Organization | 2busybrunettes

This is our first and maybe last post in August! I don’t know how other teachers do it- start the school year AND post regularly on their blogs?

I’ve been back at school for almost 3 weeks now, and to be honest, I almost forgot we had this blog!

This school year I am going full force into implementing Whole Brain Teaching, Daily 5/CAFE, and our new district-wide writing program, Being a Writer. Call me crazy! But now that school is calming down a bit, you will see more of us!

Back in July I shared my western-themed classroom. Today I’m going to share with you some non-western themed close-ups from my classroom that assist in keeping our classroom organized and managed.

First up! My voice levels chart. I slightly modified this chart I got from The Kinder Kid.

Also on my ~~white~~ cream board is these signs: Chips and Salsa!

When I made my name tags, I put a hundreds chart on each one. The hundreds chart on each name tag is either green, blue, red or yellow. In each group of four desks there is one of each color. Reds sit with greens, and yellows sit with blues. Also reds sit across from blues and yellows across from greens. That way whether the students are using their shoulder partner or their face partner, one is a chip and one is salsa. That way I can say things like, “Salsa share first,” or “Chips share first.” This sign just helps remind them who is who. I can also write on the board beside each sign the role for each partner, for more extensive activities.

Something new to my classroom are these recycle bins. Our school has recycle bins behind it, but I’m always to ~~busy~~ lazy to go everyday. Before, I just shoved the cardboard and water bottles to recycle into my cabinets. Now I have a designated spot!

If you like this idea and want your own signs, you can download these for free at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Sitting on top of these bins is my book hospital and missing parts container.

These are ice buckets from Wal-Mart. It sure is nice to have a place for damaged books instead of them piling up behind my desk like before!

Until next time!

I am always being inspired left and right by others’ organization! Pinterest is no stranger to pictures of organized spaces! And I LOVE organizing, as mentioned here. So, the tutorial that I’m sharing today is one I am very excited about.

Lately I’ve been drawn to numerous pictures like these of altered clipboards mounted on walls. The clipboards are hung in craft rooms or home offices and re-purposed as hanging storage for memos, pictures, projects, or whatever!

(Click picture for original source; left: Better Homes and Gardens; center: Martha Stewart; Right: Apartment Therapy)

I have been looking forward to doing this so that I can have a handy visual for the materials and inspiration of my next project. At the same time, I wanted my clipboards to 1) be eye-candy for me and serve as wall art whenever they are empty and 2) coordinate with the green/white/silver theme of my craft room. Here are the materials and steps for my creation:

Materials:
- 1 clear clipboard
- paper cut-outs (scrapbook paper, magazine clippings, etc…)
- Mod Podge
- sponge paint brush
- ribbon

Directions:
1) First, wash the clipboard off and dry it with a dish towel in order to ensure each side has a clean surface.

2) Cut out the designs or words you want to cover your clipboard with. I used my Cricut Expression to cut out the designs you see here. I used Cricut Cartridge Accent Essentials, accent 17.

3) (Do not glue anything in this step!) Arrange the paper cut-outs how you want them. If you place them on top of the clipboard, it may make the next step a little easier.

4) When you are ready to adhere the paper, flip the clipboard very carefully, but quickly onto the table. Now the pieces are on the table upside down in the arrangement that you desire.

5) Pick up one piece at a time and paint mod podge across the top of the piece (on the pattern you want to show).

6) Repeat step 5 for a couple of pieces to make a row of glued pieces on the clipboard.

7) Press down the pieces so there are no air bubbles. This will make a much neater appearance on the top side (the side you will see).

8) Now, paint mod podge across the back of the row you just adhered. This will seal the pieces of paper in place and create a smooth surface for the back, instead of bumpy paper. Now the paper will be less likely to peel off in the future.

9) Do steps 5-8 repeatedly until you have the entire design completely glued on both sides.

10) Lay the clipboard face down, leaning on the table. Allow at least 15 minutes for it to dry.

11) Embellish the top of the clipboard with whatever you desire. I used ribbon. On the first clipboard I tied a nice bow, and on the second one I tied strips of ribbon in knots until the metal clip was covered.