This new school year brings with it lots of exciting changes in the way I teach. The use of interactive notebooks has really been a plus and I couldn't be more pleased with how engaged my students are when we all work together to learn a new skill or revisit one already taught. They are not distracted, disinterested, or asking me how long until it's lunchtime! LOL! You can read my 9 helpful hints to successful interactive notebooking here.
At first, I was a little nervous as to where I was going to keep my student's notebooks. I don't have any built in shelving units in my classroom and it is a challenge to find room for all their textbooks, workbooks, notebooks, etc.
When the school year began, I was keeping the children's notebooks in this mailbox unit. The children used the unlabeled slot next to their name. It was working out well, except for one thing. There was a lot of time wasted while I called each table to get up, walk to the mailbox, get their notebook, and sit back down. I had to do this for all four tables. And then, we had to repeat it when it was time to put our notebooks away.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could do differently. How could I store my students' notebooks so that we didn't waste quality learning time retrieving them and putting them away? Over and over again!
Then it hit me!
I cannot begin to tell you how these seat sacks have completely changed my school day. Seat sacks are literally, the answer to my prayers.
They have many different colors to choose from. I chose red, yellow, green, and purple, because those are the colors of my tables. See how pretty they look? Everything matches!
My students use their seat sack from the minute they enter our classroom in the morning, right up until they pack up to go home. When they first arrive, they put their take home folder in their seat sack. I used to collect them every morning and then hand them out in the afternoon. I had to find space to hold them all day and then waste time handing them out. Not any more!
My students keep their interactive notebook and their reading workbook in their seat sack, as well. They are incredibly durable and roomy. More books can easily fit inside, but that is all we have in there for now. Take home folder, marble notebook, and reading workbook.
Each seat sack comes with a blank label to write the children's names, which is inserted in a clear vinyl pocket. I decided to make my own name labels on my computer and the children colored them in. When they switch seats during the school year, they will just remove their name and put it in their new seat sack.
When it's time to work in our interactive notebook or reading workbook, all my students have to do is reach behind and grab their book. No more sitting quietly, waiting for each table to go to their mailbox to get their book. And then wait again while the books are put away.
At the end of the day, I no longer have to pass out take home folders. My students quickly and easily grab their folders from their seat sacks to color in their behavior calendar. Then, they empty their mailbox and pack up. This is all done in 5 minutes.
I kid you not when I tell you that these seat sacks have really helped to eliminate wasted time. My day runs very efficiently. And, as an added bonus, my classroom looks bright and beautiful. The seat sack colors are gorgeous!
If you would like to try seat sacks, I highly recommend these from The Original Seat Sack Company. They have many different colors and sizes to choose from. If you order the Seat Sack Classroom Pack, it also comes with a few other goodies, like a Read-n-Go Book Bag and a Hand-e-Sack Stick and Store!
25 seat sack chair pocket organizers
1 Read-n-Go Book Bag
1 Hand-e-Sack Stick and Store
25 Name Tags
This contest will run for one week.
Please enter with integrity, using the rafflecopter below.
And the lucky winner is...
Kauni!
Congratulations to you!
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