Organized Chaos

Christine E. WorthamTheatre Arts Teacher

Charles Patterson Middle SchoolKilleen ISD

www.christinewortham.com

About Me

• 3rd year middle school theatre teacher

• BFA Musical Theatre• Worked in the Insurance industry

(started out as temp while auditioning)

• Went through alternative certification

• Thought, “What do I have to offer to theatre educators?” *ding!* Organization tips!

My Problem

• My brain is not naturally organized!

My Solution

• PowerPoint!

My Problem

• “Mrs. Wortham, I lost my handout!”

• “Mrs. Wortham, can I get an extra copy of the rubric? I can’t find mine.”

• “Mrs. Wortham, I forgot what we were supposed to do for that assignment due tomorrow.”

• “Mrs. Wortham! Mrs. Wortham! Mrs. Wortham!”

My Solution

• “The Handout Crate”– I can field every, “Mrs. Wortham,

I need a copy of…” question by saying, “check the crate.”

– I make extra copies of every handout I give, stick the extras in a manila folder and just dump them in the crate.

– The students dig so I don’t have to!

The Handout Crate

My Problem

• “Mrs. Wortham, I need…– To go to the bathroom– To get a drink of water– To go to my locker– To call my mom– Etc.”

• I hate stopping what I’m doing to write passes

My Solution

My Problem

• “Mrs. Wortham, do you have…– A safety pin?– Some string?– Some glue?– Some tape?– Etc.?”

My Solution

• LABELS! I label all of the drawers/cabinets that my students are allowed to get into.

• My response to requests I choose to grant: “Drawers” or “Cabinets.” They can read!

• At the beginning of the year I make it clear that, “If it doesn’t have a label, it’s mine.”

• This is also great when we’re doing an activity and I can say, “Material Managers, get your team some construction paper from the drawers” (That also means less prep for me)!

Cabinet Labels

Drawer Labels

My Problem

• “I don’t have a pencil!”• “Can I have a piece of

paper?”

My Solution

• “The Bucket” / “The Tray”• After students leave I collect pens /

pencils / paper left on the desks, floors, etc., and throw them in the bucket/tray.

• When a student comes to me and says those dreaded words, “I don’t have a pencil,” I say, “Check the bucket.” Paper? “Check the tray.”

• If there isn’t anything there I say, “Problem solve in your team.” They don’t get mine!

The Bucket & The Tray

My Problem

• Last-Minute Sub Plans– It’s 6:00am and your 3-year-old

just threw up all over you.– You have an 8:00 class.– You call for a sub and scramble

to type up sub plans while your 3-year-old continues to cry and puke all over the place.

– Your day is already ruined and you’re still in your PJ’s.

My Solution

• “The Sub Drawer” (or crate)– Make enough copies of random worksheets for

your entire student load– Put them in CLEARLY LABELED hanging folders– Make sure your crate is UNMISSABLE – buy a

bright orange crate and slap a big “Sub Crate” label on it.

– Keep 1 copy of everything in a folder you keep at home

– While your 3-year-old is throwing up, look in your folder, pick a worksheet/activity and write your lesson plan: “Give them the Modern Theatre handout from the Sub Drawer in my desk.” DONE!

The Sub Drawer

The Sub Drawer

My Problem(s)

• Papers cover your desk• You can’t remember all your

reminders (Suzie needs to do her pantomime 3rd period, Josh has to take the test he missed while he was out 5th period, the bell rang before team 4 got to perform their scene yesterday so they need to perform first thing 6th period, you have to pass out a letter home for parents 8th period, etc.)

• Subs need class rosters, seating charts, etc.

My Solution

• “The Orange Binder”• Each class period has pocket

tab dividers. In each section:– Seating chart– Class roster– Papers to pass out (in pocket)– Reminders on sticky notes

• Direct your subs to your brightly colored binder (I have mine labeled, “Hi, Sub!”) for up-to-date seating charts, etc.

The Orange Binder

The Orange Binder

My Problem

• It takes time out of class to constantly divide into groups, etc. for activities (and it’s annoying to do)!

My Solution

• Teams! My seating arrangement allows for 7 teams of 3-4 students each.

• Every time we do group work I just say, “In your teams…” and give them their task. Every few weeks I mix the teams up so they are constantly getting to work with new people, while at the same time having enough time with the students in their teams to get to know them better.

My Problem

• I hate making new seating charts!

My Solution• Semi-Randomization!• A couple ways:

– Make cards and students draw cards to find out their new teams (sometimes I just hand them random cards as they come into the room)

– Count them off 1-7 (or however many teams you have) and then have them move to that team. TIP: Give them a time limit to move and reward the first team done so they don’t have time to figure out where their friends sit and how they can manage to trade cards and trick you!

• After the random assignments you can survey and swap some kids, etc. if necessary.

My Problem

• They move ssooooo ssslllllooowwwww…!

My Solution

• Races!!– I have no idea why they haul butt

when you say, “You have until I count to 5 to make a circle,” but they DO!• If they don’t, come up with incentives (if

you aren’t there in time you don’t get to play, etc.)

– “You have 30 seconds to get to your new seat. GO!” (and count it down: “15 seconds left! 10! 5! DING!”)

– “Which team can get this done first?” (They love the competition!)

My Problem

• Idle hands are the devil’s playground (students done early with nothing to do until everyone else finishes)

My Solution• “Hop to it!” – FROGS poster in my

room:– Finish Warm-Up– Read Silently– Organize binder/notebook– Get missed work– Study/homework

• Students will usually choose to keep rehearsing, creating more quality rehearsal time (instead of rushing through it and saying, “We’re done!”)

