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Home : 2001 : January : 31

Paperwork
By Debbie

I've gotten more organized as I've re-evaluated what feel is really important to teaching and learning and have tried to engage my children in activities / assignments that will contribute to their lifelong literacy. Classroom
'roving' times are used to do individual mini-lessons or running records/retellings, support their attempts at problem solving, then record observations in their draft books, logs or on other monitoring forms devised. There is a schedule set up to evaluate everything from each child once a week. (More often for the child who doesn't seem to accomplish everything on time or for

those needing extra support.) In a class of 25, the work of 5-7 children comes home each evening. The children put their planning sheets, draft books, literature response logs, LAB folders, & math/science logs in a take home basket. Set aside a reasonable amount of time to work through what you need to evaluate, devise a tracking sheet so you can record the information then stick with it 'til it's done. If you want to do this during the school day (something I've never been able to accomplish!), lock your door and turn out your lights. Use a small desk light to see. On the paperwork and other 'stuff' that floats through the school, if it's not confidential, ask classroom volunteers to help manage things. Also, use two stacking trays and sort your papers quickly into piles-urgent (must be done by the end of the day) and put it off a day or two...File them in the trays as you get them. Whenever you choose to look at them, do whatever needs to be done while you're reading it. It will save you time in the long run. And don't forget the ever handy 'circular file'...not everything needs to be evaluated!!! ;-D