Organizing Student Work for Portfolios

Hi everyone!  I'm super excited to link up for another Bright Ideas Blog Hop!  I love getting new ideas that make teaching easier.

Since I teach special education students, I need to keep student work to show how students are or are not progressing.  I've tried different ways to organize all their work for their student portfolios.  For a long time, I used 3-ring binders.  But they're bulky and honestly sometimes I don't want the work 3-hole punched.

I finally found this super easy (why didn't I think of it before) system just using a simple crate from Target.

For each student, I use 4 cheap folders.  One has their name on it and includes personal information like copies of their IEPs, their last IEP progress report, their contact information, and other random papers.  I make a folder for each area that I'm keeping data.  For me, that is reading, writing, and math.

This makes keeping work super easy and makes filing for each student super fast.  Once a quarter is complete, I take all of the work our and put it in a folder labeled __ quarter.  What I also like about this system is that it's super easy to change out if you have students who move or come in.  Since only one folder has the student's name on it, I can either white out the name and reuse it or throw it out.

There you go!  It's not genius by any means but I wish I had thought of it a few years ago.

Next up, you'll want to hop on over to Amanda from Around the Kampfire's blog to see how she makes the most of anchor charts in her classroom.

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Public Service Announcement: Teacher Hoarders

I've taught in a few schools in a few different states (thanks Marine Corps!).  One thing I've noticed is that some teacher are HOARDERS!!  Oh man, do some teachers like to hold onto things for a long, long time.

I was just offered a 2nd grade SPED resource position, so I'm back full time again.  There might be only a few months left in the year, but I can't stand a cluttered classroom.  I've been slowly going through things and throwing junk away.  I'm pretty sure the custodian hates me already!  

So far I've found some interesting things.

This play dough with MOLD on it might be the most surprising thing yet!  Yikes!  How long does it take for play dough to grow mold?  Scary!

A rice cooker and a toaster oven is something you don't see in a classroom everyday.

This blast from the past that I found last year was pretty awesome though!  Man, I loved He-Man as a kid!  Too bad there wasn't a SheRa book though.

I also found some pretty outdated curriculum.  Do we need to keep work books that are almost 20 years old?  

And oh man the worksheets.  Tons and tons and tons of worksheets.  I'm sure there was good intent to use these worksheets, but it just didn't work out.  Please, recycle that paper!  And I have one word of advice to leaving, transferring, retiring teachers.  Throw the worksheets away.  I know you mean well but most teachers don't have time to dig through old worksheets and see what's useable.  Most of us will find our own thing that fits our teaching style anyway.

If you think you might be a teacher hoarder, look around your room and think about what you can throw away or donate.  I've only made a small dent in cleaning out my new room, but I will get it done!  I don't know if I should be scared or excited about the possible finds that are lurking in my 4 floor-to-ceiling cabinets!

Communicating With Gen Ed Teachers (Let's All Be Informed)

I'm super excited to be linking up for the Bright Idea Blogger Hop!

This hop is going to be an awesome way for you find all kinds of bright ideas for you to use in your classroom!

As an intervention teacher, I've found that it can be super hard to find the time to meet and discuss students' progress with the gen ed teachers.  I wanted the gen ed teachers to be able to know what skills I was working on and the progress of their students at any time even though they may not be able to actually meet with me very easily.

I keep all of my data in a 3-ring binder for each group.

 I keep a sort of lesson plan that lets the teachers know what skills I was working on that day.  And it helps me keep track of which students attend intervention group.

For each student in my reading groups, I take a weekly fluency check and a cold read comprehension check.  I keep the original fluency and comprehension quiz in the binder.

In front of those, I keep a fluency graph.  I LOVE graphs.  They can really can give you that visual about a student's progress.  Although this student is reading below grade level, she's really improving on her fluency!

Graphs can also really let you see when students just aren't making progress like this student.  This is one that I'm super worried about.  Even though he's in my most intense, smallest group, he's just not coming along like I think he should be.  :(

I also keep this form at the front of the binder for each group.  This gives the teachers a quick snapshot of how everyone in the group is doing.

To keep track of their weekly comprehension check, I use this simple form.  As you can tell, comprehension can be really tough.

I also have a math group that I see daily.  On Fridays, I give them a quick quiz that covers several skills.  By looking at their data like this, I can quickly tell which skills I need to keep remediating and which skills they seem to get.  Here's a really good week!  Usually, most of my students miss the word problem.

So there you go!  It may seem daunting to keep data, but honestly, it's really quick.  Once you get the forms set up and your binders organized, it takes no time to add the new information.

Now you should definitely hop on over to Teachable Moments to find out all about how she used Dollar Stores finds in her classroom.  And can I just add that it's really unfair there is no Dollar Store in Hawaii!  You can find her post {here}.

