The following is a guest post on how to set up a simple homework binder to save mom’s sanity from regular contributor, Rachel.
My third grader started a new school this year. You may remember in previous years we were part of a hybrid school, where she was homeschooled by me for half of the week. This is our first year of five-day traditional school for my daughter and ohhhh how the paper pile has grown around our house!
To make matters crazier, we started school two weeks late due to our family moving out of state. While all you other Mama’s were out sipping your yummy Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I was running around town trying to find school uniforms and supplies from what little was left in the stores. 🙂 Needless to say, my daughter adjusted wonderfully to our new school but Mom didn’t do so well at first. At least not until I got the unruly pile of school papers and catch-up work under control.
My system is simple yet effective and honestly saves my sanity! 🙂 I had so many papers coming at me in the beginning weeks of school that I couldn’t keep them straight. So, I grabbed a three-ring binder and filled it with our stack of information overload.
The left inside pocket is constantly revolving. It changes each week to contain whatever is important to study in the near future. It holds study sheets for tests, review sheets for vocabulary, the weekly spelling words, and previous tests with incorrect answers that I like to review with my daughter when we have time.
The three-rings section is where I store papers that I want to keep for longer periods of time. I hole punch them and add them to the binder. The teacher’s most recent weekly newsletter always get hole-punched and placed in the front of this section. While much of our school has transitioned to paperless communication, I appreciate a physical copy of the class newsletter with important information and reminders. I refer to it regularly and like it in front when I open the binder.
I also keep school announcements, fundraiser information, future project instructions, hot lunch schedule, and extra notebook paper. As the year progresses I may add tabbed dividers to the center section, but it’s not necessary at this point.
In the past I have kept school papers in a typical file system, whether hanging on the wall or inside a file box that remained on the kitchen counter. In the end, files never worked for us. It wasn’t easy enough for my daughter to access and papers were always out of sight. In contrast, the binder allows her to grab study sheets and review independently during homework time. She always knows where to look for her spelling or vocabulary words and can find them easily.
Additionally, the homework binder is more mobile than a file system. We’re soaking up the remaining beautiful days before it turns too cold. One way we do that is finishing homework outside or at a park. I grab the binder from home and know we have all the quick lists, dates, and information needed for study time.
My homework binder may be a short and sweet system but it’s been a sanity saver (seriously!) for me these past few weeks. Now it’s my turn to join all you PSL drinkers out there and not worry about where I placed the study sheet for tomorrow’s test. 😉
In the professional world, I’m a nurse by trade. But, around our house, I’m known as Mommy to our young daughters. I offer you motivation to keep your home healthy, organized, and welcoming. My goal is to share what I’ve implemented in my home to inspire you with fresh ideas and to encourage you to keep up the good work in yours!
You may also like:
Organized Solutions for Easily Managing Daily School Papers
Leave a Reply