Saturday, May 31, 2014

End of the Day Routines

Organization is key when it comes to teaching...especially if you are an elementary teacher.  Everything must be ready prior to the day starting.  I mean everything.  All heck can break out if you {God forbid} forget to lay out the manipulatives you plan on using or even worse, forget to make a class set of copies of a worksheet you wanted to you.  Am I right!?

All of this "prep" work happens for me after the kids leave each day.  My plan time is an hour after they go home and I spend the first 10 minutes or so "cleaning up the room."  I do enlist in students to help out with most of the "cleaning" jobs for the next day.  Below are the things that I do to prepare for an upcoming school day:

I change the "helper" of the day.  
I change my center charts.  I do Literacy and Math centers.
*I have 23 kids.  Some go to guided reading/RTI during this time!*
The last thing the kids do before dismissal is silent reading.  I quickly grab their pencils while they are getting situated.
I sharpen them after they leave.
I straighten up the computer area and put the left out AR books away.
A student moves the clips back to the starting point on our behavior stick.
I have a student put out the next day's morning work.  Love Kelley's morning work!
I lay everything {I mean everything} out for the next day.  You can never be too prepared when teaching littles!  I have a long counter that I keep clear for the day's stuff.
I stuff mailboxes with homework for the next day.
One of my kids changes the date and day.  I get their lunch cards from my mailbox and put them in the pocket chart.
I'm a germ-a-phobe.  I have a student wipe down my guided reading table every day and put the chairs up.
I use a wipe on my desk.
Or maybe two wipes. 
And I wipe down my computer desk and shut down my computer.  
I get such a feeling of satisfaction leaving my second home in order each afternoon!  What do you do to prepare!?

xo
Megan 

6 comments:

  1. I have student "cleaning" jobs also like librarian, trash collector, pencil monitor. But...those are the least popular so it seems they don't get done. First thing I do after the kids leave is check their papers for the day then set everything out for the next day!

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  2. My plan is always to get ready for the next day before I leave school... but it rarely happens. Your post has really inspired me, thanks Megan! :)

    Lauren
    Love, Laughter and Learning in Prep!

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  3. Great tips! Organization is key! Where did you get that cute white container on your desk for pens?

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  4. @Jennifer Hiers

    Hi Jennifer! Thanks so much! The white spinner thing is from Michael's. The other white container with the red ribbon is from a gift shop in Florida.

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  5. Every student in my class has a job. The last few minutes before dismissal are designated for tidying up, so I don't have to do it all. Moving names from attendance check in, lunch count, names on behavior chart, stacking chairs, turning computers, off, passing out folders, sweeping, wiping tables with baby wipes (we are not allowed Clorox nor would I allow a child to use those), washing paint brushes, wiping down boards, etc. The only thing I have to do before I leave is make sure my desk is cleaned up and write outcomes on my board for the next day. I agree preparation is key!

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Thanks for your comments!