Helping the New Educator Organize Work

Work with your New Educator to organize the current mess. In preparation for the work session, create appropriate labels for file folders as well as cover and spine inserts for three-ring binders. Create a visual catalog of organizational systems by taking photographs of desks, bookcases, cabinets, crates, etc. that are organized in a way that the teacher who uses the system is satisfied. Other ways to create visual menus include using a camcorder to capture organizational systems in your own school or collaborating with other mentors in the district to create a web cast focused not only on paper flow but also on all classroom organizational systems. New teachers who have well-functioning organizational systems in place are far less likely to face on-going student behavior issues. Organizational systems are one of the important keys to higher levels of student learning.

Source: Rutherford, Paula "Dealing with the Paper Flow” Mentoring in the 21st Century™ November 2007.