- Go out and buy some file folders to keep separate files for each class you teach. This may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it will only cost a few dollars and will more than make up for it in saved time. Ideally, you should have different color folders for each class, and each folder should be labeled as well. Folders can contain handouts, gradebooks or anything else that each class might need. Keeping your classes separate on paper is a good step toward keeping them separate in your mind as well.
- The syllabus isn't just something you hand to students to let them know what to expect. It's also a tool for you to plan an outline of your entire course. Making a syllabus is fairly simple. Pick a course that you teach and write down all of the material that you want to cover in that course. Then divide that material up among your available class time and you'll have an outline for what you need to cover each week.
- The purpose of organization is to allow you to quickly find what needs to be found to do your job and to make sure you don't accidentally forget anything you will need. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure that you have a master list of everything you will need for each course each week and that this master list is easily accessible. Stapling your syllabus for each course to the front of its course folder is one way to keep things on track. You can then know exactly what you need for a course just by looking at its folder and can take any additional notes right on the syllabus. Another convenient tool is a master list that you make by copying all of your course syllabi into one large document. This new list will let you tell at a glance exactly what you need to cover for each week, across all of your courses.
- If you teach younger children, you may want to keep a checklist for each student to monitor his or her progress. This will allow you to more easily identify a student who is consistently having trouble, as well as giving you a jumping-off point for any parent-teacher conferences you might have. Being able to talk about the specifics of an individual student is crucial when talking with parents.
