How Do I Keep My Desk Organized?

My desk has always been the same way. This is my 3rd year and I’m finally getting a handle on things- my desk is the neatest it’s been yet!! This isn’t perfect, but here’s what I know so far: I have one folder labelled for each day of the week and all the papers, worksheets, and books that I’ll be using for the week go into those folders. The work the kids do gets placed into a basket that is on top of a bookshelf. They have folders for any unfinished work they need to do so that’s not laying on my desk. Memos for current things get taped to the wall and then thrown out after the event. Finally, (and most difficult) is that I clean off all the “stuff” that accumulates each day at the end of the day so that my desk is clean in the morning. It’s easy to look at something and say, “I don’t know what to do with this, so I’ll just leave it here for now.” The problem is, there will be 2 or 3 things like that everyday and pretty soon- there’s your “jumble.” It’s best to think about what’s there and figure out a spot for it that same day. Right now, I’m keeping up with the current junk, but I have 2 big file boxes of junk that’s waiting to be sorted from past years. (I work on those for about 5 minutes each day- SLOW process, but it’s working for now!!!) Good luck!

Make your students part of the process. Have a folder for each subject and assign a student the special job of teacher helper. They collect the papers in the proper folder which is then put into the right wire rack to await grading. Have a special teacher books shelf and the student can help my putting manuals back into the right spot.
If you are in elementary and in the younger grades…talk to a teacher of older grades and see if you can get one of the good students (one that make be a future teacher) to volunteer once a week in your classroom and use them to help grade easier papers and organize you.

When you figure out the answer, lemme know. I honestly think you just have to be one of those people who MUST organize or you’d go crazy. I make genuine efforts to be neat and organized, but by the middle of the year, it’s back to the chaos that is my desk (or my classroom if we’re getting really honest here). The teacher next door would flip out if a piece of paper fell from a student’s desk. It boils down to what you can put up with.
With that said, I’m looking forward to adding a filing cabinet to my room. Hopefully it will help keep my desk cleaner because all the crap on top will be shoved into a drawer now.

In manufacturing there is a japanese concept called 5s. You may find it a useful philosophy in keeping your entire classroom organized. Here is the cut and paste from Wikipedia:
5S is a reference to five Japanese words that describe standardized cleanup:
* Seiri (??): tidiness, organization. Refers to the practice of sorting through all the tools, materials, etc., in the work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded. This leads to fewer hazards and less clutter to interfere with productive work.
* Seiton (??): orderliness. Focuses on the need for an orderly workplace. Tools, equipment, and materials must be systematically arranged for the easiest and most efficient access. There must be a place for everything, and everything must be in its place.
* Seiso (??): cleanliness. Indicates the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. Cleaning in Japanese companies is a daily activity. At the end of each shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place.
* Seiketsu (??): standards. Allows for control and consistency. Basic housekeeping standards apply everywhere in the facility. Everyone knows exactly what his or her responsibilities are. House keeping duties are part of regular work routines.
* Shitsuke (?): sustaining discipline. Refers to maintaining standards and keeping the facility in safe and efficient order day after day, year after year.
BTW, my desk is the cleanest in my office