For much of this past week, I have been working away in my office. I’m finishing the photos for Math Work Stations. Yes, I’m near the end of it! I thought you might like to see what this process looks like– or at least the space in which it’s being created.
Yesterday I was getting frustrated. I had piles of stuff (math manipulatives and papers) everywhere and couldn’t find what I needed. So, I thought about my advice in Spaces and Places and did what Julie Morgenstern calls, “Equalize.” I put everything (almost) back where it belongs. And then I could think straight again. It’s amazing how our space can affect our thoughts!
With the end of school, things often look bad (or worse than normal) before they look good. Stay tuned for a special post coming soon. My friend, Mary Brown, is moving to a new school next year to become a Math Recovery teacher. Several of us are going to help her pack up her room later this week. I’ll post pictures to show you how we did it. Are you moving? Packing up your room? Check out the chapter in Spaces and Places called “Organizing Your Stuff.” There’s a whole section called “Packing and Moving.”
Part of my messy office with math manipulatives everywhere!
Aaah! A clean space. The corner with my paper cutter. Think I'll hang out here.
Or maybe I'll use my organized crayons to finish making that card. A few years ago, I labeled this big box of crayons I bought for my kids. I was tired of not being able to find the color I needed, so I added labels.
Debbie Diller 