Teachers- how do you stay organized?

I just went back into the classroom full time after being out for two years (was a full time literacy coach in 04-05 and last year I coached and taught one class- glad it's over!)

I'm a middle school person, and feel like the way we're supposed to teach is much more like the way elementary teachers teach, in terms of doing small group work, conferencing, etc all at once. So many balls to keep in the air simultaneously and I think secondary teacher ed didn't address that because I'm lost. I've pretty much always had everyone doing the same thing at the same time and now I worry about forgetting to do important things.

And I have 33 kids in one class.

Re: Teachers- how do you stay organized?

I have 3 preps this year, so lesson plans are each in their own binder. In total, I have about 8 binders.

2 of the classes I teach are more lab-based, so for those classes, I bought a 2-pocket folder for each student at Staples (on sale for $.05) that I label with their name. Anything they do, goes into that folder. I use it kinda like a porfolio, but much less formal.

Hope that helps!!