My Teaching Quirk

How can I pick ONE teaching quirk? I think I've had many over the years, and I think they have changed just a little bit over time.

I'm linking up today with Miss Monica of I Heart Grade 3 today for her Weekly Summer Link-up.

I think my biggest quirk (if you want to call it that) is my obsession with organization in the classroom. Not only do I strive to be organized with all of my teacher materials, but I took an entire summer to organize all of my student (and teacher) supplies. I bought all of the smaller rubbermaids to put the supplies in and I labeled every single box. I even went back and put labels on both ends of the boxes because students would put the boxes back on the shelf with the label facing the back, so it wasn't clear what all was in each box.

These pictures were taken a little later in the year. Obviously, I added a few more tubs/boxes. I started putting class sets (small group sets) of books in the Rubbermaids with pink tops.  They are not labeled...yet.

I work with students with learning disabilities. One of their biggest challenges, especially at the beginning of the year, is being organized. I teach them how to organize their planners, their desks, and we go over where things are organized in the classroom. I do this for their benefit and my own sanity. I need to be able to find things too! I used to separate student supplies from teacher supplies (aka supplies that only I could use). Then after a few years, I found out that 1. I wasn't using the "teacher only supplies" - I kept saving them for special occasions. I had to teach myself that every day is a special occasion! and 2. I kept raiding the student supplies (tubs/buckets, boxes, etc.), so I just combined and simplified. 

I still keep some of my supplies separate from the students' supplies. I don't want them using my grading markers and pens, but pretty much everything else is fair game. 

My fellow teachers come to me for organization advice!

Other quirks???

1. Starbucks coffee every morning (even my students notice!)

2. the scrapbook paper/bulletin board border hoarder/craft supply queen - colleagues come to me all the time for crafting and decorating supplies!

What is one of your teaching quirks? Don't forget to link up with Miss Monica at I Heart Grade 3 and share with all of us! :)