Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!

Jun 7, 2012
Category: Community | 434 comments

We love teachers and know that they play an important role in the lives of our children and are so proud to support their efforts through our Organized Teacher Discount Program. To help our teachers across the country get organized for the new school year, we are going to give 10 lucky teachers a $1,000 classroom makeover!

To enter, tell us why you or a teacher you know needs and deserves to win our $1000 Organized Teacher Makeover Contest by making a comment with a short story on this blog post by Friday, June 29.

See Official Rules

434 responses to “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!”

Elizabeth Lucas says:
January 3, 2013 at 12:01 am

I am writing this on behalf of my best friend Lori who is a teacher in Ohio. She is ...

I am writing this on behalf of my best friend Lori who is a teacher in Ohio. She is an amazing mom to a wonderful 2 year old son, but she is the wife of a farmer and she tries her best to keep herself and her family always organized with their cattle farm, and family. She is putting herself through college to get her masters degree in education so she can have her own classroom. She is co-teaching with another teacher and sharing a classroom which is difficult because she tries to be very organized and has a thorough system to how she teaches and grades papers. I think she would greatly benefit from having a teacher makeover!
Thank you.

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pam nunez says:
October 5, 2012 at 1:29 pm

I teach 4 year olds at a Christian preschool, and we just moved to a new location. We brought with ...

I teach 4 year olds at a Christian preschool, and we just moved to a new location. We brought with us a whole lot of used containers, mismatched and worn out. It’s not in the budget of the school, or my wallet, to buy new containers for my class, or any other class. We don’t have a closet, sink, or bathroom in our room. We only have metal storage units that we try to decorate with the children’s artwork hung by magnets of all kinds. We would really appreciate some help, and I know the preschool would benefit tremendously from a facelift.
Thanks, and God bless!

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Yvonne Conner says:
September 3, 2012 at 10:26 am

Who won?

Who won?

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- The Container Store says:
  September 3, 2012 at 4:46 pm
  
  Thank you for visiting our blog! We are just waiting for our winners to respond to our notifications and ...
  
  Thank you for visiting our blog! We are just waiting for our winners to respond to our notifications and we will announce. Thank you!
  
  reply
Janet DIckens says:
August 10, 2012 at 1:09 pm

when will the winners be posted?

when will the winners be posted?

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Demi Lovato Lyrics says:
August 6, 2012 at 11:50 pm

naturally like your web-site but you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Many ...

naturally like your web-site but you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the reality however I?ll certainly come again again.

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removal jobs says:
July 25, 2012 at 3:33 pm

I just like the valuable info you provide to your articles. I'll bookmark your weblog and take a look at ...

I just like the valuable info you provide to your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and take a look at once more here frequently. I’m somewhat certain I will be informed many new stuff right right here! Best of luck for the following!

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Holly says:
July 17, 2012 at 8:40 am

Hello, I believe that I am a good teacher; however, my problem is organization. I have a very small room ...

Hello, I believe that I am a good teacher; however, my problem is organization. I have a very small room that is filled with 8th graders and all the materials that go with teaching them. This year we will have at least 32 students in my very small room which means that some of the area I used to put things will have to go. This is going to be a major problem. I have never been very good at keeping things organized and would love the chance to try to improve that! Thank you!

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Kate Fairchild says:
July 10, 2012 at 3:52 pm

I believe in being the best teacher I can be and being organized is essential! My journey as a teacher ...

I believe in being the best teacher I can be and being organized is essential! My journey as a teacher has been adventurous! This will be my 4th year teaching and I will finally be in the same classroom teaching the same grade! Woo hoo! I have been in a different school every year (in the same district) because I have been “laid-off” and then rehired when a teacher retired. Needless to say I have become an expert at packing up and moving my entire load of materials. Not to mention storing it all at home over the summer!
I can finally get organized this year so winning would mean so much. I teach Kindergarten in a tiny room (600 sq ft) with 24 students. It was not easy last year because Kindergarteners require a lot of space to learn. I have dealt with the “leftover” furniture since I was always the newbie in the building. It is my goal this year to make the best use of the space I have so we can at least sit comfortably in a circle for activities. This was impossible last year!
As a teacher my funds are low so the money I have to spend on my classroom usually goes to materials to help my students learn rather than containers to keep them organized. My mom has helped me with buying things in the past and this would be a perfect chance to give her pocket and mine a break! Thank you for the opportunity to tell you my story! I appreciate your kindness toward educators!

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Stephanie says:
July 10, 2012 at 12:26 am

Hi I am a Sunday school teacher at the church I grew up in because I want to give ...

Hi I am a Sunday school teacher at the church I grew up in because I want to give back . I am recently making a makeover to the classroom it was so abandoned I had help from friends to paint it but all we have left is just desks , we need to organize the classroom and for that we will need more money
It would be awsome if I won the makeover, however I know it will happen to someone who really needs it hope it is me

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Cyndi Gagliardi says:
July 9, 2012 at 5:58 pm

My daughter is a speech pathology student, finishing her final year of studies and preparing to enter the school systems, ...

