I previously taught 5th grade. I always used an expandable file folder (accordion folder as we call them)for students. On the first day of school we would set up all of the sections- math, reading, spelling, notes home etc. In 5th grade...it worked great parents/kids LOVED it. I thought I would try it in third grade no problem. But guess what--- parents and kids hate it. They say it is too bulky too cumbersome. Kids don't bring home homework. Just wondering what are other third grade teachers are using an an organizational system. I do not like binders- punching holes is a pain and the holes always tear. Help...any suggestions?
For my third graders, I use color-coded folders and spiral notebooks. Red is for reading, blue is for math, green is for language arts, orange/black are for health and science, purple is for spelling, and yellow is for social studies. They also have a green spiral notebook for a writing journal and a red spiral notebook for reader's workshop besides their red and green spiral notebooks for reading and language arts. (Colors might vary depending on what is being offered for colors in the stores in our area.) When there is a paper that needs to be used the following day, the teacher just says "Put this paper in your red reading folder." This avoids clutter inside desks.
In my building, this kind of organization is begun in second grade and continued in fourth grade...same colors, same subject areas. We make labels on the computer to put on the covers of the folders and notebooks with the name of the subject areas, and labels with the student's name for the right hand corner. On the first or second day of school, kids peel labels and put them on the covers. This helps them understand the organizational system, and by fourth grade, they can pretty much do it alone. (Second grade brings in parent volunteers on the first or second day to help.)
Each child also has an assignment folder in which all homework/notes/newsletters are sent home. Things that need to stay at home are put in the left pocket, and things that need to be returned the following day are put in the right pocket. It takes about a week to get kids used to this assignment folder procedure, but once they do, it works great.
Yes...this sounds like a lot of school supplies, but in the fall at Target, parents can get the spiral notebooks and folders for $1.50 for all the notebooks and the same price for all the folders in just one package.
I just started RE-organizing my class today... the whole school has a home-school communication folder, one side says return to school, the other says keep at home, this is where all the papers and notes go home and the homework... they also have an assignment planner. This is my first yr teaching 3rd after teaching 8 yrs in 5th i MAY CHANGE W, oops, what I do, but for this year, the kids have a folder- Work in Progress... but now I wish I just called it a WORK folder because when I tell the kids to put something in it that they finished but we arent checking today, they say "but I finished it!" and I tell them I dont want it yet! anyways... they have that folder, and a writing binder and a math journal.... and I am thinking of putting the work in progress folders in a crate (well, 2 crates on different sides of the room to cut down on traffic with 32 kids) so that its not a mess in their desk... I just took all their books back except math (which are 2 workbook types), reading practice book and grammar practice book... that way there is WAY less clutter in their desk... collected all the spelling books so my assitant and I will rip the pages out ourselves and staple because it takes up TOO much time...we dont have them bring the books home because they will lose them! so hopefully we will have More clean desks! But I am sure I will change things again and next year!
I don't require them to have one but most of the students have one. For those whose parents can't afford it or just didn't bother, I give them one. There are five dividers - math, language arts, science/social science, spelling, and parent communications. I give them two labels - "leave at home," which goes on the front pocket, and "homework," which goes on the back pocket. I also give them pocket protectors for things I want to make sure stay in the binders for the remainder of the school year. They leave study material in the binder, under each subject area. They also leave tests in the binder. Everything else stays at home. I got tired of seeing binders full of stuff they don't need. I have taught them to hole punch by themselves. Or, if i have to do it, I use the electric one that's in the office. I think if you make sure they don't have too many things in there, it wouldn't be too bad.
The kiddos also have a writing folder and a spiral notebook for math.
Inside their desks are their reading workbook, math textbook, writing folder, and depending on which one we're doing, the science or social science workbook. I switch between the two every 4-6 weeks. They also their pencil box in their desk.
My husband and I both have used two folders for our kids' work for years and it works for all grades.
One folder is Keep and the other is Home. Keep stays at school. Home goes back and forth every day. The folders sit on the corner of the desks all day-it is the sign that they are open for business. There are never any loose papers in textbooks or desks. Everything goes into one of the folders. Our kids do not have notebooks or binders. Our parents and kids love our system. Cheap, easy, and not bulky.
I use a red folder in my classroom for homework and things that have to go home and a composition book (marbles black and white) where they write their homework in every evening. This has to be signed by the parent nightly as well and it fits nicely in one of the pockets in the folder. I use another folder, any color, for classwork. I think too many folders confuses third graders. They have a very hard time organizing with just 2 folders.
10-27-2009, 08:27 PM
i MAY CHANGE W, oops, what I do, but for this year, the kids have a folder- Work in Progress... but now I wish I just called it a WORK folder because when I tell the kids to put something in it that they finished but we arent checking today, they say "but I finished it!" and I tell them I dont want it yet! anyways... they have that folder, and a writing binder and a math journal.... and I am thinking of putting the work in progress folders in a crate (well, 2 crates on different sides of the room to cut down on traffic with 32 kids) so that its not a mess in their desk... I just took all their books back except math (which are 2 workbook types), reading practice book and grammar practice book... that way there is WAY less clutter in their desk... collected all the spelling books so my assitant and I will rip the pages out ourselves and staple because it takes up TOO much time...we dont have them bring the books home because they will lose them! so hopefully we will have More clean desks! But I am sure I will change things again and next year!
I think if you make sure they don't have too many things in there, it wouldn't be too bad.
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