Week 4- The Teacher Desk!!! (There should be some loud scary music playing here!)
Jodi gives wonderful tips this week over at The Clutter-Free Classroom, all of which I can't follow. I love pens, different pens, fuzzy pens, feather pens, all colors, etc. The office likes "black or blue," they are so business, business like. I love post-it notes- yes, she does too.
I can't get rid of my teacher desk! (check out my link to week 2 and 3) It is the one area in the room that I call my own. I have my corner set up as my station and hub.
One of the things that I do right on the first day is explain my procedures- hands off my desk. I know it is terrible, but it is a pet-peeve of mine. Students usually are okay with it. I set a station for them and they have lots of materials on hand provided for them- markers, glue, colored pencils, while boards, black sock erasers, expo markers, writing paper, scissors, staplers, hole punchers, highlighters, etc. I label all the drawers as well. I also read one of the other bloggers that posted already saying I keep my own set of supplies so that I don't have to touch markers that have been in mouths and/ or noses. Yuck! I'm not saying that 6th graders would put them up their noses, but I agree with her- power to you and a shout out to Ms. M Check her out!
Jodi even gives reasons for keeping a clean desk which I agree with all of them. I definitely agree with the last one. I have found myself very relaxed this week with a clean desk.
This weeks prompt was the following:
What do I like about it.- Everything. I feel less stressed when I can see the desk.
How would you change it?- well, after reading a few of the tips, I went back to school and tried to clean off even more. I have a bench that the students come to me for one on one. I put away a few of the containers of pencils and clips. I still have a container of pencils, my post-it note apple dispenser, stapler, desktop calendar, and electric hole puncher. I want to get a few more of these off my desk- especially the hole puncher. I'm just waiting to get 2 more book cases.
I'm still making progress and taking baby steps in this wonderful project. I'm enjoying the tasks, the questions, and the reflection. I can't wait to see what is in store for next week.
Have you signed up yet? Come on you can do it!
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| This what my desk area looked like before. I had a trash bag that I was purging those files you see under the green container and in the container. I even had stuff on the bench. |
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| Okay, I wasn't really thinking about a really close shot of my desk. I want to get rid of the mailbox behind my desk and the computer table. I want to put a bookcase so I can get the hole puncher off my desk top. It isn't clear, but I have a tissue box holder, pens, etc. I've taken a few more things off my desk even after this photo. |
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| This is a better picture and I will need to take some closer shots to update this, but I can see the desk- Can't you? |
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| This is one of my student stations- red basket- is notes from home, the mailbox is labeled "In" and "Out" with each core- I have 3. Two pencil sharpeners only to be used when they first start class. Highlighters int he blue bucket. White mailbox is for students to communicate to me about issues they are having with another student or they need extra help and want it to be on the "low-down." The drawers have hole punchers, staplers, regular paper, graph paper, scissors, glue, etc. |
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| An even closer shot of the Student's station. |
