There are some great books out there on improving teaching practice, pedagogy, history of education, ed policy etc. But sometimes the day to day minutiae can detract from grand plans, and what you really need are tips and systems to improve efficiency:The problem: Paper management. Enough said.
The pro-tip: Magnetic hanging wall folders.
120 students X 5 school days in a week X 3 handouts per day = (conservatively) 1,800 sheets of paper each week. Not to mention students handing in assignments, missing days of school, picking up papers late. Nor, also differentiated assignments, multi-part packets, gallery walk items etc. Let's just say conservatively 1,800 sheets of paper per week are flowing through your classroom. That is a lot to keep track of.
Fundamental idea here is: make organization visible. If something is clearly labeled "Missed Work, Tuesday" it is difficult for other things to live in that wall folder. Further, it gives students access to the materials and frees you from needing to a) constantly reprint b) manage each student's papers on top of your own.
(the missed word bins in my room, I also use the folders for classroom magazines and extra credit submissions)
Note: if you teach sophomores you'll need to explain that the magnetic folders are, in fact, not load bearing. This will come up yearly.
Caveat emptor - this is a part of an occasional series, these are all small ideas, none are earth shattering, but they have been helpful to me. Have other pro tips?Feel free to share in the comments.
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