My daughter is a speech pathology student, finishing her final year of studies and preparing to enter the school systems, working with children with a variety of speech concerns. She is already in debt from her studies, but would love to have the ability to become organized right from the start of her career. She utilizes many toys, visual aids, drawing/painting materials, and other tools to analyze a child’s potential disorder, and then uses them for her actual therapy. She has collected some tools, but having a gift like this would be such a blessing to a new therapist/educator just starting out. She loves to be organized, and this would be the proverbial icing on the cake for the start of her career!

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Emily says:
July 8, 2012 at 9:26 pm

I am writing to nominate my dear friend and neighbor, Bonnie Riner who just got a teaching job in Bartlesville, ...

I am writing to nominate my dear friend and neighbor, Bonnie Riner who just got a teaching job in Bartlesville, Ok. She is going to be teaching at a Title 1 school where 98% of the kids are on free reduced lunch. Bonnie has the passion and compassion to be a teacher that is rare. This make over would be well deserved for Bonnie’s classroom, because it would make such a huge impact on the children that Bonnie will be teaching. So often schools in lower imcome neighborhoods are neglected. Here is a prime opportunity to not only give this well deserving teacher a great start in her new classroom, but to be a huge blessing in the lives of many children!

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Pamela Gavina says:
July 6, 2012 at 9:13 pm

Long story short... I'm a veteran educator of 18 years. After 10 years in a school library, I am going ...

Long story short… I’m a veteran educator of 18 years. After 10 years in a school library, I am going back to the classroom. I have accumulated 18 years’ worth of fantastic teacher materials that need YOUR organizational help! Thank you in advance!

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Liliana Grijalva says:
July 6, 2012 at 1:39 pm

Our school closed down and we were moved to another school with less storage. I had to moved all my ...

Our school closed down and we were moved to another school with less storage. I had to moved all my materials and store it in less room. I have managed a bit but my classroom always looks like an disorganized mess. I have tried multiple ways of reorganizing and making everything look better but it never seems to work. If I organize a spot another looks cluttered. I would love this makeover.

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Jeremy Mugurussa says:
June 30, 2012 at 3:32 pm

My mom is a kindergarten teacher. I think she should win because she is always organizing her room. ...

My mom is a kindergarten teacher. I think she should win because she is always organizing her room. If her classroom had all the organization containers she needed,she wouldn’t bring all her school stuff home. If everything in her classroom had a place, our dining room wouldn’t look like a storage locker.

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Terri Stauffer says:
June 30, 2012 at 7:55 am

I teach in middle school, and middle school notoriously gets the leftovers. Our building is the old high school, while ...

I teach in middle school, and middle school notoriously gets the leftovers. Our building is the old high school, while the high school and two elementary schools are newly built. As such, we got all the old furniture and storage units. I have mismatched bookshelves, filing cabinets and one huge storage cabinet. I have no storage places that are useable for my students to put books. My room could use a whole room makeover to become more usable for me and my students.

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Jennifer says:
June 29, 2012 at 9:53 pm

I would love to nominate Bonnie Riner for this amazing opportunity presented by The Container Store. Having been Bonnie's roommate ...

I would love to nominate Bonnie Riner for this amazing opportunity presented by The Container Store. Having been Bonnie’s roommate in Missouri for three years, I saw her dedication and love for her 2nd grade students every day. She is genuinely kind, creative, compassionate and simply an ideal teacher that every kid wants to have!

I recently visited her new classroom in Oklahoma. Not only will she be teaching a new grade (1st) but her school is desperately old and run down with very few amenities. Being a fellow teacher myself, I know the importance of a well put together and organized classroom. The chance for Bonnie to make over her new classroom will benefit hundreds and hundreds of grateful students for years to come.

Thank you for supporting teachers. And thank you for considering Bonnie Riner!

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Ginger says:
June 29, 2012 at 9:26 pm

My name is Ginger Berry And organizing makes me merry. Last year was my first year, So, let's be clear. I didn't have a ...

My name is Ginger Berry
And organizing makes me merry.
Last year was my first year,
So, let’s be clear.
I didn’t have a classroom,
But a cart “Vroom Vroom”
This will be year two,
With my own room, WOOHOO!
I have many supplies in my stash,
And I don’t want to spend all my cash
To super hyper organize
Some really fun school supplies.
If I am so lucky, I promise I will share
Because keeping it all for myself wouldn’t be fair.

I have already began organizing the supplies I have created and accumulated. I planned to spend a chunk of time organizing supplies prior to the start of the school year because I know a good systematic foundation is really the key to having successful organization. Thank you for supporting teacher organization!! You are AWESOME container store!

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Ginger says:
June 29, 2012 at 9:05 pm

I would like to nominate my co-worker, Susan. Susan puts her heart and soul into teaching. She will stop what ...

I would like to nominate my co-worker, Susan. Susan puts her heart and soul into teaching. She will stop what she is doing at any moment to help out a student or fellow teacher. She spends countless hours creating lessons and activities to keep students engaged. As a result of her hard work, Susan has accumulated a wealth of materials over the years. Students are able to relate to her glittery nature because of her interest in pop culture. (She will school you in musical trivia.) Who doesn’t love Lady GaGa and Pink review flip charts?!?!

Did I mention she had brain surgery during the previous school year? Yea, pretty amazing!!

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Carolyn Jacobsen says:
June 29, 2012 at 7:36 pm

I have the privilege of teaching science to a number of our young people who have made some decisions that ...

