Being organized is important no matter how experienced a teacher you are, but for first year teachers, it is even more critical. There are so many pieces of information to keep track of, that if you aren't on top of it, your paperwork can quickly get out of hand. Let's take a look at a sample list of some of the things you might be responsible for tracking: Student Work (what are you assigning, is it turned in, is it returned, etc.) Student Performance (homework, assignments, grades, report cards, test scores, etc.) Student Attendance Student Behavior and Disciplinary Infractions Curriculum (alignment with standards and benchmarks, reading level, etc.) Field Trips Parent Meetings and Communication New Directives and Mandates from the District or School Supplies Used and Needed Your Time Spent on Various Tasks Lesson Planning Decorating Your Room School Policies and Meetings Textbooks and Materials in Your Room Computers and Computer Time Data Analysis It can be a daunting task. Most first year teachers, even though they have probably served as an intern, never realized or experienced the sheer amount of record keeping that comes with being a teacher. Basically, organization can be divided into three main categories: Managing Your Time Managing Materials and Things Managing Your Paperwork We're also going to offer you some quick tips for organization that can work for all areas.