[bri]

I'm going through all my old files from last year to get organized for the new year. Last year was my first year, so everything has been trial and error.

I'm having a tough time figuring out how to organize my old worksheets and lessons. I have them divided into subjects and then into specific skills, but within skills I may have a packet of 25 papers that I never used so the skills folders are thick and some may only have like 10 papers or some only 1. Should I just throw out the extras? I hate to waste paper.

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep my papers in order?

[volstate]

After a few years, I began to have so many great resources that folders were driving crazy. Now I have a binder for each subject. I even have a seperate reading one divided my stories in the basal and a seperate graphic organizers binder. My content binders are seperated by units. This has made life SOOOO much easier. For me, it is so much easier to turn pages in the binder as opposed to have folder after folder to have to go through. Now, sometimes if I have several extra like you said, I will write a post it and stick it on the hard copy in the binder. This reminds me that inside the file cabinet there are copies ready to be used.

[ConnieWI]

Binders with plastic sleeves have become my best friend! I have a binder for each level in guided reading, one for each chapter of Everyday Math, one for each quarter (nine lessons/quarter) for spelling, and one for each unit in social studies. When I find new materials for these subjects that would be useful, I just put them in a new sleeve and add them to the binder. It is so much easier to page through the binder than though files.

I wish I had found binders and plastic sleeves earlier in my career... they have made organization so much easier!

[Chick]

Use binders for each subject. Then organize the sheets based on your state teaching standards. Could that be done?

[Hitchcock66]

I use inexpensive or the expensive (on sale only!!) ones to organize my old worksheets. I am in a school where there are copying can be an issue at times, so I never through anyting out that I know I am going to use again.

What I do is use the ziploc bags to store class sets of my worksheets. I place them in a ziploc bags, label them and then store them in small continers with lids. Therefore, all my math worksheets are in one container and so one. I even place two sets in one ziploc bag facing opposite each other. All I have to do is turn the bag around to make sure of its contents. This saves bags.

Ziploc bags are used in my classroom to store worksheets that my students frequently use. For example, I may make 100 to 200 copies of a reading respone sheet on making text to self connections and place them in a ziploc. My students have easy access and they are organized in a crate in my reading area. It keeps things neat and organized. Not to mention clean. I also use them to store colorful printing paper and card stock paper. The paper remain dust free because they are stored in the bags.

I perfer the ones that don't zip across. The ones that snap are better. A box of ziploc bags is a requirement on my student supply list.
My students use them to transport books from the library from school to home. They have many purposes in the classroom and we go through boxes of them each year.
Hope this helps.

[bri]

Thanks. I have half my stuff in binders and the other half in files. I think that's why I'm so confused as to what to do. ONe minute I like files the next I like binders.
I think binders are right.

[scraphappy]

GET RID OF ALL THE PAPER! My advice to all of my clients is to eliminate as much paper as possible. Work on developing a very organized system for saving files on your computer instead. I even scan the pages from teacher resource books and just print a copy as needed each year.

[dogs]

In the binders by subject do you put the pages you rip out of the supplemental resource books that go along with the text in them? What about the transparencies? What size binder?