Student Supplies: Staying Organized

Creating access to all the supplies students need to do their daily work, can be challenging.  Over the years I've tried different approaches, table top caddies being used as communal property, a supply station, ziplock bags inside desks and individual pencil boxes.  When I was teaching second and third grade, I used individual pencil boxes for students to keep their supplies in.  I felt the students were old enough to be responsible for their own belongings.  Each student was given a pencil box that contained pencils, erasers, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors and a glue stick.  It was their responsibility to keep track of their supplies.  If they were to lose something, they would be able to borrow what they needed from my left-over container. The left-over container was made up of old supplies from the previous year and supplies I'd find on the floor after-school.

Using the pencil box approach was great for older students, but kindergartners and first graders are messy and not all were capable of keeping track of their items.  I'll admit that last year I did try the pencil boxes with my kindergartners and it was a huge disaster.  Mid year I collected the boxes and brought out the shared table caddies.  Having these little ones share supplies worked well.  Best of all it taught them to SHARE and learn to WAIT THEIR TURN.

This year I'll use table caddies again.  I found these last spring at Target and decided to save them for the new year.  You can often find containers like these at the Dollar Tree or Target's Dollar Spot ($2.50), or pay more at places like Really Good Stuff and Oriental Trading.  I've also found some similar to these in the auto department at Walmart.

To go with my new theme this year in my room, I've made table labels.  I printed the labels onto card stock, used my personal laminator from Costco- only $20, and then I used my Xyron sticker maker to apply adhesive to the back.  To keep the caddies clean, I am using frosting containers to hold everything.  I know what you are thinking, that is a lot of frosting- Yes it was, but my kids make cupcakes all the time- we've been saving the containers all year.

You can grab your labels right here for FREE!!!