Mrs. Johnson is Starting to Prepare!

I have not done my door yet!! This is from last year! (Just to clarify!)

Well, it is almost that time - SCHOOL TIME. I don't even want to think about it, to be completely honest! But, when we went to Corinth this weekend, my sister-in-law got me motivated (a bit) by showing me all her plans for homeschooling her FIVE children for this year!

I had already bought some of the materials I needed to prepare some things I like for my students to have...all I lacked was the work. So, today, I began! The first thing I did was buy a paper cutter. I am SO excited about this little device! If you are a teacher, you understand why. I use these things like CRAZY!! Usually, I get ALL my things together to take to the Teacher Resource Center downtown. I laminate, cut, and di-cut there - it's an all day process (sometimes two or three). It's just nice to have all that "stuff" done before I walk into the room. I can get more done. Anyway, I got this paper cutter for like $35 at Office Depot - I thought that was a great deal! It works great!


I started work on the students' FROG books. I started this last year and LOVED it! I bought each student a 1 inch binder with clear plastic cover to stuff a cover in. (Yes, I'm one of those teachers that spends all my money on my class!) My theme is "frogs," so a FROG book worked well for me - Fully Responsible Organized and Growing Students. I am a huge neat freak and wanted a way to keep my students organized (which was impossible before this). I take construction paper (cut to fit in the binder) and put preprinted labels on them - one with each subject - and laminate. These are the dividers. We put the FROG books together during the first week - the students get SO excited about this colorful binder that is THEIRS to keep! In each section, they have notebook paper for notes, and an objective checklist. As we cover topics, I have them "check it off" so they can see how much they have learned this year and how much is left. This was so exciting when we had covered 'almost' everything. It's almost like a countdown! Throughout the year, I will let them know what to add to their FROG books: relevant worksheets, notes I have copied for them, etc. They take FROG books home before tests to study. They love taking them home to show their parents because it's so colorful and "fancy." Hmm....good teaching strategy?! Whatever works! Then, they have everything in ONE place - NEAT and ORGANIZED! Yea! I won and they don't even know they are learning a valuable skill!

There are many variations of this binder. Some of it was a little much for me - and irrelevant for the students I service. The FROG book works for me. But, there are lots of good ideas to add if you like. Here is a link.

Dividers (I also have Science, Social Studies, and Class Information sections)

After working on the FROG books (everything ready to laminate), I printed the labels for a couple more things I just want them to have Day 1. Some people may call this obsessive, but I just like for some things to be exactly the same - and this is how I do it. I bought 60 spiral notebooks last week at Walmart for five cents each! I always do this, and I never regret it! You'd be surprised how many of my students come with nothing but a pencil. Plus, it only cost me $3. I use spiral notebooks for two reasons:
1) writing journal - Last year I began using IEW writing program (Roan, my sister-in-law uses this for her children...and I love it!) More on this later.
2) JAMS Journal - Journal About Math and Science (J.A.M.S) - My students use this every day for math. Before each lesson, I begin with "Fab Four" (four problems from different areas to review and keep them sharp on past material). This work goes into the JAMS journal. They also use this for science centers to record data. So, instead of having loose leaf paper all over the place, I can just say "Put that in your JAMS journal." I really enjoy this notebook!

Writing Journal and JAMS journal - ready and NEATLY labeled!

First day back to "school work" - FINISHED!!

I know I probably bored most of you! Hopefully, I may have given some fellow teachers some ideas - or motivation, at the least! I know I need all I can get! I'll post more pictures of my work and classroom as I get a chance.