I was raised by a wonderful mother, but she couldn't keep house.  I use that as my excuse for not knowing how to keep things neat.  Yesterday I could not find my lunch bag so I could send the lunch count down to the office.  The first graders saw me looking for it.  One little red-head by my desk said, "Do you want me to look in the big piles while you look in the little piles?"  (Now, isn't that sweet?)

Anyway, I got up an hour earlier today so I could go in and work on a few of those "piles" she was talking about.  Sometimes when I'm the last one left in the building, I peek in other teachers' rooms to see if they're as messy as mine.  They don't seem to be.

I feel like I want to be teaching every minute at this first grade level and I don't seem to get anything put away during the day.  I see other teachers who also seem to be teaching continually, but yet have a sort-of neat room.  Ideally, I should go to them and ask them how they do it, but I think I have a pride-thing when it comes to these teachers.  (I really hate to admit that!)

Would any of you neatniks out there give me any pointers about what you are having the kids do when you get things straightened?   I know you can be a good teacher and be fairly neat, but I don't know how to do both.

Sincerely, Eva

P. S.  What are your thought patterns as you get ready to clean anything?  (That line sounded really silly to me as I typed it!)  What I mean is, I grew up in such a messy house that I don't know how to motivate myself or get my mind "in gear" to do it.