Hanging Wall Files in the Classroom

Clear hanging wall files can help you utilize wall space for organization.
I cannot believe how quickly this school year is going. Fortunately, the weather is starting to cooperate to make it feel like spring. Here's a pic of a bleeding heart that I managed to keep alive from last year. (Note: Bleeding hearts do NOT like to be moved.)
Anyway, earlier this week I walked around my classroom taking pictures of things that went really well this year that I wanted to remember for next year. I decided that the ideas might make a nice little blog series.

The first idea that I want to share is the use of clear hanging wall files. They can be a little pricey, but I have used them in a variety of ways. I have a total of 12 (which I purchases in sets of 3), and they can be joined together or used separately. Instead of making a hole in the wall, I used medium Command strips (or maybe large?) to attach them to the wall.
Command strips can hang clear hanging wall files that can help you utilize wall space for organization.
As you can kind of see in this picture, I make sure that the tab extends above the top of the file so they can be removed from the wall if needed. When I have them connected together, I also add strips to the top of the bottom file. This also keeps them from wobbling. Sometimes I also add a small poster strip to the middle one with the tabs extending to the side.
Clear hanging wall files can help you display picture books or other thin books.
Picture Book/Thin Book Storage
These are hung on the wall about eye level to the students. In the past, I displayed the books that related to the current social studies unit in the blank area under my whiteboard and rotated the books with each unit. Since I actually have more room for my library, I use them for the Who Would Win books and other similarly-sized books. If you use them for this purpose, I highly recommend getting clear files so students can see the covers through the plastic.
Clear hanging wall files can help you utilize wall space for organization.
Paper Management and Teacher Interactive Notebook Storage
Oh, then endless cycle of papers that we must wrangle. I put these right behind my desk or on the side of a file cabinet. When I had to assign homework and take grades, they were labeled To Be Graded, To Be Recorded, and To Be Returned. When I was departmentalized, I labeled one for each class period and I put in papers to be returned. When they were full, I have students pass them out at the end of class.

Now that I don't have to assign homework and have fewer papers to check and return, I have 3 behind my desk that are labeled by subject, 2 for PD papers/random whatnot, and 1 for student papers to be filed.

Once I really started incorporating INBs into most subject areas, I struggled with where to store all of my teacher copies. I put files near my document camera and they are now perfectly out of my way and easy to find.

If you use hanging wall files in your classroom in a different way, please comment with your ideas. I'm always looking for new uses!
Clear hanging wall files can help you utilize wall space for organization.


1 comment

  1. I absolutely love this idea and can't wait to use it in my classroom next year!!

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