How I... Organize & Plan Workshop (In My Classroom)

Every morning, my students come in and get started right away on workshop. They work on workshop while I meet with small groups for reading instruction. It's not busy work. Everything included in workshop is a review or practice of things we're doing in class. Here's what they do: daily proofreading, spelling word work, daily language review, daily math review, number of the day, handwriting, skill practice, and treat sheet. When they finish workshop, they turn everything in and choose what they'll do next from a list of "approved" activities (such as flash cards, silent reading, making a map - it's in our core, writing a story, etc.).

Over the holiday break, I used my brain to organize how I plan for workshop. (It felt like a huge DUH moment.) Here's how I'm keeping it all organized...

I'm using this Carolina Pad 8-Pocket Organizational Folder to keep everything under control.

Spelling words and other instructional sheets go in the front left pocket. Worksheets to use in the future (but not the current week) go in the front right pocket so I can file them at school.

Each day of the week has it's own labeled pocket.

I keep worksheets in these pockets for the week - this way I don't double up or forget about certain tasks each day.

And the last pocket in the back (on the right) holds my planning sheets for workshop.

I have logs for number of the day, ideas for word work and skill practice, and the workshop schedule.

What was I doing before? It was a nightmare. I would just pile everything and end up short on certain days, not realizing it, and then having no time to go make copies before school started. Or I would copy way too much and end up with tons of extra worksheets at the end of the week.

Simple. Planned. Amazing.

Teachers: do you use workshop in your classroom (or something similar)? I'd love to hear what you do - and what tasks you have your students complete!

P.S. Does anyone use Mountain Math? I'd LOVE to purchase it...but it's just so pricey!