I have the privilege of teaching science to a number of our young people who have made some decisions that resulted in negative consequences. The consequences for these young people have resulted in days, weeks, or months being served in the Collin County Residential Center(CRC). McKinney ISD provides a school within CRC. I am one of the lucky teachers that have the joy, honor, and privilege of working with many of these wonderful students. My rewards are unmeasureable.

My classroom consists of a cart loaded with the items I will need each hour when I am in a POD with my students. I need many items to support the various subjects I teach each hour. I may have four or five different science classes in a single POD. Therefore the quality, organization and beauty of my “classroom” cart is imperative. I have three minutes between classes to move from one POD to the next POD. Humor is a valuable asset to have when recovering from a turnover when one of the wheels gets caught in the spacing between concrete blocks in the recreation area that I must traverse between my office and the PODs. A little humor helps when dealing with the struggle to get over the humps between different areas as we move from one section of the facility to another. A very important challeng that is always present is the heavy metal doors that we must request entrance through and then make sure that they are locked after our passage. Every challenge along the paths to the POD is worth it just to inspire and be inspired by the residents in each housing area.

I have seen numerous products in the Container Store that could enrich this experience for my students and me. I would like to start with the InterMetro epoxy coated steel shelving in silver to which I could add 3″ casters and now have a valuable sturdy cart as my classroom. The posts would need to be cut to 55″. The shelves would be 18″x48″. I would like all shelves to be basket shelves except for one solid shelf. I would add 4 sliding drawers (10-7/8″ x 16-7/16″ x 6″ high) and 3 Iris letter sized File Tote Boxes. I would fill the remaining space on the shelves with varied sizes of bright shades of yellow, tourquise, and red files and boxes by Stockholm and Bigsco. Perhaps the most important part of this portable classroom will be the four 3″ black casters. These quality and beautiful tools would be appreciated by my students and me. Thank you for the opporunity to be considered for one of the Organized Teacher Makeovers.

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Stacey Baker says:
June 29, 2012 at 6:20 pm

While I teach in a tittle one school, I am fortunate to be in a fairly new building. Yet being newer ...

While I teach in a tittle one school, I am fortunate to be in a fairly new building. Yet being newer it is still a blank slate and lacks a warm feeling tone. I teach kindergarten and know that the bright, cheery, kid friendly products you all have would be the perfect solution to the my generic room. I have seen that even our youngest students (and their teacher) are capable of keeping their materials neat and well organized if given the right tools, and no one has better “tools” than the Container Store! With your help I see the opportunity to change a boring space into a warm, welcoming and well organized environment that children cannot wait to come in and learn!

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Susan Bloom says:
June 29, 2012 at 6:13 pm

Only I could hit the wrong button before I was finished. I need your help to develop a mobile classroom ...

Only I could hit the wrong button before I was finished. I need your help to develop a mobile classroom of materials that fits in my trunk of my car and your clear organizational containers, desks, and recycle containers to improve my small work space. My students and I would be forever grateful. This message goes along with first my submission. I love your products and I would like to be able to stop wasting time and energy on looking for things to utilize with my students. My career education locations for RCTC would benefit by me having everything I need, instead of me stating that I left it back at the high school. Please help. Thank you Susan Bloom, Teacher Consultant from Ypsilanti Public Schools, Ypsilanti, Michigan.

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Susan Bloom says:
June 29, 2012 at 6:05 pm

Help!!! I really need an organizational make over. I am a special education teacher, fancy name Teacher Consultant, ...

Help!!! I really need an organizational make over. I am a special education teacher, fancy name Teacher Consultant, for a school district in Michigan. I have a small space that requires extensive organization for me ton pull out on demand accommodation materials for teachers, textbooks or other teacher materials to tutor students, and space for students to work on assignments one-on-one with me. I am always looking for something. My organizational system has become my students putting there materials/assignments in an area that they claim so that I do not lose it. When I say this…a student even lost his own textbook and paid for a new one because he and I could not find it. Two weeks later, of course, it was found under a stack of papers. Yipes.

In addition, I am a traveling teacher consultant. I work for RCTC (Regional Career and Technical Center, which means I go to 4 different sites every other day. (two sites per day, plus two hours at my home base of the high school.) My biggest need is keeping the auto, collision, repair, culinary arts, and construction materials separate, organized and readily available to utilize at each site. At the high school, I tutor my students from the RCTC sites in my small overcrowded space their academic subjects. Many times, I have students sitting at my desk, on the floor, on a box or two, while I work with them. Each student will be working on a different subject and will require some special materials which will need to found or located in my piles of disarray. What this means to my students is lost instructional time/tutoring because of the constant searching for that specialized handout.

To add to this confusion, I have moved locations of my space 4 times this year. Without proper organizational containers, (I have used boxes, which get crushed, are heavy, and have been labeled and relabels),

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Tracey Morton says:
June 29, 2012 at 4:46 pm

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to teach in a brand new school building. Despite the new building, only ...

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to teach in a brand new school building. Despite the new building, only furniture or organizational items provided to us will be a teacher desk and desks and chairs for the students. Unless it is provided by me, there will be no shelves, baskets or other items to assist in the organization of the classroom. I teach kindergarten and we have lots of resources that need to be stored and organized. Right now, it looks like I will be spending quite a bit of my own money to purchase shelves, small group tables, containers, etc. in order to organize the classroom for my students. A classroom makeover would be a temendous support to start the learning of my students. I teach in a high poverty school district, so it is difficult to get family or community support.

