First-year and veteran teachers both have the same thoughts each year when they report back to school: where do I begin? Setting up desks, organizing lesson plans, putting away games and manipulatives: it seems like the list is endless. It may seems less critical, but one of the first tasks I tend to start each year are my files. I used to put these files off till later since they aren't the "pretty" part of the classroom, but I have found that to be a mistake. As soon as my files are established, all the other papers and clutter have a home base! As I'm sorting the rest of my materials, I will find papers that need to be organized and my newly created files are the perfect spot!
- Professional Development - Just as Oprah likes to give away cars, your professional development team and administration will shower you with packets of school goals as you return to school. File those puppies away for frequent (or rare) reading during the year.
- Behavior Incidents - Also known as my "You Frustrated Someone Today" file. When you have a kiddo that needs to write a note home to their parents about an incident at school, keep a copy in the behavior file. This is also a great spot for referrals or "think sheets" - the form on which my students reflect on their actions. Whenever any of my students get three incidents in the file, I staple them together and set up meetings or behavior supports as needed. This can help me watch for trends.
- Behavior Plans - Have any year-long behavior plans? Sometimes it's helpful to keep these separate from the specific incident forms (listed above).
- SPED/Intervention - A place to keep your IEPs, 504 plans, etc.
- Human Resources - This file is great for the various pay stubs, contracts, and other forms that you receive throughout the mail. You may also want a separate folder for benefits information, but I tend to just put it all together.
- Tuition Reimbursement / Credits / PDUs - Keep track of documents that you need for renewing your license (varies state to state).
- Observations and Professional Goals - If your admin gives you paper copies of observations, keep them in a file so they aren't sitting out all over your room...unless they are really flattering...then post them in your staff room. I also keep my professional goal documents in the same file, but you could also separate these.
- Specialty Programs - Does your school have a specific focus? PYP? Expeditionary Learning? Waldorf? If so, you'll quickly collect materials about how to best implement your programs. When this happens, you'll need a place to stash them for later.
- Parent Communication - Many teachers tend to keep their parent notes or messages in notebooks or files so they can refer to them later if needed. If you use a notebook, it can be helpful to have a tab for each student to make it easier to find specific communications. I also suggest you keep a copy of all emails from parents digitally or on paper - don't delete them.
- ESL / SIOP - Keep track of your documents for the English as a Second Language program at your school. You may also want a separate folder for specific ESL lessons that you may need to use with your students.
- Beginning of the Year Lessons - Keep all of the community building and back-to-school ideas in one spot. You'll be thankful next fall when the work is done for you! You may also want a separate file for the "First Day", "First Week", etc.
- Back to School Night (and other parent nights) - Keep your documents together for the evenings that you present to parents. Each year, just make a few updates and you'll have more time to stress about your outfit, mints, and if you can fill enough time.
- New Student Materials - Keep extra copies of the "Welcome to School" papers that you give your class on the first day in case you have a new student. I like to make extra packets and keep them in gallon zip-lock bags in a file. As I get other necessary documents throughout the year, I just add to the few zip-lock bags I have set up. Then when a new student arrives, you can give them the bag and let them know you've been waiting for them all year!
- End of the Year Lessons - Keep track of your end-of-the-year traditions and activities in one spot so you can add to the file as you find new resources.
- Conferences - You won't need this file now, but you'll be glad it's established and matching your other files later in the year!
- Report Cards / Grading - Many teachers have a grade book (digitally or in a notebook) set up for tracking grades. However, where do you put all the papers that your district gives you with directions for how to complete report cards? You set up a new file, that's where! :)
- TAG (Talented and Gifted) - Keep track of TAG forms in one place.
- Holidays or Months of the Year - Many teachers like to set up files for major holidays to keep track of specific lessons or events that happen on those days. Other teachers like to have a file for each month, and their holiday lessons can be housed in those files, too.
- Technology / Library - I like having a file for user manuals, technology lesson ideas, library research information, and other papers given from my administration, technology teacher, and librarian.
- Specialists - Keep track of documents from your specialist teachers (tech, music, PE, art, language, etc.) I create a separate file for each.
- Field Trips - Your home base for bus requests, permission slips, bills, etc.
- Substitutes - Keep contact information for your favorite subs in a file. I also suggest saving a few phone numbers in your phone for those late-night emergencies. Many teachers also set up a separate binder to give their subs. These binders could include plans, class lists, seating charts, behavior notes, an attendance sheet, etc.
- State/District Testing - Keep track of scores, instructions, and other documents related to state or district tests.
- Medical Plans - If your school gives you printed copies of your students' allergies or medical plans, it's helpful to keep them together.
- Volunteers - Keep track of your volunteers' schedules in a file as you schedule when (or if) you have volunteers for the year.
- Seating Charts - I like to keep track of my seating charts throughout the year so I can refer to them if I need a reminder of how often little Johnny has sat near his best friend that year. By March, you won't remember where they sat in October.
- Parent Contact Information - My district keeps this information digitally, but if yours doesn't, it'll be helpful to keep contact information together for quick access.
- Union Documents - Keep a file with a copy of your contract and any information you collect from your local or state union. They are there to help, so stay involved!
- Schedules - There is a SPED schedule, one from the counselor, one that tells what days you have music and when you take the kids to PE. Keep them all together for reference.
- Letters from Students - During the first week of school, I have students (and sometimes their parents) write me letters about themselves. I do the same. I like to keep the letters in a binder to refer to as I get to know the kids. These letters can be very revealing and give some insight to students' home lives, interests, educational history, and other useful information.
- Committee Notes - Do you serve on a specific committee or as a leader in your building? Great...create another file!
- Student Files - Every teacher sets up student files differently. Some teachers have one file for each student and keep all work samples/assessments together. Other teachers have a student file per subject (Jose's math, Jose's writing, etc.) My friend, Karlis Tavernier shared a brilliant suggestion that I want to try this year: create a Best Work Student File for each kid to keep their best projects together. Karlis shares, "I could always have something great to show off about every student" for conferences and parent meetings. Genius!
- Confidential - Also known as your "Red" files. Keep any confidential information in here. This could include restraining orders, sensitive medical information, etc.
- Extra Blank Files - You'll need more files eventually. Trust me. Have them ready to go.
- Subject Areas - Have a file, bin, or binder for each of the separate units you teach. When you're done using the documents for the day, you can drop them back in the file you got them from to stay organized. Some teachers have decided to organize theirs based on CCSS, which seems like a great plan! Several of my units are cross-curricular, so I tend to organize by topic.
- Labels - I print a lot of "property of Mrs. F" labels at the beginning of the year. As I get new supplies and books through the year, I label them as I add them to my collection. I keep all of the pre-printed labels in this file.
- Art - I keep all of my examples of finished art projects together so they are easy to show the following year.
- Chocolate - This is more than just a file. Chocolate needs to be stocked in jars, on shelves, in cupboards, and in nooks & crannies. Stock it and keep it stocked. You can't teach without this essential item.
- Other Ideas: grant applications, after school clubs, handbook and code of conduct, CCSS, Standards (all), letters of recommendation, picture day, field day, Positive Behavior Supports, "Feel Good" folder for kind notes and cards, etc.
Want to save yourself the time of creating your own labels? These labels are pre-formatted and can be purchased at the Everyday Elementary Store. <---Click Here
Thank you to Karlis Tavernier, Courtney Brooks, Keith Ayres, Katrina Ayres, Codie Christenson, Kitty Holdren, Catherine Olson, and Shawna Bonnin for sharing your file ideas for this post!
Leave a comment below to share what files YOU use in your classroom!