Clearing Curriculum Clutter

How do you keep all of your curriculum organized? Building and delivering curriculum is the foundation of the teaching trade, and it takes time—lots of it. How do you ensure that your hard work will not go to waste, and that you will be able to reuse your lessons and assignments time and time again? As I write this, I literally have boxes full of curriculum sitting in my garage. File folders, binders, books, loose paper—you name it, I have it. The majority of storage on my computer is also filled with curriculum. So what is the most efficient way to file, store, and access your curriculum? I will offer three ideas, but would welcome your posts with additional tips and ideas.

1. Weekly Plans

I like to plan at least one week at a time, ideally two or three weeks ahead. On one document, I like to include what the activities, lessons, assignments, and corresponding standards are for each day—Monday through Friday. I have this typed up, and I print out two copies. One copy is then posted in the room for students to access in case of an absence, and one is in my curriculum binder. 

2. Binders

I keep my curriculum in binders. I get numbered page dividers for the amount of weeks of the school year. For each week, I include the typed weekly plan and a copy of any lecture notes, assignments, and resources used in that week’s lessons. I have found that binders allow me to quickly photocopy materials as needed, as well as enable me to easily pass off curriculum to colleagues when needed. Furthermore, once these binders are created, I can use them year after year, making additions or edits as needed. I started this system before technology was as accessible as it is today. If you use Evernote, or some other electronic notebook method, share it (and your tips) with the Lesson Planet Community.

3. DropBox

While I love my binders, having digital copies of everything is a must. With the amount of paperwork teachers create and accumulate, you will want to ensure that you have plenty of storage and that your computer is backed up. DropBox is a wonderful, simple system that provides an ample amount of storage for free. The benefits of DropBox include being able to access your documents from any computer as long as you have WiFi, the ability to digitally share your folders and documents with others, and the assurance that you will never lose your files. DropBox is not the only solution, Google Drive and other sites offer similar storage services. 

The longer you teach, and the more courses and grades you add to your resume, the greater your need to continuously go through your curriculum and refresh it. Chances are good that you have paper you no longer need, documents that are outdated, and resources that need to be updated. Don’t hold on to paper you no longer need; scan any documents you no longer use but don't want to dispose of permanently. Your ability to stay organized will allow you to spend your valuable time on your numerous daily teaching activities. 

What have you found works well for you? Share your tips for efficient curriculum organization with the Lesson Planet Community!