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Paula says:
June 29, 2012 at 4:09 pm

I deserve to win a classroom makeover! I'm in my 4th classroom in 6 years. I keep bringing ...

I deserve to win a classroom makeover! I’m in my 4th classroom in 6 years. I keep bringing my materials and stashing them wherever there is room. My room is a clutter of 6 years worth of different grade level materials including the detritus of two different teachers in the room before me! Please help me!!

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Tyler Snow says:
June 29, 2012 at 4:08 pm

My mom has been a teacher for 10 years and she has helped myself and other kids so much. ...

My mom has been a teacher for 10 years and she has helped myself and other kids so much. I just graduated from high school this year and I couldn’t have done it without her. She always goes the extra mile for her students and me and my brother. She deserves this classroom makeover because she had to move out of her classroom this summer. She is starting the school year off in an old room that needs lots of work. In her last classroom my brother and I helped her paint and get everything just the way she liked it. All of the kids wanted to be in her class every year. I really want my mom to win this so she will be excited to start out the new school year (especially since she is very emotional about me going away for college). That might make the transition easier! Thank you. Tyler

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Rosemarie Berger says:
June 29, 2012 at 2:50 pm

When Rose was a little girl, she loved to play school with her dolls and stuffed animals. As a ...

When Rose was a little girl, she loved to play school with her dolls and stuffed animals. As a teenager, she held a summer playschool in our garage, for real kids from the neighborhood. She grew up to become a National Board Certified preschool teacher for children with exceptional needs. It was a great honor when she was named Teacher of the Year.

In addition, she has received several mini-grants from local businesses in the community for her innovative ideas. For one of these, she used plastic containers with handles and filled them with art supplies that students take home with them to do projects with their parents. Your Small Hobby Case would be perfect to update these. Since she works in a Title 1 school, many of the children do not have art supplies at home and this is also an opportunity for parental involvement. Another grant was for “Making Sense of Scent” which is a project using small containers filled with cotton and scented oil. The goal is to find the matching scents. For her “Creative Connections” the grant money was used to purchase a variety of textured material to use at the sensory table.

It was always her dream to make a difference in the world. She always used to say that someday there would be a school building with her name on it, but that has since changed after many personal experiences such as the following: We were recently in a restaurant, when one of her students came in with her family. Upon hearing Rose’s voice, the little girl, who is blind, ran toward her for a hug. At moments like this, Rose realizes it is better to have her name forever engraved on hundreds of beautiful beating hearts, rather than one brick building. As her Mom, I am so proud, I can hardly contain myself.

While Rose is a “Born Teacher” — she was not “Born Organized!” However, she has learned to rely on Container Store products to simplify her life and leave more time to do what she does best. In the coming school year she must change classrooms, so the Organized Teacher Makeover would be a perfect new beginning. Your generous prize would make her feel like a kid in a candy store! Her favorite building in North Carolina says: “The Container Store” instead of “Rose Moore.”

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Judy Schnebly says:
June 29, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Fortunately, we still have elementary music in my school system. Unfortunately, our (my) room has a lot to be ...

Fortunately, we still have elementary music in my school system. Unfortunately, our (my) room has a lot to be desired as an adequate space for teaching. There are shelves that hold our books and I have purchased some containers for various rhythm instruments. However, the containers do not fit on the shelves so they take up valuable floor space. With our other classroom items – chairs, piano, etc., space is extremely limited.
Metal chairs with a desk top provide a place for students to sit and write, but the desk top doesn’t fold down. This means we can’t do much from our chairs such as move around, pat legs, or even go up and down. When we do a lot things such as play instruments or need room to move around, the chairs have to be folded and put against the wall. This takes time away from the student’s music class and is a little dangerous as the chairs can fall from their stack.
What would music class be without getting into an occasional circle to sing a song or play a music game? Yet, any music activity we would like to do in a circle is impossible if we want the entire class involved. The younger children can often times manage two small circles, but we usually use what we call a “hotdog bun” shape when we stand together. This shape can be effective for some things but does not work for many others.
Organizing the space we have for music class could allow us free up floor space space. Containers big enough for rhythm instruments that will fit on the shelves or perhaps removing some of the wooden shelving for nice drawer-type containers would be helpful.
As with most schools, money has been cut and then cut again from the budget. Any sort of help we could get to use our small room effectively would be terrific.

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Tiffani Mugurussa says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:53 pm

I love to be organized, especially in my classroom. Having everything neat and tidy makes for a better workplace, ...

I love to be organized, especially in my classroom. Having everything neat and tidy makes for a better workplace, especially for small learners like my kindergarten students. I am always on the lookout for organizational tools, containers and such to make my classroom look inviting and professional. I like for all my items to match. Having a hodge podge of organizational items makes for a messy look. However, this comes at a hefty price, right out of my own wallet. I know that in order to do my job well, I need to be organized. I would love a classroom organizational makeover.

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Tina Blalock says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:47 pm

I feel that my classroom really deserves to win a $1,000 classroom makeover! I will be located in a new ...

