Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up. -A.A. Milne

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not organized.  And the beginning of a new year is the time for putting our lives and our things in order, right? set up new goals? find new energies and challenges?  Organize shelves, closets, drawers? 

Well, I've never been able to do it even though I know  my life would be so much easier if I did.  In my classroom I always looked pretty good at the beginning of the day with stacks of activities neatly arranged and ready for distribution.  The trouble started as soon as papers were returned for correction. 

Actually, the trouble with me in general, in life, is that I love to set up and do stuff, and hate to put away.  I mean really hate.  So back in the classroom when students complained that a paper was missing, I wasn't the teacher who could look back knowingly and make accusations of unfinished work.    I was the one who started frantically going through my desk drawers!

Another trouble with me is being around friends and colleagues who are fastidiously well-organized - and that's most of the people around me!   I get peevish.   "Who cares about that?" I think to myself. "Obviously not spending their time doing seriously important things like I do."  HAH!  If only I really did do something worthwhile instead of look for what I'd just lost.

So, I won't even try to offer suggestions for a more organized world - at home or school.  You should definitely be relieved.

I do have some products to tell you about, though, that could help your day run more smoothly.  For starters, download this freebie for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders to read and make predictions about four potential Winter Olympics athletes.  Click here for this free product! OR how about reading comprehension passages on Civil Rights Leaders - again for free:  Download it now!

 For a full day of activities on the Winter Olympics, go to http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2014-Winter-OlympicsOne-Full-Day-for-your-5th6th-Grade-Sub-Plans-991354

And a full day on Famous Americans for 3rd graders:   http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Famous-AmericansFull-Day-of-Activities-for-3rd-Grade-874791  to supplement your upcoming Black History Month or President's Day Units.

The bottom line here is that you can save a lot of time in your day by checking out products on teacherspayteachers.com.  What to do instead of writing lesson plans?  Clean out a few drawers or shelves and get yourself energized for the rest of the school year. 

p.s.  just so you know I'm not exaggerating about my lack of organization, here's what my desk looks like.  The papers piled to the right have to get filed in my 2013 tax file.  Sometime later today, maybe. 

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Be well today and always,