If we were to total up the amount of time we spent repeating ourselves each day or doing mundane things {like searching for a specific page in a book!} I think we’d be astonished! Here are some quick & easy teacher and classroom hacks to make life easier and a bit more efficient in your classroom.
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Use Glue when Laminating Small Pieces
Laminating small pieces? Dab a little glue on the back of the pieces before you send them through the laminator. Then you won’t need to worry about the little pieces shifting all over!
Purchasing a laminator for my classroom has been one of the best decisions. I no longer let things pile up to put through our school’s laminator. Plus, the laminator sheets are thicker and come in a variety of sizes so you don’t need to waste so much!
Create Small Labels for Organizing
Are you using Centers in a Snap in your classroom? I’ve got an easy way for you to manage your games!
Open up the digital file and print out a smaller version of the game magnets. Affix these smaller labels to colored paper and laminate.
Then, slip these labels into the front of the bucket. This makes it easier for even the non-readers to recognize their math game for the day!
Label Things By Number
Label things by number, not name! Yes, it’s a tiny bit impersonal, but it allows you to reuse things year after year.
I use numbers to label our lunch tickets.
And I use numbers to label the classroom cubbies, too! I used my Cricut to create labels for the cubbies and they’ve held up for years.
Of course, things that go inside of student desks get a name tag and classroom hooks get their personalized picture.
But other than that? Give it a number! Your students quickly learn their number and it makes collecting field trip forms, lining up for emergency drills, and so many other things quicker! Even on things that do include student names {such as their take-home folders} I still include a number so I can quickly see who has or has not returned it.
Need an easy way to label your students’ materials with their names? Check out my post about using a thermal printer in the classroom.
Make Bookmarks in Student Books
We have two HUGE math books that our students use each year. In the beginning of the year when we’re trying to simply master our numbers to 100, it can be pretty tricky to ask a student to open up their workbooks to page 132. Bookmarks fall out and post-its lose their stickiness pretty quickly when touched by little hands.
Not to worry – tape + string to the rescue!
Tape a string with shipping tape in the back of your giant math books {or journals!} so you can easily find the next page. This is a great job to enlist a parent volunteer for.
Plastic Boxes
Teachers all have different ways to organize materials – whether it’s file cabinets, buckets, or binders. But one of my favorite ways is to have a small box for the month.
Unit Materials
Some of my units {such as the Continents} get their very own box. Because there are so many samples for me to share with my students, I like to give the unit its own box.
Monthly Materials
Anything you use for the month, toss it into the box. Then, when you go back next year to plan, pull out the bucket and see what you did. These plastic boxes are big enough to hold samples and all the materials.
These boxes are plenty big to hold standard paper and all the goodies you use in the month. They’re also durable! I’ve had my set for 10+ years and they still look brand new.
Want a set of free set of monthly labels? Grab those here!
Velcro All the Things!
You know the saying, If you can’t duct it…well, you know! I feel this strongly about Velcro! I use Velcro dots everywhere in my classroom – from book bin labels to our desktop supply boxes. It’s the best!
I reuse the supply boxes every year so I affix a velcro dot to the students’ nametags each year.
I also use Velcro dots for our classroom library bins. I’ve had these labels FOR YEARS and they always hold up!
And our book drawers filled with leveled books also get a little velcro treatment. Using velcro allows me to move things around as I get more books for bins or buckets.
My Favorite Classroom Hack – Stop Repeating Directions!
We repeat ourselves over and over already! Make following directions a tiny bit easier for your students with visual directions. This pack has several versions and sizes and over 50 directions to display.
This simple hack saves me so much time so I can focus more time on the things that matter in my classroom!
Best Teacher & Classroom Hacks for Organization & Efficiency
These classroom hacks are designed to save time and increase efficiency for teachers. These ideas can help streamline classroom organization and management, from laminating tips to creative labeling strategies.
Using tools like Velcro, plastic boxes, and visual directions can make daily tasks easier for teachers and students.
By implementing these simple yet effective hacks, teachers can spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time focusing on what really matters – teaching!
What are your favorite classroom hacks as a teacher? What has helped you and your students the most? Tell me in the comments!