• If I catch a group messing around I make them be frogs. If they aren’t ready to perform, their loss!

My Problem

• I hated coming up with good, valid warm-ups / bell work

My Solution

• Musical Monday• Terms Tuesday• Whatever Wednesday (or “Remember

When-sday,” or “Warm-Up Wednesday” or “Writing Wednesday”)

• Tongue-Twister Thursday• Fact-of-the-Matter Friday

(I totally stole this idea from Robin Welch,

who presented it here last year!)

My Problems

• What do you do with the warm-ups?

• Kids lose everything!• Little Johnny has the script

the group is working on and he’s absent.

My Solution

• Class Binders• They get them first thing every day• THEY STAY IN THE CLASSROOM• Every day has a section in the

binder for warm-ups (Musical Mondays, etc.)

• When they work on group projects I tell them to keep their work in their binders – if they are absent, we know where to find the work!

Class Binders

Class Binder (Contents)

Class Binder (Cover)

My Problem

• You’re trying to get your class started and there’s a new student who has no idea what’s going on and needs information.

My Solution

• “New Student Set-Up” Checklist– Grab a star kid, introduce them to the

new kid and give them the checklist– Keep copies of everything the new

student needs in the handout crate– Start your lesson, “business as usual”– Reward the student for helping get the

new student settled

• A copy of my checklist is in your packet!

My Problem

• Getting supplies out when needed (scissors, glue, colored pencils, etc.) – too much time wasted and too many kids up trying to get what they need

My Solution

• Team supply bins. Each team has a bin with:– 4 scissors– 1 baggie of crayons– 1 baggie of colored pencils– 1 baggie of markers– 2 glue sticks (4 would be better!)– 4 rulers– 1 baggie with dry erase markers

and 4 pieces of felt (for erasers) – clearly labeled, “FOR WIPE BOARD USE ONLY!”

– 1 pencil sharpener

Team Supply Bins

Team Supply Bins (Lid)

Team Supply Bins (Contents)

My Problem

• Keeping track of who needs to perform, who has already performed, etc.

My Solution

• Put a clear cover stock over seating chart (in the orange binder!)

• Use a wet erase marker to mark out students’ names

• Make sure you give yourself a key if you use different markings for different things!

Seating Chart Cover

Seating Chart Cover

My Problem

• I hate paper! I drown in it!

My Solution

• Go electronic!• I type and save everything to a

thumb drive (BACK IT UP REGULARLY)!

• Anything I don’t already have electronically (within a reasonable page limit) I scan and save.

• This helps me a lot when it comes to posting things on my website AND emailing parents (I can just attach whatever the student needs, etc.)

My Problem

• “Mrs. Wortham, what did I miss when I was out yesterday?”–#1, it’s annoying to have to

stop what you’re doing to fill someone in.

–#2, sometimes I can’t remember!

My Solution

• “Check my website!”• I update my website regularly

with what we did in class that day (our site has a blog feature, but if you don’t have one you can easily create on on blogger.com or similar sites) – It’s quick and easy to do and I just type it up really fast before I leave every day.

• I also keep copies of handouts and presentations online (which is easy since I have everything electronically)!

Blog Excerpt

Class Sections Example

My Problem

• The dreaded email from the counselors: “Mary Jane will be out for the next 3 weeks and her mom wants to know what she needs to do from home so she doesn’t get behind. She’s coming by to pick up all the work in 1 hour. Thanks!”

My Solution

• A handout that says, “Thank you for taking an active interest in your student’s education while he/she is out. My website is updated daily with what we are doing in class, assignments due, etc. To access it…” (and then I give step-by-step instructions on how to get there).

• Bonus: Since you have it electronically you can quickly email it to the counselor!

• A copy of my handout is in your packet

The Problem

• Not all kids have internet access

The Solution

• Most of my kids have internet access at home. I send home a syllabus at the beginning of the year that the parents sign and return and they note whether or not they have internet.

• If a student doesn’t have internet, I let them know they can ask me.

• This method will not work for low SES schools!

My Problem

• Scripts leave my room and never return

• I hate filling out missing book forms

My Solution

• I scan the scripts and put them on my website.

• The kids without internet get photocopies.

• Password protect documents so it isn’t out there for the whole world (copyright issues). Make sure it’s an easy password for students to remember!

Problem

• When you go electronic, sometimes you can’t remember where you saved something!

Solution #1

• Folders!

Solution #2

• Add filename/path to documents in the footer.

• How?– View > Header and Footer– Click inside the footer– Insert > AutoText > Filename

and path– It will automatically put it in

there, as well as change if you change the filename or path!

Solution #3

• The search feature!• It’s much easier to find a lost

electronic file than a paper one, because the computer does the work!

• “I know it had the word ‘characterization’ in it!”

• You can search by file name OR contents!

My Problem

• I hate passing back papers• People have a fit when you

have kids pass back papers because then they can see everyone’s grades

• But kids BEG to pass papers back!

My Solution

• Have students write their names on the BACK of the paper. Then the papers can be passed back up-side-down and the students passing papers back can’t see the grades.

• You could have them write their names on BOTH sides of the paper so you don’t have to flip them over when entering grades.

Questions?

Thank You!

• If you want more information or electronic copies of anything I have talked about today, check out my Theatre Teaching Tools website!– www.christinewortham.com

• Organizational stuff• Classroom Management stuff• Lesson Tools• Contact Information• Etc.