I feel that my classroom really deserves to win a $1,000 classroom makeover! I will be located in a new classroom for this upcoming school year. I have taught for eight years in a room without a window and I really, really wanted a classroom with a view. I wanted this so badly that I gave up the flat screen television mounted to the wall of my old classroom to move to the new classroom that has an old box style television just so I would have a window. That is pretty bad, right? However with this classroom came an additional plus to go along with the window. I now have a walk-in closet with lots of cabinets and an L shaped counter top. All I need now are lots and lots of containers to organize all of the teaching manipulatives and supplies in my kindergarten classroom. This would make life so much easier! I can picture it now…everything would have a home in a container, the container would be labeled, stored neatly in the cabinets, and would always be within the reach of my fingertips! Please help me make this dream come true, so I can be the most organized teacher within the school! If you pick my classroom for the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest”, I even promise to also organize my teacher’s desk and keep it that way! It would be wonderful to never wonder in my desk really does have a wooden top on it, because if I won this contest…my classroom visitors and I would always be able to see a nice, clean work surface that I would proudly call my desk!

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Jocelyn Gray says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:26 pm

I have tried to organize my room, but my closets are a mess. I dread when another teacher asks ...

I have tried to organize my room, but my closets are a mess. I dread when another teacher asks to borrow something, and I have to open the closets to retrieve it. I just would like to organize the closets in my room so things do not fall out at me.

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Heather Toller says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:14 pm

I would love to win this contest. I have been teaching Kindergarten and Preschool for 21 years and this year ...

I would love to win this contest. I have been teaching Kindergarten and Preschool for 21 years and this year my personal goal is to clean and organize my classroom closets.I am very creative, but not organized. I need the experitise and products from The Container Store!!! Thank you for your consideration!

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Stephanie Nykamp says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:12 pm

I am a teacher of 30 second grade students. My class size is HUGE but my classroom is SMALL! ...

I am a teacher of 30 second grade students. My class size is HUGE but my classroom is SMALL! I have so many storage problems I don’t know where to begin. I am a teacher that believes in having supplies and maniputatives available to my students at all times! This can cause a problem because my counters are completely covered with supplies and materials to help aid my students in learning. I LOVE teaching but every fall I struggle with getting my classroom organized. Fitting 30 desks in my room takes so much space that there isn’t much space for anything else. Not only do I have 30 desks but I also have a large portion of one of my walls filled with the coat rack! The coat rack is a disaster and constantly is a mess! One thing I really can’t stand is a mess and I constantly ask my students to clean up and organize. I tell my students that our room is our office and that it should be a place where we like to be. I can’t begin to express how much I could use this makeover! I know along with other teachers that we would also LOVE to have one of your stores here in Salt Lake City! Please come soon to help me and my students enjoy our learning environment!

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Courtney Bartlett says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:07 pm

I would love a classroom makeover. I just had to move classroom last week and I lost all my classroom ...

I would love a classroom makeover. I just had to move classroom last week and I lost all my classroom storage. I have a big empty blank wall. I would love for my classroom to be an inviting place for my students. I love the Container Store and I know that they can really help me create the classroom that my students deserve.

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Katie Frederickson says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:00 pm

This past year was my very first year of teaching. It was wonderful; my students learned so much and ...

This past year was my very first year of teaching. It was wonderful; my students learned so much and I saw them grow in so many different ways. I teach in a third grade bilingual (Spanish) classroom at a Title I (low socioeconomic status) school, and third grade is their last year in the bilingual program. Fourth grade is completely in English. So in third grade we have a lot to do! They need to be able to read and write in Spanish at their grade level and they need to be ready for all their instruction to be in English in fourth grade. They worked very hard in Spanish and English and accomplished those goals; I had at least a quarter of the class that made over a year’s worth of progress in English reading. One student even started the year testing at a second grade reading level and finished testing at a fifth grade level! However, one of my biggest struggles this year was organization, both for my students and myself. This is partially due to the fact that I was a first year teacher and came into the school with almost no resources besides the curriculum. I spent lots of my own money on things for the students like books and other learning resources, but I didn’t have much in the way of keeping me organized. I constantly had papers being given to me from the students, colleagues, and at school and district meetings. I had two languages to keep track of in terms of teaching and resources. At the beginning of the year, any bin I could find I used to put my limited amount of books in for our library. None of them matched, but the books are all in one place at least! This prize will help my classroom because it will help me better organize everything that comes my way in English and Spanish and it will help me have a better way to keep my students organized. They can learn from my example and I can help them develop their own organizational skills that they will need for the rest of their lives. I have to admit; I love your store and feel a rush of excitement when I go in. I can think of so many ways to use your products! If I receive this prize I know of many hyper-organized teachers that can help me make my room the best it can be, and because I will be only a second year teacher next year, it will help students for many years to come! Thank you for your consideration.

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Lindsay Foster says:
June 29, 2012 at 11:53 am

Our Fine Arts teacher, Susan Bishara, desperately needs a room makeover. While the 650 students make incredible pieces of art ...

