Did you know that disorganization is ranked as one of the top reasons that students fail? Finding the best strategies to keep your students organized is a cornerstone in creating a successful learning environment. This month we are teaming up with School Specialty Planning & Student Development, the leading providers of student planners, to offer our “Little Steps Make Big Things Happen” microgrant to help you fund your best ideas for keeping your students organized and on track.

We have compiled a list of 27 ideas for reaching your disorganized students. We also thought you might be interested in this research-based white paper titled, “Why Plan?” We hope this gets your creative juices flowing and inspires you to take the five minutes to apply for the “Little Steps Make Big Things Happen” microgrant. Five teachers will be receiving $200 and a Flip video camera or iPod nano with video to put their plan into action. So, take a look at our list and then a take a minute to apply for the microgrant-you will be so glad you did!

1. Use social media to reach today’s digital learners-post calendars and due dates in an online blog or website.

2. Create a take home class calendar with all due dates filled in.

3. Do a monthly binder check, offer extra credit points for organized binders.

4. Have students create a “homework file” where all the assignments that need to be returned can go.

5. Send out email reminders to students.

6. Encourage students to exchange phone numbers and email addresses with their classmates, and to remind each other about up coming tests and papers.

7. Get parents involved! Ask them to follow you on Twitter and post reminders that assignments are due!

8. Use a color coding system.

9. Set aside time every month for students to clean out their binders and book bags during class.

10. Make sure they are getting enough rest at night.

11. Encourage parents to have a set place at home for students to do homework.

12. Teach students how to make an effective to-do list.

13. Create a “Organization Checklist” to give to students and parents with tips for things they can do at home to keep everyone on track.

14. Help students make the connect between being organized and reaching their goals by having them make a list of their long term goals and what they need to do to achieve them.

15. Emphasize time management by having students track what they do in a day and identify where they could better use their time.

16. Instead of fighting students’ reliance on their smart phones, encourage them to use the calendar or download a good calendar application and use it.

17. Have a list on your blackboard of what students are expected to bring to class with them tomorrow.

18. Have a “Cleanest Locker” contest and give the winner a special prize.

19. Have students fill out a monthly supply list to take home to parents so they don’t run out of paper, pencils, etc.

20. Use popular shows like “Hoarders” and “Clean House” to illustrate the importance of getting rid of clutter.

21. Have students write a “to-do list” at the end of each day to take home with them.

22. During brainstorming time, ask students to share their best organization tips.

23. Give out little treats when you see a student modeling good organization.

24. Have a “MTV Cribs” type video contest, asking students to put videos of their designated study areas at home on YouTube and then take a class vote to see who has the coolest place to study.

25. Have students brainstorm how your classroom could be better organized.

26. Encourage parents and students to have a place to set everything that they need to take to school the night before.

27. Get your students excited about your organization projects by rallying them and having their parents vote for your microgrant submission online. Voting begins March 9!

Of course, we know that you have your own ideas for how to get your students organized and we want to hear them! The deadline to apply is March 16, so don’t wait-apply now!

In an era when the President of the United States uses a Blackberry and computers are  becoming as necessary as number two pencils, digital technology is changing the way we live and learn.  The digital age has created an exciting new environment for us all, and innovative teachers like you are embracing and harnessing the power of digital learning to blow the walls off their schools and open up their classrooms to other educators all over the world. But sifting through all of the information about digital learning can take more time than a busy teacher has to spend, so we’ve found some great resources on the web to help you find new ways to incorporate digital technology into your classroom.

The case for digital learning is simple: your students live in a time of wikis, webinars and iChat. But how could this help them in the classroom?  This video shows what your digital learners expect of you in a Web 2.0 age.

At WeAreTeachers, we want to encourage you in your efforts to be a part of this digital revolution, both by providing you with the tools you need to keep up and through the teacher’s magic word: funding.  Through WAT microgrants, we are helping teachers get their big ideas out into the digital world-and the response has been phenomenal. Our current “Digital Learning “ microgrant sponsored by Dell, had over 200 submissions! From those 200 applicants, the community will vote to determine the top ten who will receive $200 and a flip video camera to share their project with the entire WeAreTeachers community. Have you had a chance to take a look at the microgrant applications?  It’s a great way to see what your peers are doing to bring their students into the Web 2.0 age. You are sure to be inspired!  What is so exciting about each of these teacher-submitted ideas is that they all demonstrate how digital learning empowers teachers to share their passion for reaching students in a fresh new way.

We are so proud of the astonishing response to this microgrant. What this tells us at WeAreTeachers is that you are excited about being on the forefront of using this technology, and we are thrilled to support you!

And we aren’t the only ones, many companies are hopping aboard the digital bandwagon. Everywhere you look, companies and organizations are standing up and taking notice of the need for digital content. NASA has a wonderful Digital Learning Network that was designed to help educators bring the wonder of space into the classroom.  PBS will be launching a fantastic digital learning library this fall, geared especially towards educators. The Digital Learning Commons is a nonprofit organization created with the sole intention of helping teachers find the best digital learning techniques to give their students an edge. Additionally, exciting programs are being developed like the Digital Learning Lab at UC Irvine, which is currently looking for educators to collaborate in a host of digital learning projects.

How do you use digital learning? Do you keep a blog? Have your students used wikis to research information? Have you thought about using a flip video camera like the ones we are including with our microgrants to collaborate and idea share with other teachers?  Is there an area that you’d love to see supported by a microgrant? We want to hear about it! Have you been inspired by an idea from our 200 applicants?  Your feedback is crucial, so please take a minute to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.  We cannot wait to infuse your ideas and bring you more valuable teacher-generated content that will inspire, enlighten and empower you in the days to come!