Keep Students Organized with Folders!

Do your students seem to lose everything?!  Well if so, I have a tip that might help you out!  Teaching students to stay organized is a major component of my classroom.  I do this in a very simple, yet effective way.  It is simple, cheap, and easy!  Check out my Bright Idea for keeping students organized with folders!


The basic idea is a simple one.  RED means STOP and GREEN means GO - that's easy!  The students have two folders - one red and one green.


The red folder symbolizes STOP, because it never goes home.  It always stays in the student desk.  This houses all unfinished work that needs to be completed while at school.  

The green folder symbolizes GO, because it goes home each and every day.  I label the folder with one side saying "Leave at Home" and the other side saying "Return to School".  When we pass out papers at the end of the day, the students place them in one of the two pockets.


So that's it!  Easy, simple, cheap, and effective!  Have your kiddos organized in no time!  Just a helpful tip: I usually purchase the green and red folders during back to school time for pennies at local retailers.  Get started next year with some red and green folders!

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9 comments

  1. Love color coding and this idea makes so much sense! It was always so frustrating realizing that a kiddo took home something that we needed in class or vice-verse, so this is genius! Thanks so much for sharing :)

    ~Stephanie
    3rd Grade Thoughts

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  2. Such a great idea! It keeps the kiddos organized and makes it super easy for parents, too! Love it!
    Linda
    AroundtheKampfire

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  3. Great idea! My students have the green folder already (but it's not green). I never thought of having a folder for unfinished work. Thanks for sharing.

    Jennifer

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  4. Love the folders - so simple yet so effective!


    :) Shelley

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  5. I use a similar method for sending work home, but I use Nicky's Folders because they are plastic and don't rip and I love the clear sleeve in the front to make each child a personalized cover page. But next year I won't have my precious Nicky's Folders at my new school, so I'll definitely use your idea! Thanks!

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  6. I love this method! It's so organized -- my favorite thing!

    Erica
    The Blossoming Teacher

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  7. Great idea. Well organized. Check out our new website when you have a chance at: Created by Teachers, Exclusively for Teachers

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  8. I am so going to implement this in my classroom (when I finally have one!)
    Thanks for the great tips!

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  9. My school uses the same reading series as you. I am wanting to teach phonics and language in order but rearrange the stories so that they are grouped thematically. Do you teach the stories in the order of the book?

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