Back to School with a BRIGHT IDEA!

It's that time of the month again...... Bright Idea time!!

I so look forward to this, because I can find so many great ideas from so many of the BEST bloggers.

I have an idea this month that solved a problem in our computer lab and made my year run smoother.

Here was my problem.....the headphones were always in various states of disrepair.  We do not have a dedicated computer lab person, so each teacher is responsible for helping to take care of things and making it work for their own classroom.  It seemed that you never knew which headphones were working and which were broken or about to fall apart.  Even when we bought new ones, it didn't take long until there were many that were not working.  It was a hot mess.

Problem number two....students could not remember their usernames and passwords (and neither could I).  It seemed that the weeks I forgot to bring my printed off cheat sheet were the weeks that that nearly every student forgot their username.  It was a huge pain to find it....and it was all time not on task for them while I worked my way through the maze of clicks and passwords to get the information.

Here is what I did....I spent a little money at the dollar store and gathered these supplies.

Now I know that each of my students have headphones (I tell them if they break them they will have to replace them).  I know they have their username and password with them. 

When we go to the computer lab they have no excuse to get right on task.

Headphones....25 for $25
Ziplock baggies....$4.50
3x5 cards..... $.25
Peace of Mind....priceless

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider following me here at KinderKapers, on Facebook, or my TpT store.

For more Bright Ideas from more than 100 bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you.  Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Five for Friday....my decluttering journey has begun.

It has been a VERY busy week for me.  I started.  I started cleaning out my stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.....house stuff, school stuff, things I bought for others but haven't given them stuff, stuff that belonged to my children, and books. 

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Five for Friday to share my journey with you.

I know I said last week that I was going to start at school....but I decided to start at home first.  I pulled all my tubs out and sorted them between house stuff, school stuff, and books.

Then I ignored house and books and got busy on my school stuff because that is where I wanted to focus first.

I lined up tubs for each month...August through May.  Then as I was sorting I discovered I needed some tubs for topics as well as months.  So I grabbed some more tubs for reading, math, Dr. Seuss, farm and cowboy (they will be separated later), and then odds and ends (I was sorting at home and this was stuff that belonged in the classroom in different places).

I also know I said my first sort would be yes or no.  Turned out it was easier to sort by month or topic first.  However, I did keep that question in mind....Did I use it, Yes or No?  If I knew I didn't use it (and wouldn't use it) I tossed it right there.  I did start a stack of things that belonged to other grade levels.

I found some treasures while I was sorting.....

This is my prom dress from my junior year (1973), you do the math.  It will become Little Boo Peep at Halloween!  So glad I found it again.

Lots of old pictures in my house stuff.  I was missing some of this and wondered what happened to them.

See the package from Oriental Trading??  Those are the penguin thermometers I wanted to make in January.  Now they are in the right place and I will be able to find them.

Here are the stamps I wanted to use with my 100 Valentines book.  Now they are also in the right spot and I will not be panicking trying to come up with a plan B.

Yesterday I took all my school tubs to school and now the emotional work begins.  What to keep, what to toss, and where to best store things.  This is where it really will get worse before it gets better.  I have my monthly tubs and I am determined to stick to that plan.  But topics and files are going to be trickier.

Stay tuned...I still have my storage unit (that is where my file boxes are stored right now).  And don't forget my books!

Getting Organized....a hoarder's Bright Idea

I am a hoarder....There I said it.  I am not really proud of that fact, but I have a Bright Idea on how to fix it.

I searched high and low for ideas and a plan of action that would work for me.

I read blogs, checked pinterest, and ended up back where I started 30 years ago when I first realized that my kindergarten stuff wasn't fitting very well in file folders.  I kept my samples in paper boxes (have your custodian save them for you) and labeled them by months.

In the mean time....my stuff has expanded and the boxes are gone (three schools, and two states ago).

True confessions....Do you have a mess like me?  Maybe not this bad, but teachers are notorious. We save things because we might need them.  You never know....projects, grade level changes, and just the money invested.

That is why I came up with this Plan of Action!!  Join me on this journey (it is not over yet).

It is hard.  I am not going to lie, this is not easy on me emotionally.  I have a lot invested.  I am afraid of changing grade levels.  I am afraid of not having something I need (or want).  But speaking those fears out loud, make them seem not so scary.  I am already getting psyched for this journey!!   I can do this!

Don't take too long on this step.  Don't think too much, there is more sorting to come.

Label your boxes with sticky notes.  It will make it easier to change things up and you can make it better looking and more permanent when you are done.

My thought is one tub for each month (right now my stuff is scattered in lots of different tubs and all mixed up), but I may need to add one for holidays that have lots of stuff (like Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and Thanksgiving).  I may also designate a tub for math and reading, so I can store things that do not fit a month or theme.  My tubs must fit along my garage wall, and I will bring them to school as I need them.  I do have a craft closet at home and my supplies will have to fit in there.   My space available will determine my limits.

Now comes the hard part.

Keep getting rid of those NOs

There in a nutshell is my plan of action.

Join me on this journey by following me on facebook or here on my blog.  I will be posting pictures of my progress.  Now that you all know my troubles.....I don't think I can quit.   I have someone watching me.  I can do this.

I am linking up with a fabulous group of more than 80 bloggers with amazing ideas to brighten up your life, your classroom and your teaching.  Check them out below.  There are lots more wonderful and BRIGHT ideas!

An InLinkz Link-up