Author: TCR Staff

Tips for Classroom Clean-up

We all know how time-consuming it can be to have to clean up, but it must be done. Here are some tips for keeping your classroom nice and clean.

  • Silver polish will take off grease pencil marks.
  • Toothpaste is great for cleaning wooden desks, especially those water spots.
  • Shaving cream also cleans wooden desks. Not only will the students have a blast using it, but they can finger-paint and make designs as they clean. (Note: With small children, be sure to put newspaper on the floor under the desks.)
  • When you are doing class artwork and dread the mess, cover the worktables with old newspapers.
  • Baby wipes are wonderful for wiping hands when needed, cleaning up the room, cleaning dry erase boards, cleaning spills in the room, getting off pencil marks on desks, and erasing transparencies. Not only do they smell good, they are non-toxic.
  • Tissues with lanolin make good wipes for all chalkboards and whiteboards.
  • Hair spray cleans dry erase boards and will get ink out of clothing. It also removes permanent marks from furniture. If the hair spray seems a bit sticky, spray with rubbing alcohol and wipe.
  • For removing crayon marks, just use baking soda and water and rub away.
  • Some teachers keep a spray bottle of water and a roll of paper towels by the overhead projector for cleaning the transparencies. Other teachers have suggested covering the original transparency with plastic wrap and writing on it, rather than on the original transparency. Then, just throw the plastic wrap away.
  • W-D 40 is excellent for getting tape off walls or boards or project work.

Making classroom clean-up a fun activity for your students is another way to help keep your classroom clean. Here is a great tip from one of our readers:

“I have been trying the ‘lucky piece of garbage.’ I secretly pick a random piece of trash on the floor. When someone picks it up, they win a pencil/treat of some kind. Within minutes, my entire floor is clean and my kids are excited!” -Kristi

Got a great cleaning tip or idea you’d like to share? Add your tips to our comment roll!

Teacher Survival Kit

Considering that teaching is often a very taxing job, all teachers could use a survival kit. A survival kit will remind us why we chose to be teachers. Here are some items to include in your kit:

(Note: Phrases taken from a poem by an unknown author):

  • A pencil so you can write down your blessings
  • A piece of chewing gum to help you remember to “stick with it”
  • An eraser to help you remember, everyone makes mistakes, even teachers
  • A candy kiss to help you remember that we all need hugs now and then
  • A toothpick to remind you that you can pick out the good things in anyone
  • A smiley face to help you remember a smile takes less muscles than a frown
  • A seed to remind us that things grow and mature and things can change

Teacher “Picker-Upper”

Sometimes teachers need a bit of pepping up. Try this idea for a teacher friend. Obtain several medium-size empty pill bottles from the local pharmacy. On a large adhesive label, write the “prescription” below for a teacher friend or other co-worker. Paste it to the pill bottle. Fill the bottle with some type of small candies. Place it on a friend’s desk or in his or her mailbox. Just the idea will help brighten the day!

          RX# 12345          100 mg
          Dr. (your name)    For: (Whomever)

Directions: Whenever you are feeling down in the dumps, take one or two of these for an energy boost. Refill as necessary.

Tips for Handling Substitute Teachers

There are times when you will not know, in advance, that you will be absent from your job. There may not be enough planned for a substitute. Having a substitute folder is definitely a plus. Have one that you can keep in your desk drawer or in a special spot with your lesson plan book. Inside the folder you should include the following items:

  • class list and seating chart
  • class schedule
  • brief description of your duties and the days you have duty—i.e. lunch, dismissal, before school
  • list of dependable students to carry a message to the office or another teacher
  • description of your daily routine, such as how you take up lunch monies, how students should be dismissed, manner in which the office can be reached in case of emergency
  • notes about the discipline/management system
  • special notes on any student behavior
  • special information on students—such as frequent need for bathroom or medication given at office
  • names of all the staff or names of teachers in the area
  • substitute time fillers and special work
  • stickers or special treats for good behavior
  • an evaluation form for the teacher to fill out

The substitute will appreciate all the information and you will not have to worry about your lesson plans and how the day is going. Your lesson plans should be as complete and clear as possible. Note where books can be found and on what pages the lessons are found. Also, make a note as to whether or not you want your substitute to grade papers and designate a spot for them to be placed once they are finished.

For more tips on how to handle substitute teachers, check out:

Substitute Teacher Handbook Cover

20 Time-Saving Ideas to Use as a Teacher

  1. Let the students take turns doing your filing. They will learn ABC order, and you can do something else. Teach one or two students and let them teach another and so on.
  2. Walk around the room and correct work during the lesson rather than doing it after school.
  3. Don’t prepare so much ahead of time—let the students do their own tracing and cutting.
  4. Buy punch-out letters for your bulletin board captions, or buy ready-made headliners to use as labels.
  5. If you have an aide or reliable parent helper(s), decide what you want to do yourself and then delegate the other tasks.
  6. Have students grade their own or each other’s papers. If you are using the writing process, peer editing fits in here.
  7. Use your student room helpers efficiently. You won’t ever have to put another paper in a mailbox or water another plant.
  8. Keep some personal things tucked away in your room. A soft drink and a box of crackers will get you through a lunch hour and save you from having to stay after school on a day when you must get to an important meeting or appointment.
  9. Get in the habit of making double plans. If you have an art lesson every Friday, make it next Friday’s plan and then, while you are thinking about it, flip ahead in your lesson plan book and do another plan for another lesson.
  10. The next time you have a staff meeting, carry along papers to grade or something to cut out while you are waiting for the meeting to begin or when there are pauses or interruptions in the proceedings. Make sure you have secure file folders to carry your papers and materials.
  11. Volunteer carefully. If you are going to agree to do something that will take a lot of time, make sure it is something you really enjoy and that you can really spare the time.
  12. Ask parent helpers to do things like running off sets of papers, stapling, and laminating.
  13. Spend an occasional weekend day in your classroom and get completely organized for a month ahead to save time on a daily basis.
  14. Pay someone to grade papers for you on an occasional or regular basis. A volunteer or assistant at your school may appreciate extra take-home work. High school students are sometimes available for this kind of work.
  15. Give a daily review, including the various skills that should be reinforced for end-of-year testing. You will avoid spending a lot of time on last-minute catch-up.
  16. Spend the first six weeks of the year concentrating on bonding and team building with your students. You will save the time that you would otherwise spend on discipline and classroom management later in the year.
  17. Use the services that are offered by library resource people. They will do research and get you information that you need.
  18. If you keep your teaching project centered and do a thorough task analysis, completion of the project will show mastery of the skills embedded in the project without need for further assessment.
  19. Get older students, from another classroom if necessary, to help you with everyday room cleanup.
  20. Remember that time and money are interchangeable. Spend money to save time.