Our Fine Arts teacher, Susan Bishara, desperately needs a room makeover. While the 650 students make incredible pieces of art there is no place in her room to store the materials and the finished pieces. Often the students completed work lie in the hallway outside her room as it dries and consequently is trampled by the afterschool programs which our district permits as an additional revenue stream. The students participating in the afterschool programs are often not part of our student population and they show little regard for the hard work that our students put into their masterpieces. Additionally, our Fine Arts department budget has been decreased to less than $1 per child for the entire year. Consequently, Mrs. Bishara seeks donations of supplies and often receives odd packages, discards, and other items that do not fit in her existing space. Having paper sorters for the various types of construction and manila paper as well as having organizers for basic art materials including pencils, crayons, markers and glue would go a long way to improving the organization of the room and would prevent waste of the precious few materials that are there.

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Deb Coats says:
June 29, 2012 at 11:50 am

HELP! My classroom definitely needs help from The Container Store, so I can be an organized second grade teacher ...

HELP! My classroom definitely needs help from The Container Store, so I can be an organized second grade teacher in the fall. This will be my 28th year of teaching and I am a “saver”. I love teaching and love using hands-on manipulatives with my second graders. So, I have 28 years of “stuff” that needs some sort of an organizational system! I hope I am one of the lucky ten teachers to win a makeover.

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Kelly Duffy says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:13 am

Microscopes, rocks & minerals, magnets, light bulbs, electrical wire, modeling clay, beakers.... test tubes, and even Madagascar Hissing Cochroaches!! ...

Microscopes, rocks & minerals, magnets, light bulbs, electrical wire, modeling clay, beakers…. test tubes, and even Madagascar Hissing Cochroaches!! These are just a small fraction of the supplies that need to be organize in the fantastic science lab at Legacy Christian Academy in Valencia, California. The amazing young scientists, ranging in age from 5 to 12 years of age, try to help their frazzled science teacher organize but need the assistance from the generous Container Store. Please help this teacher, Mrs. Duffy, get organized. Who knows what scientific investigations are waiting to be discovered under all that clutter.

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Jake RIner says:
June 29, 2012 at 12:02 am

I would like to nominate my beautiful wife Bonnie Riner for the Organized Teacher Contestant! She loves and I ...

I would like to nominate my beautiful wife Bonnie Riner for the Organized Teacher Contestant! She loves and I mean LOVES the Container Store! She also LOVES the kids she educates. If she had it her way, she would spend a thousand dollars a day, every day, for the rest of her life on any student to further his/her education. It takes a very special person to be a teacher, no doubt about it. It takes an incredibly special person to be the kind of teacher that Bonnie is. She chases every thing she does with a pure hearted honesty that I can only stand in awe of. It’s hard to see her heart break for kids and I have seen the sacrifices that she has made for them on so many different levels. It is of course worth the sacrifice to see even the tiniest change in a student’s life, a sacrifice Bonnie makes with a smile.

I know Bonnie would put the $1,000 make over to good use. Because she has moved to Oklahoma to teach and moved to 1st grade in a title 1 school, she needs all the help she can get. Me being a firefighter, we just don’t have the kind of income we would like to spend on books and things that a lot of the kids NEED. Bonnie has spent a lot of her own time and money going to garage sales and hunting through craigslist adds looking for books and other tools to help educate her kids.

You should definitely pick Bonnie. She is the GREATEST teacher in the world who deserves this more than anyone. She is the most kind-hearted person who has every student’s best interests in mind. She is someone who would represent the Container Store in a positive way on so many different levels and I know she could put your products to very, very good use!

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Alison Groenboom says:
June 28, 2012 at 9:42 pm

Title: "Container Store to the Rescue" Story to the tune of: "Skip to My Lou" By: Alison Groenboom - 1st grade ...

Title: “Container Store to the Rescue”
Story to the tune of: “Skip to My Lou”
By: Alison Groenboom – 1st grade teacher

Here’s my story; it’s a song.
Please feel free to sing along.
I need help from your talented crew.
Container Store to the rescue.

Desk drawers are a great big mess!
Clips and clutter – hard to address.
Tell me, tell me what to do.
Container Store to the rescue.

Cords and cables all around,
Document camera crashes to the ground.
Puzzle pieces make me blue.
Container Store to the rescue.

First graders all from coast to coast,
Love great books; they love them most!
Shelves will keep them safe from glue.
Container Store to the rescue.

Dice and markers falling on the floor.
Recess stuff – rolling out the door.
Where it goes we have no clue.
Container Store to the rescue.

Math cubes, rulers, coins and clocks,
Blocks and beans – where do they flock?
I do not know where they flew.
Container Store to the rescue.

Digging in the dirt on nature hikes.
Looking for worms is what we like!
Kids like to store them – who knew?
Container Store to the rescue.

Like my story? Like my song?
I’ll go shopping all summer long.
I’ll be loyal only to you!
Container Store to the rescue.

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Kim Frazier says:
June 28, 2012 at 7:16 pm

Dear The Container Store Judges, It is with great honor that I nominate my son's second grade teacher, Ms. Jennifer Langston ...

