Teachers, now that your school year is winding down to a close, here are a few tips to close, organize, and evaluate.
Meet with Colleagues
At this point of the year most teachers have had their full share of meetings, but meeting with teachers assistants, grade level or department teams is well worth the time and effort. Discuss what worked during the year, what didn't, and allow for a bit of venting over frustrations. But most importantly use the time to exchange ideas and problem solve for the upcoming school year.
Inventory Classroom Items
I always did a classroom inventory of sorts at the end of the year. I got rid of materials that were no longer usable such as games, puzzles, workbooks, center activities with missing pieces, etc. I come from a long line of pack rats so this was a very important habit for me to develop. During the summer I would go to a lot of garage sales and flea markets and look for different inexpensive classroom materials.
Organize Computer Files
Use your computer for inventory and storage! The computer is an outstanding tool to save filing space for not only class records, but units, lesson plans and masters to reproduce.
Make a copy of the current year's plans, etc. and place them on one disk.
Next, delete the files on the computer hard-drive. This way you can keep your computer from becoming cluttered.
Make a new folder with for the upcoming school year and organize it into six weeks grading periods or by topic (lesson plans, worksheets, tests, forms, etc.)
When you need to get a worksheet or refer to plans from the previous year, simply pop in the disk!
Prepare for the Fall
Do some advance prep work for the Fall.
Laminate and make copies of items that you use frequently so you can start off the year with a good supply.
Go through files and pull out anything that cannot be of use the following year.
It's amazing how doing just a few preparation tasks for the Fall at the end of the year can save time and stress. For example, cut out and laminate nametags, desk tags, even classroom decorations. It will save time and you can beat the rush to the die-cut and laminating machines.
Great Tip For Sending Students Off With a Positive Message
If you're looking for a positive message to leave for your students, teacher Robert Courtmanche agreed to let us share his end-of-year message to students.
"Each year we have an awards banquet, and I give the seniors a little gift and a penny with a message attached to it," Courtemanche, a teacher at Galena Park (Texas) High School, told Education World. The wording of that message, penned several years ago by Courtemanche, follows:
My graduation gift to you is a penny, but why?
Look at the penny and you will understand.
The year is 2001 -- so you will always remember this time.
"Honest Abe" Lincoln is on the front -- always be honest with yourself and others.
The word LIBERTY -- as they say in the Navy, you are now "at liberty," and that means you are free to do as you like. Don't waste that freedom.
IN GOD WE TRUST -- you must trust in someone or something; you can't go through life alone. Trust in yourself, trust in God, trust the life you make.
A penny may be worth only one cent, and you can't buy much with a penny anymore. However, every dollar is made up of 100 pennies, and every kid's piggy bank starts with one penny. The penny, like each of you, is not made of pure silver or gold -- but surely if you put enough pennies together, they will amount to something.
I ask that you go out into the world and amount to something. Set your own value on life, set your own standards and goals.
