Organizing Student Papers!

  

I recently did a post on how I keep my papers in order in my classroom. If you missed it check it out here! I use a very similar method to organize my students papers as well. I use another milk crate and 25 hanging files numbered 1-25. I only have 25 because my class size has never exceeded 25. If you have more, then add more hanging files. :-)

Here's how it works: At the beginning of the year I give every child a number. This number is used for several things including their cubby number and book number. This number is also used in helping sort their papers. Along with writing their name on their paper they also write their number. I put all graded papers into a drawer and then sort the papers into the correlating file number. For example, all of #1's papers go into the hanging file with a 1 attached to it. Once a week I send a packet of papers home in their take home folder. I staple all papers in the same file together with a cover letter that informs parents of that weeks important information. Parents are to sign the packet and send all the attached papers back to school. I keep all signed packets until that grading period is over and then I send them home again to be kept at home. This does several things for me: 1) it keeps all student papers organized and ready to send home every week. 2) it allows parents to see their child's work and by signing it and sending it back I can know that they have seen the packet. 3) By holding on to all work until after the grading period I can pull any work if I ever need a work sample for a child.

My first year teaching I tried to file all of their papers myself, but was never able to keep up! That's why when the school system started an emphasis on having students take ownership of their classrooms and school by having "jobs" I had one of my jobs be the paper filer. That week one/two students file papers for me. I do talk to the students about not telling other students the grades they see, and I have never had a problem with it. I hope to post soon about how I set up the "jobs" in my classroom!

Maybe you can use this in your classroom! Do you have another method of sorting the students papers? If so I'd love to hear about it!