Building Binders on a Budget

One of my goals for back to school prep was organizing my filing cabinet. This was the kind of serious deep cleaning that included sorting everything from tubs of craft supplies to micro-organizing each of my binders.

Last year, my Guided Reading binder was a mess. Even though I won't be using it until second semester, I decided to get it prepped and ready. One less thing to worry about later is always a good thing!

My binder has a section for each guided reading group so that I can easily access records for a particular student. Having a pocket on the section divider gives me a place to store my copy of the book we are reading as well as lesson plans and any small manipulatives we may use. So to start my binder makeover, I began by creating pocket dividers from paper folders turned inside out. I used packing tape to bind the outside edges of each folder together. (Last year, I did this was staples. I was constantly slicing my fingers open while turning pages, so I won't be doing that again!) Since the folders had holes punched on the inside crease, I used those to put the folders into the binder. This was in large part related to the fact that my 3-hole punch was too short for the folders.

In the front pocket of my binder, I keep small copies of our alphabet and blends chart. I also have reference guides to taking running records and strategies for struggling readers. Just in case! 

In each section of the binder, I have small tab dividers to create a personalized section for each student. In the section, I have several pages of notebook paper to use for anecdotal and running records throughout the year.

Here's my finished product!

Being prepared and sticking to your budget? Always a great way to keep it class-y, ya'll.