Tips for the End of the Year
Posted by Hope Spencer on 11 Jun 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Management, Grade 1, Grades 2-3, Intermediate, Kindergarten, Organization and Supplies, Preschool, Teachers and Teaching, The Mailbox
This time of year can be a whirlwind of activity! There are so many things to accomplish! First and foremost, activities must be wrapped up. But, there is also a room to clean and organize for the next school year, as well as a roomful of students to send off for the summer! To help you as you make your way, I’ve collected several of my favorite tips from current issues of The Mailbox® magazine.
I keep a file folder wish list. When I see an item in a magazine that I’d like or I need for my classroom, I cut out the picture and tape it inside a file folder. I have the folder handy when I complete my supply order or when I shop garage sales over the summer. It’s an easy way to keep up with the things I’ll need in the fall.—from June/July Grades 2/3 Mailbox Magazine
To ease my students’ upcoming transition to second grade, I invite each second-grade teacher, in turn, to read her favorite storybook to my class. The storytime visits reduce youngsters’ anxiety and create anticipation for the fall.—from June/July Grade 1 Mailbox Magazine
As I sort through my classroom at the end of the year, I set beginning-of-the-year materials aside in my “First Week of School” tub. This saves time and prepares me for the first week of kindergarten.—from June/July Kindergarten Mailbox Magazine
Intermediate teachers, click here to get a reproducible page from Intermediate June/July Mailbox Magazine that’s sure to help your students wrap up the end of their school year!
Congratulations to Jamie Nolan, Data Administrator; Port Washington, USFD; Port Washington, NY. She is the winner of the Math Skills Workout Book (Grade 4) in our weekly blog drawing.
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24 Responses to “Tips for the End of the Year”
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I home school my two girls, kindergarden and 3rd. To prepare for the next year I organize our school closet by grade with two toy organizers with buckets, re-labeling them. The girls help with this too. I also look for great ideas for crafts and recipes and cut out the pages and put in sheet protectors, grouping themes together and put in three-ring binder for each grade. All used and unwanted books I donate to the local library.
I put up my bulletin boards for fall before I leave for the summer, and cover them up with bulletin board paper. This saves a lot of time for organizing my classroom when school starts in August
I had a wonderful teaching partner who retired and have used her “end of the year” idea ever since. The children moving on fill in a sheet called “A WORD FROM THE WISE”. It is full of sentence starters like….If you want to stay on the good side of Mrs. y. you better…… If you forget your homework you may as well….. Both teachers(I job share) are the same because……but they’re different because….. If you get in trouble….Then we paste them into a little 81/2 X 11 paper…the class decorates the front with WELCOME TO DIV. 4! and the new students open them during the first week of school in Sept.
I teach kindergarten and started tubs with lids for each month. I told myself that all I need to save for each month would fit in one tub. I was a pack-a-holic but decided this past year to go through my big boxes and throw out or save in one box till the end of the year. Now when the year came to an end, I put everything that I didn’t want on a table and drew kids names. They could come up and pick whatever they wanted. They were so excited to get things from the teacher. Even their brothers and sisters came in the next day to see if I had anything else. I also set out books from my library that I didn’t want, the glue bottles for kids to take home, bundled up markers, crayons, etc. It was a great way to get rid of things. Also, you may want to donate some things to churches for their Sunday School, VBS, or other summer organizations. They can always use things. I do set out my tub for September before I close up my room. I quickly look through it for things I may have wanted to remember to collect over the summer.
I try to re-label/re-number all of my textbooks, as even permanent marker tends to be worn down by little hands throughout the year. I also check my math kits to see which kits need replenishment.
One of the things I think is important at the end of the year is to TOSS! Get rid of the bottles with little dabs of paint or glue in them! Toss all of that scrap paper for cutting practice and the books that have just been loved and read to much! It helps to start the year with clean cupboards and shelves.
I also use the folder system but use a spiral notebook. I write in it all year long and glue and tape in ideas for things to buy or create myself. It is a great tool for starting the new year.
Love Mailbox and all the great ideas!!
I’m new to this website and hope to use it to keep me organized this school year; I’ve already gotten a good tip
What I try to do is keep a list going on my desk of supplies I will need for next year. It is a list of the things I used the most throughout the year. I do the same for my students so I can revamp their school supply list. I also have a basket on my file cabinet. I put any supplies and ideas in it that are for the start of the school year. This makes the transition from summer to the start of school easier:)
When I taught Kindergarten & Second grade I had the class that was moving up leave a note for the incoming student that will be sitting in their chair. Explaining what that grade was like and what they learned in class. They included their favorite things we did during the course of the year.
When school began again in September I placed a goody bag (pencils, erasers ect.) next to the note on their desk. Everyone enjoyed this activity.
I have a folder I keep with items I find to start and end the school year with. I have a packet for parents to fill out to help me get to know their child at the beginning of the year. I teach early childhood special education (3-6 yr old). I send a summer packet home for my students. In the packet, I include a piece of sidewalk chalk, small container of bubbles, a sucker, a band aid, hugs, and kisses. I also send home a book from Scholastic. I have some recipes to make playdo and ideas to do with their child.