As the school year comes to an end, I find myself thinking more and more about next year. I like to reflect on this past year while it is still fresh in my mind and start to make changes to some of my classroom procedures for next year. 

One of the biggest problems I have had this year is keeping up with absent students and work that needs to be caught up when they return. I don't like to send work home with students to make up because it usually gets lost or becomes a problem for the family. The other part that makes it difficult is that so much of what we do during the day is differentiated which means that what one student misses during the day could be totally different from what another student misses. 

So, I have decided to make Absent Folders. These will be red plastic folders that will be placed on a student's desk when they are absent and filled throughout the day with anything the student misses plus a note from me with any other instructions. Then when the student returns their work will be neatly organized and I can have them work with a student helper or my TA. :-)