After School Routine Checklist

I think it is really important to keep yourself and your classroom organized.  I was not a born organized person, but had to work hard to develop routines and systems to keep myself organized.  As a teacher nothing makes me happier than coming into a clean classroom with everything in its place.  It can be very difficult some days to leave your classroom as organized as you would like (at least it can be for me).

I came up with this end of the day routine a few years ago when I had a student teacher.  The list I gave her was a bit different than this one.  It really helped because I told her that once everything was completed on the list she was free to go home.  I felt it was really important to model good organizational skills for her as she was about to have her own classroom she was in charge of, and unless you let a student teacher realize that it's all the little things that consume so much of our time, your student teacher will not have a realistic view of how much there is involved in managing and maintaining a well organized classroom.

I do try and follow the routine myself every evening because it gives me peace of mind knowing that I can walk right into my classroom in the morning and be ready to go.  I do not like searching frantically for something or standing in line with the last minutes Charlies fighting for the copy machine.  Entering a well prepared classroom that is ready to go gets my day started off on the right foot.

End of the Day routine:

Write out assignment board for tomorrow.

Clear off desk and straighten top drawer.

Organize computer table.

Straighten daily files and file today’s papers.

Start a TO DO list for tomorrow including list of calls/emails to do.

Pack up laptop and cord.

I always take home my laptop, my Lilly Pulitzer notebook, and my pink file for any paperwork 

Pack up stuff to go home:  coat, lunch bag, computer, and purse.

Check files and put projects in order of priority for the morning.

Turn off lights.

      *Unplug lights under window

Leave desktop in wonderful shape to welcome the morning.

   Next day’s file

   Seating chart/class list binder

   Lesson plan book

   Teacher Text

I actually took some of the photos above back in October.  In the spirit of transparency I will show you how things really looked when I walked into my classroom on Tuesday, my first day back after Christmas break.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to leave your room all organized for the next morning.  That way if you have an emergency and are running late that morning, you know you are ready to go when you walk in the door.  Even more important is that if you end up having an unplanned sick day (and with three boys that happens here from time to time) at least you know you don't have to head into school at 6:30 AM to get things sub ready.

What is on your after school routine checklist?