Whether a classroom is organized or not can make or break even the best-intentioned classroom management strategies. While world language teachers definitely want to set up their classroom to promote the use of the target language, there are other ways to be organized that help with efficiency during instruction.

1. Bins in Closets

I luckily have two closets in my classroom: one is for students to access, the other is for items I use. In the student closet, there are small plastic bins for snacks, menstrual supplies, Band-Aids, white board cleaning supplies, candy, scissors, erasers, pencils, rulers, markers, and a DIY bin for colored pencils separated by color.

In this closet, there are also larger metal bins for students to keep their notebooks. I prefer that students keep their notebooks in the classroom, so there is no excuse for them not to be doing an activity or wasting time going to their locker to get their notebook. I do tell students that just because we keep notebooks in the classroom does not mean that they are not allowed to take them home to study for assessments.

In my closet, I have bins for staples, paper clips, Post-It notes, Sharpies, as well as extra glue sticks, dry-erase markers, highlighters, etc.

2. Agenda

On a white board in the back of my room I write the agenda for the day for each level. I write general words in the TL, such as “Vidéo,” “Conversations,” “Histoire,” “Lecture,” etc. I do not tape off a section of the white board like I see some teachers do because some days I need more space than others for particular classes.

3. “I Can” Statements

On the top half of a 4 ft x 4 ft bulletin board, I have “I can” statement posters with what students are able to do at each proficiency level. At the bottom of these posters, I write in what language level (French 1, 2, 3, 4, AP) that the proficiency level corresponds with. Having these posters simplifies the “I can” statement process from an observation standpoint for admin because I keep them up all year and I do not have to change them when we are discussing a new topic for fear that admin might walk in and they be incorrect.

4. Supplies at Front of the Room

On a rolling table under my screen at the front of the room, I have mini white boards and small plastic bins for dry-erase markers, dry erasers, highlighters, glue, and my bean bags. These are the supplies that my students use almost every day. This is also where I put all of the papers that I regularly use or will use in the next few days. Papers that I regularly use are in a paper organizer, whereas papers that I will use in the next few days are just laid flat on the table.

5. Cordless Keyboard

I would highly recommend a cordless keyboard for every teacher, but especially for classes that have desktop computers for teachers. A cordless keyboard has a huge benefit of allowing you to be able to walk around the classroom while still being able to control the computer.

6. Papers to Grade / Papers to Put Away

On my desk, I have two bins: one for papers to grade and one for papers that I have graded that need to be put away in the students’ hanging folders. This keeps my desk as clutter free as possible.

7. Hook for Bell Schedule, Staff Phone Numbers, etc.

By my desk, I have a hook and sheet protectors with the bell schedule, staff phone numbers and classroom numbers. I have the bell schedule facing up at all times in case I need to double check what time the period ends. (I also put this information on my roster lists that I have on my clipboard as another place to double check.)

8. Sub Binder & Attendance Binder

On my desk, there is a designated spot for administrative binders, such as my sub binder and where I store my class lists that I took attendance on. (During class, I use a clipboard where I keep my lesson plans, class lists and useful phrases to be able to easily show students, if necessary, and at the bottom under everything else I have a chart with a quick list of things I need to be able to look up quickly regarding medical notes, IEPs, 504s and ELL info.

9. Filing Cabinets

Any papers that I do not use often go in filing cabinets organized by topic. That way, whenever I want to find an activity about colors, let’s say, I know where to look.

10. Tissues & Hand Sanitizer

Tissues, a hand sanitizer bottle and a lotion bottle are by the trash cans, which are by the door and away from my desk. You don’t want students approaching your desk every time they’re sick to blow their nose or throw their tissues away. Having the trash cans by the door also is conducive to students throwing things away on their way out instead of leaving things on the floor because the trash can is on the other side of the room.

Read the blog post “How to Set Up Your Classroom for Immersion” to also see how I organize my classroom for such things as student supplies for the day, a class calendar, useful phrases, class expectations, posters reminding students to stay in the target language, among others.