If you don’t already know, I love talking all things organization, especially teacher and classroom organization. Much of what I’ve accomplished as a teacher is due (at least in part) to my organizational skills. Continue reading for my favorite classroom organization ideas for high school teachers.
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Hanging File Holders
This is my holy grail organization product. I have at least 5 different hanging file holders in my classroom. This is what I use to organize my work to grade, work to return, papers that I need to keep at my fingertips, extra copies for students, student folders for classes, and even my sub plans. The amazing thing about hanging file holders is that they hold paper vertically. Which means that this device and all of your papers take up much less space on your desk and countertops.
Bonus tip: To make sure I don’t miss something that requires action, like student work to grade, I rotate the papers so that they stick out of the folder, and so that I can’t miss them.
High School Classroom Organization: Sterilite Drawers
You’ve seen these all over Pinterest and Instagram for years, and here’s why: Sterilite drawers hide the mess. Sterilite drawers come in so many different sizes. I especially love the drawers that can hold a standard 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper.
I have a few sets of these drawers in my classroom, but my favorite set holds all a week’s worth of copies for my classes. The drawers are deep enough that I can even include activities such as task cards in my drawers. Everything that I need for a week of teaching fits in a labeled drawer.
Letter Trays for High School Classroom Organization
Letter trays are a wonderful way to organize your high school classroom. If you are someone that is easily effected by “out of sight, out of mind,” I suggest letter trays. When you have something stored in your letter trays, it is easily visible, and less forgettable. Many high school teachers like to use these for students to turn work in, and to organize student work to be graded. Each class period has its own section.
Letter trays are available on Amazon, but I love the letter trays from the Dollar Tree. Mine have held up well over the years. What I love about the Dollar Tree letter trays is that you buy as many as you need, and they are stackable. I keep 2 on my desk; one for my to-do’s, and one for my items to file.
Closed Boxes in the High School Classroom
For any of the small items that you have multiples of, or items centered around a common theme, I suggest storing them in closed boxes. Any type of box with a lid is great for things that you need regular, easy access to. Personally, I love photo boxes and pencil boxes because they are inexpensive and easy to find (especially during back to school), but any sort of box will work, it just depends on the space that you have. Ideally, if you can get a few of the same type of box, they will stack together well.
Open Bins
What about bins without lids? I’ve collected a few different bins without lids from Dollar Tree and Bullseye’s Playground in Target. These are ideal student supplies. When you want students to be able to access something for themselves, the fewer barriers, the better. In particular, I have bins for students’ interactive notebooks and supplies like markers. I have a collection of small interlocking bins (like these) to organize my desk drawers. These are perfect because they fit in my shallow middle desk drawer, and their interlocking design allows me to rearrange them to fit my needs.
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