Perhaps this post should be titled “Do It Now my friends!” Before the craziness that is the beginning of every school year. Take a couple of hours to organize last year’s school work, archive those special pieces, and set up a system that you can work with this school year before the paper starts streaming in again.
I like to take some time the 1st week after school is out in June to sorta close the door on the school year, reminisce a little, and clean it all up before our summer gets really moving. I also really like to have the kids involved in this project. Even my 3 year old helped out here. It’s actually a great exercise for my kids. One of them only wants to keep what looks perfect while another wants to keep each + every scrap of who knows what! There is a happy middle ground here that doesn’t need to overburden your space, yet preserves their hard work, and captures a glimpse of what they were like at that moment in time.
Step 1 – Gather Your Supplies
The file box {one per child} which includes a hanging file and a file folder for each grade {plus one for all of preschool}.
Step 2 – Start Sorting
The hanging file will hold – a favorite piece of art, tests, writing samples, end of year math test, major reports, etc.
The file folder will hold – a school photo, that year’s class photo, report cards, special awards/certificates, playbill from a performance they were in, special note from camp, sports photos, etc.
Step 3 – Decide what is staying and what is going
I prefer to keep pieces that tell something about each kid from that grade rather than just the A+ pieces. The writing sample about their summer compared with a report they wrote at the end of the school year shows their growth not just a score. I also like to keep any writing that may tell something about who they are and what they were into at that time. Add the school work to the hanging folder and the photos, report cards, special memorabilia to the file folder. I also glue a school photo from that grade onto the front of the file folder.
Step 4 – Displaying + Archiving
Everything Else – will go in one of 3 places.
1. framed
2. archived
3. recycled
I keep some on an oversized bulletin board in our kitchen as it comes in, but at the end of the school year it’s part of this group. I like to frame a piece or two from each of my kids for our family room art wall. Any other special pieces have been photographed and turned into collages. Last year I found yet another great shop on Etsy that put 16 pieces of art into one beautiful collage for each of my littles. I love these pieces and how else would I be able to see 16 pieces of art work by 3 different kids?!! I highly recommend photography your kids artwork as much as you can even if you aren’t ready to start an archiving project. I’ve been working on doing it this school year so when I’m ready I can create a beautiful book for each of them!