More Bright Ideas for Lower Grades:

1. Using Hallway Time Wisely	2. Adding In Movement	3. Three Steps to Increased Student Engagement	4. Partner Talk Tips
5. Singapore Math	6. Start a Kindness Revolution	7. Easy No Sew Chair Pockets	8. Managing Your Turn-In Tray
9. Valentine's Day Door for Craft-Phobic Teachers	10. Tips from the Trenches	11. Fluency Tips and Tricks	12. Fishies Can't Write ~ Writing with Class Mascots
13. Goodbye Carpet Squares!	14. Science Centers from Dollar Store Finds	15. Interrupter Stopper! Classroom Management	16. Color Coding Text Evidence
17. School-year Resolutions!	18. Student Leaving the Classroom Board	19. Unique Art Ideas	20. Brain Breaks for Winter
21. Gallery Walk	22. Dice and card games	23. Reading Instruction with Readworks	24. Blurt Chart + Minute to Win It
25. Class/Student Supplies	26. Learning CAN come from Creative Hands	27. DIY Privacy Screens	28. Whole Brain Teaching The BIG 7
29. Celebrate Writing	30. Tap Light Ideas	31. Adapting activities	32. Organizing Student Data
33. Cooperative Learning	34. Edible Science	35. Don't Rip Your Hair Out - Classroom Management	36. Bright Ideas for iPads in Elementary
37. Simple 5 Minute Game	38. In case of emergency	39. A Differentiated Kindergarten Bright Idea	40. The Many Uses of Mini-Desks!
41. Classroom Management & Brain Break Ideas!	42. Pinterest for Smooth Transitions	43. Word Making Fun	44. Technology in the Classroom
45. Keep 'Em Learning in the Hall!	46. Teacher's Technology Station	47. Building Reading Stamina in Kindergarten	48. Don't Waste a Second!
49. Managing Computer Time	50. A Classroom Bank	51. Classroom Management...When all else fails....	52. Using Sentence Frames To Help Students Write
53. Data Notebooks in Kindergraten	54. Making Every Minute Count with Math Facts	55. Help from DonorsChoose	56. Save Time With Labels
57. good behavior... no matter where you are!	58. All About Fidgets!	59. Math Journal Fun!	60. GINORMOUS TUB Organization
61. Magic e sort	62. Keeping Kinders Organized	63. Building Vocabulary	64. Scientist Lab Coats in 3 Easy Steps
65. A Solution To Copycats	66. High Fliers	67. Teacher Heaven	68. Easily Distracted Students
69. Colorful Center Creation Idea	70. Whole Brain Teaching: Super Improver Wall	71. Twitter, Tweets & Graffiti	72. Best Toolbox E V E R!
73. Dollar Store Items in the Classroom	74. Organizing Supplies	75. Early Number Ideas Using Feet	76. Interactive Word Wall
77. Small Group Writing Conferences	78. Kidblog in the Classroom	79. Visual Spelling Practice	80. A TOUCH of Technology during Daily 5
81. Offering Choice in the Classroom	82. Accountable Talk	83. Displaying Student Work	84. Portfolio Writing
85. Ten Tips For Helping Learning Stick	86. Why didn't I think of that! {organization}	87. Creating with Classroom Materials	88. Writing mini-rubrics
89. Literacy Studio	90. Attention Getting Signals	91. Organizing Games in the Classroom	92. Making word work independent!
93. Coin Counting Fluency	94. Reusing Containers for Learning	95. Get Kids Moving- AND Learning!	96. Groundhogs and Shadows
97. Think Math	98. Engage Students Outdoors with Authentic Writing	99. Organizing Classroom School Supplies	100. An Adaptable Learning Game
101. Communicating with Gen Ed Teachers	102. Classroom Organization	103. Organizing Guided Reading Time	104. Beginning Letter Sounds Game and Song
105. Book Box Organization	106. Birthdays & Student Jobs	107. Behavior Management Ideas

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More Bright Ideas for Upper Grades:

1. Critical and Creative Thinking in Minutes A Day!	2. Get great discussions going in your room!	3. Organizing Lesson Plans	4. Indoor Recess: Try Mum Ball?
5. 7-Up! Introducing New Vocabulary	6. Math Manipulatives on a Budget	7. Secret Student (Even for Big Kids)	8. Displaying Mentor Texts
9. Just Add Kids and Questions- Quick Review Game	10. Classroom Organization: Colored Pencils	11. Save Your Old Cords	12. Making Meaningful Connections
13. The BIG Move (From Primary to Intermediate)	14. Planning with Pinterest	15. Making the Most of Classroom Jobs	16. Igniting a Passion for Learning in Kids!
17. Building Fluency	18. Ideas to Maximize Learning in the Classroom	19. Ten Tips for Making Learning Stick	20. Room Organization
21. Special Delivery Book Bags	22. Using WebQuests	23. Attention Getting Signals	24. Organization in a Departmentalized Classroom
25. Mixing Guided Reading and Literature Circles	26. Student Response Cards & Organization	27. $2 Versatile Valentine's Center	28. Make Grading a Little Easier
29. Stress Relievers for a Bright Teacher!!

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