Dear The Container Store Judges,
It is with great honor that I nominate my son’s second grade teacher, Ms. Jennifer Langston of Hardin Valley Elementary School for your Organized Teacher Makeover Contest! Ms. Langston is a very special teacher, person and student advocate. My son, Jackson, struggles with severe separation anxiety. Prior to school staring, we met Ms. Langston and visited her room so that Jackson would hopefully feel more comfortable and his stress would ease. When we introduced Jackson to her, she knelt down and spoke to him with such compassion and encouragement telling him that she understands his struggles and that they would work through them together. We were floored! She knew all about his previous struggles and had researched the best approach to handling children like Jackson. From that moment on, our son was a different child! He walked into school on the first day like he owned the place. Because of her sensitive, yet firm approach, Ms. Langston gave Jackson a new found confidence. I also learned that this was not the first time that Ms. Langston had dealt with boys with issues. Ms. Langson is the “go to” teacher for boys that need individualized attention. I have personally seen her take an unruly, disrespectful boy and turn him into a kind, gentle young man. I call her the “boy whisperer”. She is so deserving of this gift. I have joked with her that her only shortcoming is her organizational skills. She has acquired so much teaching material that there is literally nowhere to put i. Having said this, she was informed at the end of the school year that due to increased student capacity, she would be moving into a learning cottage (or portable). My first response was “how are you going to fit all of your supplies into that small room”…tearfully she resonded, “I have no idea”. The room is small and bare with no storage containers at all! I have surveyed the room and took some measurements in the hope of raising funds or finding some willing volunteers to construct student cubbies and shelves in the classroom. When I heard about your contest, I thought this is it…an answer to prayer. My second son is approaching second grade this fall and I am hoping that he too will be able to experience the magic of Ms. Langston. This would be a dream come true and a very deserving blessing for this amazing teacher and all of those that she has and will touch through her teaching. Her circumstance and your contest are perfect for one another!!! Thank you so much for considering Ms. Langston and I hope that you will find it in your heart to bless her with this honor. Sincerely, Kim Frazier

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Meredith Whaley says:
June 28, 2012 at 3:20 pm

I would love a classroom makeover! Thank you for supporting teachers!

I would love a classroom makeover! Thank you for supporting teachers!

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Kristen says:
June 28, 2012 at 1:11 pm

My friend Elizabeth Busch is a wonderful teacher in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district. As many people know, CPS ...

My friend Elizabeth Busch is a wonderful teacher in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district. As many people know, CPS has had a volatile year, but Liz never loses focus of her goal: to provide students with memorable educational experiences. She’s taught special ed, kindergarten, and is entering her second year teaching first grade this fall. Liz has an amazing reputation at her school, which means she often gets a jam-packed classroom with all of the grades challenging students. Liz often spends about 60 hours a week at school to stay on top of all the required paperwork, assessments, extracurricular activities (she chairs school fundraiser and has coached Girls on the Run,) lesson planning, and mentoring. My parents are both retired teachers and have visited Liz’s classroom as “guest readers.” My mother, a highly respected teacher with over 20 years experience, always comments how Liz is a devoted, innovative, and tough teacher who runs a very efficient classroom…praise my mother doesn’t dole out often! Winning this contest would allow Liz to purchase amazing products at the Container Store in order to keep her room even more organized, which will ultimately mean an even better educational experience for her students! “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place” is a mantra Liz lives by, but due to the expense of living in Chicago she is not always able to purchase everything she needs for her classroom. Please select Liz, as I cannot think of anyone more deserving!

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Michelle G. says:
June 28, 2012 at 7:33 am

I would love a classroom makeover! As a teacher of high school students with emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric disorders, it ...

I would love a classroom makeover! As a teacher of high school students with emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric disorders, it is very difficult to find the time to organize all of the paperwork and assignments for my students. Since many of my students also lack organizational skills, I find that providing them with neat new tools for organization helps to motivate them to create and maintain their own organizational systems, which greatly increases their academic success! Unfortunately, we are being moved from our nice room at the high school I teach in and being put in the former Auto/Mechanics room, which means there is a LOT of work to be done before it looks like an actual classroom. I would honestly appreciate a classroom makeover, as all of my classroom supplies (including pens, pencils, paper, etc. for all of my students because their parents often cannot afford basic supplies) comes out of my pocket. This is a very high-need student population that is often overlooked and underappreciated. Please help us.

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peggy veanes says:
June 28, 2012 at 7:13 am

I teach At-Risk Kindergartners in a small group setting. I have been doing this for 17 years. I have ...

I teach At-Risk Kindergartners in a small group setting. I have been doing this for 17 years. I have accumalated a LOT of stuff which needs to be organized! I have a very small budget to work with at school, so organizing is usually the last of the list. I would really, really appreciate your help!!! Thznk You

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Nathan Fowler says:
June 27, 2012 at 10:16 pm

After "stalking" my wife's facebook page, I noticed that she had liked this contest. When I asked if she entered, ...

After “stalking” my wife’s facebook page, I noticed that she had liked this contest. When I asked if she entered, she replied that she had and she hoped she would win. I decided to do a little investigating and realized that others could nominate a teacher as well. While I am not the word craftman that my wife is I would like to tell you a little story of an inspirational woman, my wife Jennifer Fowler. Here it goes:

“I am an educator. It is my pride, my passion, my challenge. In my eleven years of teaching, my greatest accomplishments in education are my approximately 1000 students that have passed through my classrooms. I challenge them to be their best and give their all; I educate them in English and science but, most of all, life.” These are the opening lines of her essay for Kentucky Teacher of the Year. She was one of the Top 3 semi-finalists for the award. She is so passionate about her profession and her students. She continually goes above and beyond. There is never a day that she does not bring home a stack of essays to grade; there is never a day that she is not involved in an extra-curricular activity; there is never a day that she is not either bragging about her students’ accomplishments or worrying about their challenges. I am so proud of her. She never complains about her work load, and she would never ask for anything for herself…she only asks for what would benefit her students. They are her number one focus.

