First, I find that it's much easier for me to organize myself with paper and pencil. That probably has a lot to do with personal habits. When I first started using a paper binder, it was WAAAY back in the day. We were actually issued large plan books and wrote out our lesson plans for the week. That is when I got in the habit of planning my entire nine weeks in rough form. I dated it like a calendar, put in all holidays and assemblies, etc. Then I could figure out how much time I would have to teach each of my units. In the best of all possible worlds, you have all the time you need. But in the real world....Good Luck!
Second, studies have proven that there is a hand to mind connection. I find that my thoughts run more smoothly and I think more creatively when I have a pencil/pen in my hand. Some of my best ideas have come as I was handwriting my plans.
Third, I get a real sense of satisfaction as I see my ideas unfold in my own handwriting. It's just not the same when I type it out on my computer. My school did require online lesson plans and an online gradebook, and yes, that means I had copies in two places. My written lesson plans were never as detailed as my online ones. They were more broad strokes. As far as the gradebook, I could grade papers at home, put the grades in my binder, go to school and simply put them in the online gradebook. Because both gradebooks were alphabetical order, it took very little time to do the exchange.
Fourth, it appeals to my personal sense of creativity and fun. I pick my colors, my dividers, the color ink I use. I can use sticky notes and washi to decorate if I want to. They're just cute. lol!
Fifth, I find it more convenient. If I have a parent conference or need to phone a parent, I can just grab my binder and go. If I have a meeting with my administrator, I don't have to print out the information he wants, I already have it. Everything is in one spot rather than in several files on my computer.
So when my school moved to online lesson plans, I still wanted a paper one to get myself organized for the long haul. I purchased some of those pre-made ones. However, they were generally geared more towards elementary teachers, and I was never happy with them. I didn't need to know who ate lunch and who brought their own. Nor did I need to divide my day up into several subjects. And the ones for secondary teachers were so bland and boring, it was depressing. It wasn't until I started creating my own binders that I began to figure out exactly what I needed in a teacher binder.Everyone is different in what he/she would like to have in a binder. Creating your own helps you tailor it to your own specific needs. Whatever it is that you need to track, you can do it in your binder. If you get handouts or letters you need to keep up with, those can go into your binder. Emails can be printed and put in. Flyers with upcoming community performances, letters from students...anything you can think of can probably go into your binder.
As far as expense, you can spend a lot of money on one or be very frugal. You can create your own inserts or download print inexpensive ones like mine (see link below). Personally, I always tend to be a bit more on the frugal side. You can buy an expensive binder or stick to a cheap one. You can buy cute dividers or make your own. My favorite type of binder is the ARC Discbound system. However, they do tend to be a bit pricier, especially if you purchase the special hole punch ($40 or more). If you don't want to invest much, a simple three ring binder is perfect. They come in so many pretty colors and designs, and you don't have to break the bank. The binder you can see on this page and that I will be using to show the various printables was purchased at Walmart for $3.68. I got the dividers also at Walmart for 98 cents. I used some folders I got at Target dollar spot to create a flyleaf, an additional divider, and a pocket. My dashboard I made from a set of three flexible "cutting boards" I picked up at Dollar Tree. Everything else I already had: washi tape, paper clips, sticky notes, etc.With just a little creativity and planning, you can create a teacher binder that will work perfectly for you.
For some great secondary Teacher Planner Printables, check out my TPT Store here.
Happy Planning!
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