If you're an organization freak like myself, you may LOVE the topic of teacher planners and binders like I do! Even though all teachers should be enjoying their summer right now, it may give you piece of mind to have everything ready for Back to School. In fact, you can just spend an hour or two planning and then enjoy the rest of your summer worry-free!!
What I've found to be incredibly helpful for staying organized throughout the school year are teacher binders... They are simply LIFE SAVERS. Don't kill your precious time by rifling through endless stacks of papers in a big drawer.. No teacher has time for that!
Let this be the year that you start utilizing teacher binders in your classroom! If you're not sure how to go about it, here are my tips and a few free resources!
Tip #1 - Have separate binders for separate topics or resources.
This will prevent your binders from paper overload. I like to have a separate binder for when a substitute comes in.. I'll just leave out that binder for them! Also having a student binder with student-related printables (homework folder, while you were out sick/here's what you missed folder, student information, reading logs, IEP forms, etc.) is nice to have separate from my own teacher binder.
Tip #2 - Use plastic sheet protectors and have master copies. That makes everything WAY MORE organized and paper friendly!
Tip #3 - This is my biggest tip - Go digital. Have everything saved and backed up on the computer in case of an emergency. I cannot tell you how many times I've dumped coffee inside my teacher bag... so fun. You can thank me later. ;)
Tip #4 - Make it EDITABLE for every year! (another reason to go the digital route!)
Tip #5 - Use tabs to find things FAST.
Tip #6 - Have an entire calendar in your teacher binder, not just Monday through Friday. If you're like most teachers, (unfortunately) your planning isn't just limited to weekdays. Have multiple formats available in your binder for planning!
Tip #7 - Have a MISC section. I love having this section in my binder for extra planning templates.
Tip #8 - Use binder spines. SO much easier to find on the bookshelf!
Tip #9 - Be even MORE ORGANIZED with topic covers and a Table of Contents!
Tip #10 - Edit so it fits the needs of your students! This is a great reason to have digital and editable copies of your binder. Your students needs will change every year. You will need to alter your binders to accommodate your new students!
Here are some FREEBIES that you may use as templates in your teacher binder!
Download all the free pages in one PDF file here!
So those are my tips and freebies for creating teacher binders in the classroom! If you loved the binders you saw in the photos, I designed them and you can find them here! :)
Triple Binder Bundle! - Teacher - Student - Substitute Editable Binders
Teacher and Student Editable Combo Pack
Editable Teacher Binder
Editable Student Binder
Editable Substitute Binder
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