how to create your own teacher binder

Do you have a teacher binder? What important things do you keep in it?

In my teacher binder I like to keep my weekly planner, curriculum information, student data, important school documents, and parent volunteer information. It is so nice to have all of these important documents all in one place. If you don't already have a teacher binder, I would highly recommend one!

My binder really isn't anything fancy. This year I am using a small 1 inch binder I got from Target {here}. I plan on taking this thing everywhere, so I don't want it to be too bulky. If you want to make your own teacher binder, then basically any binder will work, as long as it has a clear, front pocket for the cover. I'm really picky and I like the plastic covers that are totally see through {I hate the fuzzy plastic look}. If you hurry, you can probably get your binder cheap at a back to school SALE!

To divide each section, I used 5-tab index dividers that you can find at almost any store.
Click {here} to check them out.

And of course, everything teacher-related needs a cute cover right??

Click {here} to download your own binder cover. 

The font I used can be found for free {here}.

1. PLANNER: The picture below is a sample of my weekly planner. I will be printing this schedule off each week so I can make any necessary changes to it. Things change SO FREQUENTLY in first grade, which is why I can't print it all off at the beginning of the year. You know what I mean... it would be out-dated mid September! I created this template in PowerPoint and you are welcome to use it! However, if you are looking for something that is more unique to your schedule, check out A Teacher's Plan {here}.

Click {here} to download your own weekly planner in PowerPoint. 

BTW: It looks crazy in the Google Docs preview, so be sure to actually download it to your computer.

2. CURRICULUM: In this section, I will be keeping all of my curriculum maps, so I can make sure I am staying on track and teaching my students what they need to know! At my school, we use the Houghton Mifflin reading program and the picture below is a year long schedule that I will be following this year.

Click {here} to get your own reading schedule.

Again, It looks crazy in Google Docs, so be sure to download it to your computer.

I am also going to use Rachelle's Math and ELA Common Core Checklists that I purchased on TeachersPayTeachers. And let me tell you friends, IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Click {here} to check out Rachelle's Common Core Checklist. 

I don't have pictures of the next sections in my teacher binder, for obvious reasons,
so I will do my best to share what I put in each tab.

3. STUDENT INFO: This is a good place for class lists, student phone numbers, assessments, grades, etc.

4. SCHOOL INFO: In this section, I put important school documents, calendars, etc. {All those papers you get at the beginning of the school year that you don't know what to do with, but you know you should hold on to them... } This section is important, because I usually lose these papers!

5. VOLUNTEERS:  I keep all volunteer information in this section. These papers are important to keep close by just in case I need to contact a parent volunteer for whatever reason. It is also nice to know who is coming and when! Basically, these are documents I don't want to be scrambling for at the last minute!

I am sure there are many other things I could keep in my teacher binder, but I have learned that these things are the most important to keep handy and readily available.

Soooo... what do you keep in your teacher binder?