It’s essential to have a plan in place for what you’re going to do with all of the work that comes home from school with your child/ren before you are buried by it. Each week, or month as work accumulates, be ruthless about what’s worth saving.
Here are a few guidelines:
Keep:
-only keep what your child might enjoy rereading when they are 30 years old. You might appreciate how hard they worked on their California Mission Report, but unless it’s really earth shattering (news flash: it isn’t) they won’t care about it years from now. A really funny/embarassing love note passed between friends, however, that’s worth keeping.
-3-4 art projects from the entire school year. Have them pick a few that are most meaningful. Take photos of the others and use them as your screensaver or watch background, but throw away the originals.
-report cards only from the very end of the year that include the entire year’s comments.
-school/team photos
Dump:
-all worksheets and quizzes! Who cares?!
-school flyers
-cookie cutter art projects that all look the same
-it’s even ok to get rid of the poem they wrote about dogs if it isn’t all that original or funny—there I said it.
Here is all you need to assemble Student Portfolio Boxes of your very own.
Student Portfolio Pages
Print and paste these cover sheets to hanging file folders. Have your child fill them out each year, so they can look back and remember the details of each school year. Include a school photo for extra cuteness.
Hanging Files
Choose a different solid color for each child, or go for the rainbow. As long as you have enough files to cover preschool/TK through Senior year (a minimum of 13 files/student), you’ll be covered.
File Box
Having all your student’s best/funniest/most memorable work samples as well as cute notes and photos (don’t forget those sports team pictures) in one handy box will prevent you from saving too much or letting paper piles take over your home. Here is the file box I use, but any file box you have will do the trick.
Not the DIY type? Order completed student portfolio boxes for local pick up in San Carlos, CA. $75/box. Complete the form below.