Although this picture shows what it is like to be organized externally, there is also and internal aspect of teacher that requires great amount of organization. This is the paperwork and information that comes with every student. For instance, a teacher has to be organized in his or her grade book, and tracking the progress of each student. This could get very confusing depending on how many students the teacher has. After viewing many different teaching styles through my years of school, I have noticed that teachers use binders to keep themselves organized. I am a very visual person so I believe that binders are the best way to keep organized. Separate binders could be used for lesson plans, tracking progress of students, classwork papers, and other things that are used during teaching.
When I was a senior in high school I was able to take EDU 210 at my high school through Southern New Hampshire University. With this course came a field experience aspect, where I was able to intern a first grade elementary school teacher in the town that I was from. This teacher was by far the most organized person that I have ever seen in my entire life. Her class was very colorful and student friendly, all her books were neatly put away, and every station of her classroom was labeled for her students. What was very impressing about this teacher was that she was very organized when it came to her lesson plans, and keeping progress of all her students. She had her own bookshelf where she kept binders that were all hers to go back to when she needed it. She taught me just how important it is to be organized, and I hope to be as great as a teacher as she is. Her organization was one of the aspects of teaching that lead her to success as a first grade teacher.
I really enjoyed reading this post and I agree with most of the points you made. I am a very organized person, as well as an organized student. I know that as a future educator, I would want my classroom to be neat as well. I love the idea of color coding in the classroom; that's actually how I organize my folders and notes for each of my classes. I am a visual person as well so color coding really helps me. Though not all students may be visual, it can still help them stay neat and organized, knowing where everything belongs.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog post. I think the same way about my future classroom to the point where I also spend time on pintrest getting ideas! I think organization is key when being a teacher. There is a lot of responsibilities and paper work that needs to be kept in place. Also, it creates a better learning environment for the students when it is organized. I feel like it promotes better learning and sets a good example for them.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post about classroom organization. Keeping a classroom organized as a teacher is a very important thing to do, not just for yourself but for students as well. I remember having a teacher in 6th grade who was completely disorganized, this didn't help our learning process at all. Color coating things in a classroom doesn't only keep things organized but it makes the classroom fun too! Staying organized in a fun way is great for the students.
ReplyDeleteColor coding is visually helpful for so many people- of all ages! Once, I remember doing a Venn Diagram activity with my class, comparing/contrasting solids, liquids and gases. I typically color coded everything. In this activity, I put the facts on randomly colored cards and it really confused some students- they were looking for the answers based on the color coding but I had not done it!
ReplyDeleteIt's important to stay organized in so many ways- there is a lot of information and "stuff" to manage. You make a good point about organizing yourself mentally. Never forget that a perfectly written plan book, complete with detailed objective and color coding does not equate with good teaching. In other words, sometimes being very organized can lead to rigidity and/or a fear of following one's intuition when teaching. I'm not saying not to be organized- absolutely necessary! But take into account the beauty of spontaneity as well.
I like that you included that there was a difference between being organized internally and externally. A teacher could have the most organized, "cutest" room in the whole school, but her ideas could be allover the place and this is also not helpful to the students. In order for the students to have organized thoughts, the teacher needs to present the information in an organized manner. I am also a very visual person and would love to be in a classroom that is organized like this, but I would get very frustrated if the teacher spent all of her times organizing the classroom and had no idea on how to teach with organization or a method.
ReplyDelete