More classroom organization ideas!

To add onto my second last post about classroom organization ideas, I have some other things I am doing, or have tried, on this post.

• This is my classroom lunch counter. This has been a HUGE help! Thanks to pinterest, my mom thought of using a cookie tray and magnets to hold the lunch count. This was one of the quickest and easiest things I've ever made, and it was also a huge help! The first day of school, each student got a number. (I should have waited to assign numbers until the first day, because I had 3 students never show up, and then it left gaps in my numbering system. I gave them to the new students, but then it wasn't in alphabetical order anymore, and it drives me a little crazy). 
• Overall, I'd give it a 10! While most of my students forget to make a lunch choice (no idea HOW...I could NEVER forget lunch!) it does make it easy for the lunch counter to call who needs to pick yet. I always have one students, no matter what, who forgets to make her lunch choice in the morning. The lunch monitor just calls her number (and whoever else forgets that day) and she quickly chooses a lunch. This is also a big help for me, because I can check who is absent this way. If someone didn't choose a lunch I can check their cubby to see if they're here or not. It cuts down on time calling names or checking desks for attendance (especially since first thing in the morning a lot of students use the bathroom, are working on Calendar Math, or are at ESL class, and I can't keep track of them all). I am going to make a prettier board for next year, but this one has been amazing this year, and I love it!

• One of my favorite inventions in the history of EVER! No really...LIFE SAVER! This is my "choice board," and I use it to fill with activities for the students when they finish ANYTHING. 
• Overall, I'd give it an 8. It is time consuming to figure out what activities to put in. I change them out every month, so the kids don't get sick of the same activities. I get each activity printed on the color paper of the bin it corresponds to. (spelling is on red paper, reading on orange, SS on yellow, etc). I think this will be easier to do next year, because I can repeat all of the activities I did this year. I think I'll also make an answer booklet, because SO many of the kids ask me to check their answers, and I just don't have the time of day to do it. Especially when I have 55 kiddos doing these activities.
• Flaws: I have one girl who does ALL 9 activities within the first couple of days they're out. So then she wants new ones by the end of the first week. Sorry, but I don't have time for that. It's also a hassle to get them all copied, because we have to send out for copies by hand. However, we are going to an electronic copy request by the end of the year, so that'll be nice. The copy center also runs out of some of the paper colors I need, so they print it on whatever they want. That throws me off when putting them in the bins, but it's not too bad. I also have a motivation issue. Some of my students would rather read when they finish. I have no problem with that, except that then they keep reading while I'm trying to teach. I sometimes MAKE them do the choice board activities (because I don't want the paper wasted...even though I do save the leftovers for next year). There are definitely some improvements I'll make on the choice board for next year, but I'll have more time for that as I have a whole summer to prepare!

• Another part of our morning routine is taking down any notes. This notes board has been great! It's right inside the door, so it's usually the first thing they see. They can put lunch money, office notes, absentee slips, or any PTO forms on here. Then, they go in the envelope, and it goes down to the office (with lunch count).
• Once again, my so-called "great" invention is getting an 8. Purely because my messenger always forgets their job, and doesn't take the envelope down. I sort of expect that to be done in the morning, because of how far into the school year we are. But no...I get a call around 9:10, and I look at the notes board, and there hangs our envelope. They have to laugh because I now know just to say "it's on its way" without even saying "Hello, Miss Coleman's room!" At least our office staff is patient with me. My messenger is getting better at this, but when we switch it can be hard drilling into them the importance of their job. One day, my classroom will run smoothly (probably the last week of school...LOL!).

On a separate note, I just got accepted into graduate school this past week! I've put in a couple of different applications, so I'm waiting to hear back from other places before making any decisions. I got accepted into my undergraduate alma mater (go blue jays!) but it's not as flexible as I'd like it to be. So I'm still going to wait and see, and not rush into making a decision.