how to make teacher planning work for you

Planning is a necessity of being a teacher. Here are some of my teacher organization ideas on how to make planning simplified and share my lesson plan templates.

I once took a personality test that revealed that I have a knack for appreciating organization and for being in charge. On any given day I prefer to be in charge before I prefer to be organized - but if I can be both then I am sitting pretty. {Ha!}

My biggest planning tips boil down to:

• knowing the standards
• knowing where I want to take my kinders next 
• keeping my planning under control

Its my belief that planning should be designed to work for you, not the other way around. If something isn't working for you - change it!

Teacher Planning Binders

Binders really work for me. I like to have categories that are meaningful to me and binders allow me to keep the top categories within reach. I hope with these examples and tips you can find something that works for you. Templates are available for each - click the specific links to read more and find the details.

Teacher Planning Binder Basics

I have a planning binder that holds my main schedule for the week, my general lesson plans with weekly standards and where I write down my to-dos for prep and planning times so I don't forget. I still forget things. I'm human.

It has more categories that keep everything at my fingertips for weekly, quarterly and yearly planning. This is my sanity saver. Meet this binder in more detail.

You've got to love Kristen @Ladybug Teacher Resources binder too. A public shout out to Kristen as she has sent me many new friends from her great all-in-one binder post. {Thanks!}

Guided Reading Planning Binder

The second binder that appeared in my teaching life was my guided reading binder. I first had to create it out of necessity since my principal at the time required specific data on each student and expected it to be turned in regularly. Now, its more flexible and holds what is important to me. I am great at jotting down anecdotal notes and glancing down to see my plan in bullet points when meeting a group.

Currently I have updated my plans to a more general format (as seen above) that includes a space for me to include all of the Common Core standards for our quarter. This saves me from having to re-write them every time. Helpful! Thanks to my favorite teacher down the hall for this tip. Meet my guided reading binder and see my anecdotal doodles.

Guided Math Planning Binder

The thinnest of my binders is my newest planning friend. Since starting small group guided math last year, I needed to carry my plans to where I was working with a group in order to remember exactly what goals I specified for a group of kinders.

Again, I work in bullet points and anecdotal notes. It's what works for me and keeps me on track. Same idea with plugging in my quarterly math standards ahead of time in order to have for reference. See a sample lesson plan that I use following this pattern.

More Planning Binder Tools

Monthly Calendar

Yearly Calendar - My free yearly/monthly 2-page printable calendar is by far the biggest backcasting tool I use to help me plan the big picture, then quarters and then by week. I also write down those meeting dates and scheduled "things" that one {ahem, yes me} might otherwise forget when they are weeks or months out. Its always second in my main planning binder after my weekly plans.

More Calendars - Colorful, free calendars from Amy @The Resource(ful) Room

Weekly To Do List

If my week feels incredibly packed, writing it down helps me feel more in charge and organized {that's me to a T, remember?}. This free two page layout fits well into a binder and lays open flat when needed for an at-a-glance advantage.

Binder Covers

Functionality reigns high on my list of priorities, so I don't use page protectors in my binders if I would have to change them out. I love using erasable divider tabs in order to make my binders easy to change when needed each year. So, needless to say I don't create binder separation/dividers, but I will rock a cute cover for my binders.

More Binder Covers - Subway, Passion, Dot-a-licious, Chevron

More on Teacher Organization

Organizing digital teacher files
Organizing teacher materials for the week and quarter
Organizing room layout and teacher space
Organizing behind my teacher easel
Organizing for a substitute teacher

I hope you can use some of these ideas to make your planning simplified or organized. If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

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