This summer, we are being intentional about spending just a little bit of time doing some things that can make a big impact on our classroom. Join us as we try to create a stress-free school year! Did you miss the first part of this series? Check it out Let's Get Started and Goal #1.
Last week, we brainstormed ways that our students could help us with the little things around our room.
Today, we are going to talk about getting rid of some STUFF!
I told my husband at the beginning of the year to ‘watch out’ because this was
the Year of the Declutter at our house. I’ve been marginally successful at
getting rid of some things, but it’s high time to get more focused!
It’s time for YOU to focus too! Here’s today’s goal:
Every day (yes, EVERY
day) until break, go through your classroom and choose 10 items to get rid of.
And when I say get rid of- I mean permanently leave your
room…for.ev.er.
They can be big or
small items, but regardless of size, they gotta
go.
Broken pencil that’s been in your desk for 5 months. Check.
Dirty bean bag with three duct taped holes in it. See ya.
One of your 50 ‘Teachers are Special” apples on the
bookshelf. Buh bye.
You may want to designate
a box or container in the corner of
the room as your catch-all for items that you are getting rid of. Then as
you find items to toss throughout the day, you can just place them there until
you have a chance to decide where they are going to go.
Here are some places
these lovely, unwanted items can go:
The Trash: It’s
a given, but it needs to be said: some things just ain’t saveable (new word).
Like that planet chart from 1975 that is so faded, you can hardly see Saturn.
Oh yeah, and Pluto was still considered a planet. (Poor Pluto!)
Other Teachers:
During the teacher work days leading up to break, place a table or desk outside
your room and a sign that say ‘everything on this table is up for grabs!.’ Then
watch it disappear.
PTA (or other
school organization): A district I worked for collected unwanted, but usable
items from teachers at the end of every year (included decorations, curriculum,
books, you name it!). The new teachers had orientation at a central location at
the beginning of each year. The PTA would spread the items on the sidewalk
outside and declare it a ‘Fill a bag for $5’ yard sale. They raised money for
the schools, new teachers got a bargain on some great resources, and teaching
materials got a second home in someone else’s room. Win. Win. Win.
Yard Sale: Maybe
you could make some money on your unwanted classroom items. Yard sales can be a
bit time-consuming, but if you are going to have one anyway, you might as well
throw some of your supplies in there and make a few extra bucks.
Craigslist:
Following the same idea as having a yard sale, placing items on Craigslist can
be an even more effective way to make money and get rid of stuff. Hey, you
could even go the ‘huge box of random teaching supplies for $25’ route and see if
anyone bites.
Thrift Store: One man's trash is another man's treasure. You get the idea.
So what are you
waiting for? Go find one item this
VERY minute and declare it banished for your classroom forever. Then come
back and tell me how good it felt. (‘Cuz it will... Feel good, that is.)
See you back here next week when we talk about what to take home for the summer
so you can continue this challenge from the comfort of you own couch!
Just joining us for the Summer Challenge? Don’t worry! You still have time to jump in with both feet! Here are the links to the mini-challenges we’ve accomplished over the last few weeks:
Following along with the Summer Challenge? Grab my button here:
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