Systems. The key to achieving order and flow in the classroom. They’re also a foundational need to simplify your teacher workload, saving you time, and staying organized for good.

But what is a system and where should you have one?

Let me share with you where I implemented systems in my classroom and how they changed my teacher life.

For the first several years of my teaching career, I did everything the hard way. I didn’t have a specific procedure for passing out or collecting papers, managing supplies, or even tracking absent work. I was constantly searching for small group materials, sifting through piles of copies, and looking for missing assignments.

There was no flow - no smooth transitions in my day. Just clunky starts and stops along the way.

I wasted so. much. time.

If you’re looking for ways to save time, keep your students organized, and reduce your overall workload, then you must have systems.

WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

A system is a step-by-step process by which specific tasks are completed. The process is repeatable so that the task is more efficient and saves time. Think of a system as the most efficient, time saving way of completing a particular task.

For example, think of your system for bathing. (And yes, you do have one.) You don’t get in the shower, spread soap all over, then turn on the water, and then get undressed. No - you have a step-by-step system for getting in, getting the work done, and getting out in a streamlined and timely fashion.

When you think about it, you have systems for all kinds of routine tasks - the same should be true for your teaching life.

A system allows you to complete any type of task in less time with less effort. The more systems you have, the more organized and streamlined your work life will become.

So - where should you have systems? The simple answer is - everywhere. You should have a system for any routine classroom task you (or your students) do.

THE BEST PLACES TO HAVE CLASSROOM SYSTEMS

1 | Paper. Anything having to do with paper including, but not limited to:

• Handing out papers your students will need during each class or period

• How your students turn in completed work

• Where they store incomplete work

• How you pass back graded papers

• How you hand out other necessary papers, such as newsletters and book order forms
  

2 | Student supplies. You should have a system for all things student supply related including what students keep with them and what goes in community supply, how supplies are handed out when needed, and who returns them when finished.

3 | Centers and stations. Have a system in place for how students go to centers, how they work with others, where they keep their center work, how often you change the content in your centers, and how the materials are restocked.

4 | Your teaching materials. You will save an incredible amount of time if you establish a system for tracking the materials you have, materials you’ll need for future units, and where you store them.

5 | Your digital files. Create a system for transferring paper resources to digital copies and a system for keeping them organized.

This is just a starter list of systems you should have in the classroom. I’ve created a worksheet for you that lists possible systems and a guide to help you think of others you might need as well. You can find it in The Treasury.

Looking for more help?

If you feel like these posts are a great start to making positive changes, but find yourself needing more support to follow through - you’re not alone. Blog posts are a great tool for identifying key problem areas and then providing simple solutions, but they can’t walk you through a step-by-step process to get the work done.

Fortunately, I have the solution that can.

I created Organized Just So™ just for teachers like you who are searching for a way to get organized and stay organized for good.

And it’s not just about getting all your “stuff” organized, but managing your time and reducing your workload too.

It’s about creating and implementing systems that make your job easier, so you work less and have more time for what matters most to you. Click here to learn more.

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