InClass

As the end of the year approaches, it is important to remember that a clean room is a happy room … and a happy teacher!

1. Clean ahead and be ready! If you know that you are going to have to clean out your entire classroom (walls, desks, bookshelves, etc.), be prepared and carve out time as the end of the year approaches. Better yet, have your students help you on those days when there is some unplanned additional time.

2. Make a safe place for “lost items.” Inevitably, when we clean our classrooms, we’ll find missing items in nook and crannies. Now that they’re found, where should we put them? Create a box (like the one here!), and then you can have all your found treasures in one place to reorganize.

3. Make copies for August. You may not be able to make copies of everything, but if you have a tried-and-true ice breaker, get the copies ready in May! You will thank yourself in August when you can spend more time preparing your lessons, and not waiting in line at the Xerox machine.

4. Make a to-do list. When possible, list out what you have to accomplish and cross them off. Nothing is more rewarding than checking off items knowing that you are progressively moving forward to summer. Even better: Create a standardized End of School Year List that you can reuse at the end of each semester or year. (We know better than to reinvent the wheel.)

5. Need five more ideas? Check out this website for many other great ideas to help you organize and prepare for the start of your vacation. Happy organizing!