Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a teacher. I was that kid who would dig out dried Expo markers and unused copies from my teacher's trash can so that I could play school at home for hours. Being a teacher was the only thing I ever wanted to do, so you can imagine my excitement when I finally had my very own classroom in 2005.
I didn't go into teaching blindly. Everyone always said teachers were underpaid and worked long hours, so I expected that. But I had no idea how this reality would truly impact my life both in and out of the classroom.
I made a really big mistake for the first half of my teaching career, I believed in order to be effective, productive, and a really good teacher, I had to stay late and bring work home because there just weren't enough hours in the day.
This led to a massive wake-up call around my 7th year in the classroom that forced me to make some changes in my life because being a workaholic (although praised by my colleagues and principal) had major repercussions on my life and my health.
I needed to find a way to spend less time on school stuff (while still being a really good teacher) and more time on the things that made me happy and healthy. I needed a system to make the best use of my time while still protecting it. That's the year The Organized Teacher System was created.
I because obsessed with creating different systems and routines in my classroom that would ensure it was running like a well-oiled machine…even when I had a sub. These systems solved a lot of the common classroom problems I was experiencing that wasted so much time and often left me feeling defeated and exhausted by the end of the day.
I had classroom organization systems for:
- passing out and collecting work
- effective center organization that took minutes to swap out
- ways to lesson plan efficiently so I was prepped by Thursday for the following week
- grading work faster and returning it without it piling up or bringing it home
- ensuring my students were working independently during centers without interrupting my small group instruction
- …and so much more
Benefits from Classroom Organization Systems
I began to notice that my students knew exactly what to do without a million reminders. That meant I was no longer repeating myself all day which made me a happier teacher. It also allowed me to be more present during teaching without stressing that we have to rush through this lesson because we're behind again.
I was able to leave school on time without bringing work home, I got my nights and weekends back and if I decided to work longer, it wasn't because I was guilted into doing so, it was because I wanted to.
I took what I learned and what was working for me and bundled it all into The Organized Teacher System that I've been sharing with thousands of general education elementary teachers in The Organized Teacher Club and my new book, The Organized Teacher Toolkit.
The Organized Teacher Toolkit Book
The Organized Teacher Toolkit is a practical, judgment-free guide for elementary teachers who want to do their job well and have a life outside the classroom.
Instead of more tips, hacks, or unrealistic expectations, you’ll learn a proven system that helps you decide what actually needs to get done—and what doesn’t—so you can leave school prepared more often.
By the end of this book, you'll have a clear plan for getting the right things done during the day without staying late, sacrificing your home life, or running on fumes.
Inside, you’ll discover The Organized Teacher System, built on four essential pillars that thousands of teachers are already successfully using:
IT ALSO INCLUDES:
- Real-Life Success Stories: Gain inspiration from teachers in the classroom right now who have successfully transformed their professional and personal lives using these strategies from The Organized Teacher System.
- 15 organization resources to download instantly from the book so you can get results quickly.
Here's what Educators are Saying about The Organized Teacher Toolkit Book
Every day, classroom teachers are navigating packed schedules, growing expectations, and the quiet pressure to do more than one person realistically can.
Inside real classrooms, teachers like you are craving support. Boundaries. Systems that actually work to save time instead of waste it.
And it’s not just classroom teachers who see the need for change.
Educators and leaders across the profession recognize that something has to shift if we want great teachers to stay in this work.
I Have Three Hopes For You When You Read This Book:
- You see what's possible for yourself both in and out of the classroom.
- You take at least one proven time-saving system back into your classroom to easily apply it.
- You see that it can be easier and even sustainable with a few small tweaks.
Here’s what some of those voices are saying about the systems inside this book.
You can get a copy of the book to help guide you during the year. We're oven hosting a FREE Summer PD Event called The Organized Teacher Learning Experience to support you! If you're a Gen Ed. teacher who doesn't want to play catch up all year again and who wants to finally get ahead before August gets busy, this Organized Teacher Summer Learning Experience is for you. It's not just a workshop, it's an experience so you can start the year with a plan that works!
I designed this Organized Teacher Summer Learning Experience based on my new book The Organized Teacher Toolkit so you can finally:
✔️ Have a classroom layout that helps the day run smoothly…without so many interruptions
✔️ Create a clutter free teacher desk or work area (and how to keep it clean all year)
✔️ Easily collect, grade, and return student work a lot faster without staying late
✔️ Have your copies prepped by Thursday for the following week
✔️ Set effective boundaries with your your principal, team, and other adults so you have more time to teach, prep. and leave without a stack of papers to take home
