InClass

Bind now, thank us later!

You don’t have to be a type-A personality to love the idea of teacher binders. These grab-and-go sanity-savers are any teacher’s best friend. Whether you’re out sick or looking to show evidence for performance goals at your next evaluation conference, these easy binders will have your back all year long. Here are our top six and some quick checklists of what to include.

1. Sub Binder

• Seating charts will remain blank until school starts, but they should be one of the first things your replacement finds.


• Schedules, including your daily schedule, early release schedule, specials schedules, schedules for students receiving additional services


• Procedures for lunch, recess, passing periods, dismissal, assemblies, fire drills, lock downs, etc.


• List of class rules and an outline of your behavior plan, with contact info for a helpful neighbor teacher and the office


• Contact info for important people, like the nurse, principal, guidance counselor, custodian, etc.


• Campus map and classroom map (or at least a list of where to find common supplies)


• Photo directory of students and staff that work with your kids


• Individual health plans, 504 accommodations, and IEP accommodations


• Computer log-in info for students


• Directions to bathrooms, the staff cafeteria, and vending machines


• Communication sheets notes

2. Teacher Binder

• Any and all sections from the substitute binder’s checklist, unless you deem them unnecessary for yourself


• Student information cards or handouts that you have them and their parents fill out the first week of school. Consider including best phone numbers to reach home, allergies or medical concerns, and parent (and student!) email addresses.


• Family communication forms


• Bus and transportation information


• School contacts’ information


• Student birthdays


• Parent contact and behavior logs


• Pages for parent meeting notes


• Student IDs


• Technology IDs and passwords


• Permission forms for field trips, technology access, social media in the classroom, photography, etc.


• Forms for classroom volunteers

3. Assessment Binder

• List and calendar of yearly district assessments


• Record sheets for district assessments


• If you score any district assessments, include rubrics or grading reference sheets


• Performance goals and tracking record sheets


• Planning and tracking sheets for classroom interventions, like RTI


• Tutoring resources


• Note-taking and reflection forms


• Check out the Center’s Professional Learning Plan Kit for additional resources

4. Lesson-Planning Binder

• Your level or department’s scope and sequence, if available


• Curriculum standards


• A full year’s calendar (with monthly overviews) and your yearly curriculum at a glance


• Weekly and daily planning templates, separated by subject

5. Staff and Professional Development Binder

• Year-at-a-glance calendar with staff meetings, staff development, and professional development opportunities filled in


• A place to set and track professional goals


• Separate sections for staff, department, level, or committee meeting notes


• Planning sheets if you are hosting any professional development sessions

6. Student Binder

• Teacher contact info


• Class rules, procedures, and expectations


• Folder for extra handouts


• Sign in/out sheet for students coming and going


• While you were out/sick folder with homework and notes


• Copies of schedules, including the bell schedule, early release, etc.


• Reading logs


• Extra copies of syllabi and permission forms


• Goal-setting and self-assessment sheets

A Few Last Tips

• Some of these binders will have protected, private info. Be sure to store them in a locked filing cabinet or drawer when not in use.


• Use plastic sheet protectors for added organization and protection.


• Have master copies in digital files for easy printing or in case of an emergency. This also makes updating or editing a breeze.


• Use tabs inside the binder to make navigation faster.


• Label the spines of your binders so they’re easy to spot from any angle.

With everything in its place and stowed neatly on its shelf, these binders will be your new favorite timesaving secret weapon. Make your 2017-2018 school life so much easier by having these binders ready before the first bell rings.