Why Use Student Numbers to Organize Your Classroom?

I was talking with a new teacher who asked me about assigning student numbers. She wanted to know what I use them for. My answer was…. Well, I use them for pretty much everything. 

There are so many advantages to using student numbers for classroom organization.

How It Works

Each student has a number 1-30 that they are assigned for the whole year. For the most part, this is simply alphabetical order, except when new students come in during the middle of the year. They get whatever number-spots I have available.

Lining Up

When the class lines up to specials or out to recess, they stand in number order. Everyone knows where they are supposed to be, so there is no arguing about who is in front of whom. It also helps when we go to lunch. Students are already in order and the cashier can find them in the computer system more quickly. 

If I need to take attendance while they are in line, I can easily tell who is absent.

Organizing Papers

Students write their numbers on their papers. I ask each row to put the papers in number order. It is easy to tell if any papers are missing. This saves time when entering scores into the grade book.

Number All the Things

All books, cubbies, and mailboxes are labeled with numbers instead of names. The labels can be used year after year and do not have to be changed out. This saves me a huge amount of time at the beginning of the year.

I use wooden craft sticks to draw names for calling on students. They have numbers instead of names. My helper chart has numbers. Behavior charts can be set up with numbers. 

Reuse Year After Year

Think of things that come in a class set and are reusable. All of these can be labeled with a number and used repeatedly each year, allowing you to enjoy just a bit more of your summer vacation.

Kinds of Labels

For labels, I’ve used stickers, die-cut shapes, address labels, Sharpie markers, and even calendar number cards. If the number cards are too big, I just reduce the size for printing. 

One year, I put mini-calendar cards on each student’s desk and changed them out each month with a new theme. Some students wanted to save all of their cards in a little collection.

Conclusion

Student numbers are wonderful for organizing your classroom. They are reusable and will save you time.