROUND IS APPROX 10 3\4 THE... RECTANGLE IS APPROX 12 X 9.25.. EASELS ARE INCLUDED TO HOLD UP SIGN.. THIS IS 3D SIGN ENGRAVED TO LOOK LIKE SHEET OF PAPER :)  PLEASE WRITE WITH ANY QUESTIONS,THANK YOU.

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Apr 22, 2021 - This Pin was created by Wisdom Cafe App on Pinterest. CASUAL TEACHER OUTFIT INSPIRATION..

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Sep 8, 2020 - As we navigate our way through the pandemic, the thought of a fresh start in the classroom becomes more and more appealing. And what better theme than

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Teacher Tips for Back to School with Social Distancing

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Aug 25, 2020 - See Teacher's Tips, Hacks and Classroom Decor for Back to School to Help Make Learning Fun, Meaninful and Safe this Fall.

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Free Returns ✓ Free Shipping On Orders $49+ ✓. Solid Batwing Sleeve Oversized Sweater- Women Sweaters at SHEIN.

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DETAILS Light Pistachio Green Blouse Envelope Style Neckline Straight, Banded Hemline Long-Sleeve Ultra Lightweight 100% Polyester Connor is 5'5 size 3 wearing a Small

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DETAILS Light Brown Stone Subtle Pinstripping Detail Elastic Waistband Straight Leg Functional Pockets Slight Crop To Ankle SHELL: 80% Polyester 17% Viscose 3% Spandex LINING: 100% Polyester Connor is 5'5, size 3 wearing a Small

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DETAILS Light Tan Dress Sweater Soft Material Lightweight Collared V-Neckline Straight Hemline Functional Tie At Waistline Long Sleeve 88% Polyester 8% Rayon 4% Spandex Connor is 5'5 size 3 wearing a Small

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The 'Darcy' Tan Utility Style Dress *CURVY SIZING AVAILABLE*

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DETAILS Short Sleeve Button Down Collared Dress Color: Tan Fits true to size Jessa is 5'6'' a size 6 and wearing a Small Fabric: 70% Rayon 30% Linen

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May 16, 2020 - Jules in Flats - Polka Dots & Camel (Business Casual Winter Workwear on a Budget)

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Dec 3, 2018 - This Pin was discovered by MyNerdyTeacher. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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Nov 14, 2019 - 15+ Fall Casual Outfits You'll Want To Copy This Year 15+ Fall Casual Outfits You'll Want To Copy Th

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Aug 23, 2017 - What to Wear when Shopping Is NOT an Option

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Womens Sherpa Full Zip Faux Fur … curated on LTK

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Nov 20, 2019 - Shop the latest from darylanndenner on LTK, the easiest way to shop everything from your favorite influencers.

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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Teaching the Alphabet to Kindergarteners

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May 28, 2021 - Teaching the alphabet to kindergarteners is one of the most important things to teach as it sets the foundation for reading and writing.