Teaching With Terhune: Homework Folders

At the beginning of the school year I make each student their own daily folder, also known as their "Take Home Folder."

I've had a lot of teachers reach out and ask if I can make my "Take Home Folders" into "Homework Folders." So here they are!

This folder works as a great communication devise between home and school!

The homework folders should be brought home every night by the students and returned to school the very next day. The folders have important information such as school notes, notes from home, classroom newsletters, money, homework, graded work, etc. in them.

The student's daily behavior can also be noted in their homework folder on the monthly behavior calendar.

At the end of each school day you can have your students mark either a green, yellow, or red dot on the appropriate date on the behavior calendar. This dot communicates to their parents the type of behavior they had that day at school. If the color yellow or red is marked on their calendar, write a brief description of the negative behavior that student displayed. The purpose of this is to encourage a discussion between the parents and their child over the misbehavior.

By having your parents sign or initial each night on the behavior calendar this communicates to you that the parents saw their child's homework folder and the information inside of it.

Have your students turn their homework folders into a tub each morning. When they turn them in have them place the folders in numerical order. This makes it easy for you to flip through and see who is at school, who forgot to turn their folder in, etc.

Here's a peek inside the homework folders!

Here's the steps on how to put together your very own Homework Folder:

Step 1:

Use plastic brad folders to make the homework folders. The plastic folders hold up much better than the paper ones.

You can find the plastic folders at Walmart or even Amazon!

Step 2:

Pick a cover with a different clipart character for each of your students. Add their name, their student number, and your class information to the cover. Print each cover and laminate it.

**If you don't want to make a personalized cover for each of your students I also have these pencil people covers!**

You can make these folders for the girls in your class.

And these folders for the boys in your class.

Step 3:

Attach the covers to the front of your folders. You can use staples, tape, Velco dots, etc. to attach the covers.

Step 4:

Add additional pockets to your folders. These plastic pocket sleeves can be purchased at Wal-Mart. Then add them to the brads of the folder.

Step 5:

Use the 1" x 2 5/8" labels to label the behavior calendars and homework pockets.

Step 6:

Use the 2" x 4" labels for the graded work pocket.

Go over the labels with clear tape to ensure the labels stay on and do not get damaged.

Step 7:

Place any additional important handouts (like the school calendar) in a clear plastic sleeve and add it to the brads of the folder.

Step 8:

Pick out a left and right pocket label for your folders. Print, laminate, and cut out the labels.

Step 9:

Attach the labels to the left and right pockets of the folder by stapling them on.

*You can also just print the labels on 2x4 labels*

Step 10:

Add a pencil pouch to the brads of the folders for money, small notes, etc.

Don't forget to take the pencil pouches and plastic sleeves out of each student's folder at the end of the school year so you can reuse them year after year.

Step 11:

Add the behavior calendar to each student's folder. The monthly behavior calendar can also have school events, classroom events, due dates, test dates, etc. on it as well. This will help parents easily see what's going on at your school and in your classroom.

Step 12:

Send home these introduction notes the first time you send home the homework folders. The notes explain what a homework folder is, what is inside the folder, and the guidelines to take care of it.