“In addition to educating my students, I take great pride in sharing my knowledge and passion with other educators. I feel I have contributed to the profession by mentoring several teachers and teachers-in-training. We can all learn from one another; one teacher’s strengths is another teacher’s weakness. It takes collaboration, not competition, among teachers to build a successful school.” She believes that the teaching profession is the greatest in the world and she wants to share her knowledge and passion with others. She is involved in so many professional organizations, including being the Middle School Vice-President for the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English. This is an unpaid position. There are no financial benefits (she even has to pay membership dues and conference fees). But she is so dedicated to the organization. She is so dedicated to helping other Kentucky English teachers find the resources and materials they need to be successful in their own classrooms. She shares everything she has.

“I have also made great strides in improving parent-teacher communication and community involvement. With weekly e-mails to parents and promoting the hard work of our students in the community, parents and community become more involved and invested in the education of our students.” Jennifer believes that parents are the most important stakeholders of her school. She works so hard to keep them involved with a website, weekly e-mails, and conferences. She is also visible in the community. She is at every home (and several away) middle school and high school football game. She makes it a point to attend as many basketball, volleyball, and soccer games as possible. During that time, she seeks out her students and their parents. She even talks to people to come in as guest speakers and sponsors. She is the academic team coach. She is also a huge part of a local community organization CEDAR (Coal Education Development and Resources). Through this organization, her students study the pros and cons of coal, brainstorm future solutions, and invite several community members into the classroom.

“I am an educator. It is my pride, my passion, my challenge.” I am biased, but I think my wife is amazing. She never complains about the problems. She always looks for a solution. I am sure that is why she sought out your contest – to fix an issue she feels is a henderance to her students’ achievement. Thank you for your time and please consider my wife for this reward.

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- Rissa Glick says:
  June 28, 2012 at 2:29 pm
  
  Awesome!!! I love the "stalking" reference! Good luck!
  
  Awesome!!! I love the “stalking” reference! Good luck!
  
  reply
Darla Traynor says:
June 27, 2012 at 9:16 pm

Teaching kindergarten is what I do It's the best grade; let me tell you Their zest and energy is just the best Even ...

Teaching kindergarten is what I do
It’s the best grade; let me tell you

Their zest and energy is just the best
Even though because of them, I don’t get much rest

Wisconsin is the state where I work
Political disarray, and an educational system gone berserk

A great big pay cut is what I took
Less money for games, bins, and books

I still get lots of hugs and smiles
And it makes my job all worth while

I stand for teaching from the heart
Helping kids learn, getting them off to a good start

Organized is what I want to be
And winning this contest would help tremendously!

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Lisa Bauer says:
June 27, 2012 at 7:16 pm

Once upon a time, there was a teacher named Ms. Good-gooder-goodest. Her students affectionately called her, Ms. Great! Like many ...

Once upon a time, there was a teacher named Ms. Good-gooder-goodest. Her students affectionately called her, Ms. Great! Like many of the teachers at our school, Ms. Great was different and unique. Ms. Great was purposeful in her actions, yet incredibly flexible. One day at school, while demonstrating the playing of a game called Filling Someone’s Bucket to her containers, her intuition took over and the skill of finding just the right receptacle for any size or shaped object were at their best. All of the containers went wild with excitement. Not only was she placing the proper object in each storage item, but she was anticipating what other types of organizational products may be needed. She had some unusual pairings, never before witnessed in Organization Arena. Everyone was cheering her on. Then in true, Ms. Great spirit, she grabbed several containers from the cheering crowd and started helping them through the game. Now Ms. Great was somewhat of an expert at ‘filling other’s buckets’ so it came naturally to help her containers learn new skills. This was a typical day for her. However, those around her were amazed.
The moral of the story is that every great person knows how to organize, to teach, to inspire, they just need the proper storage and organizational products available to assist in locating what is needed, at just the right time, to help others be successful.

Thank you for considering my ‘containers’ and me for your classroom makeover, only 56 days, 13 hours, and 18 minutes until I get to begin filling them with knowledge! Yippee!

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Erica Shippy says:
June 27, 2012 at 6:23 pm

As I read through so many of these entries, I attempted to put myself in the shoes of the judges. ...

As I read through so many of these entries, I attempted to put myself in the shoes of the judges. I, myself, have worked in public education several years- both on the secondary and elementary levels, as well as being raised by parents that were teachers, coaches, and now administrators. Not only do I believe in appreciating and supporting teachers- organized ones, too- but I also recognize the task at hand for the judges that surely want to grant each of these hard working teachers the makeover they so deserve.

But after a further analysis of the contest rules, I noticed that the rules stated a winner would be chosen not solely based on the story, but as well as someone that supports the brand of The Container Store. After reading too many a wonderful story, I arrived at the realization perhaps this would be where the winners would standout among the rest.
As I studied The Foundation Principles of your successful company, I realized the answer was definitely included within them. You have heard several stories about the teaching abilities, sacrifices, organizational skills, and classroom presentation of Mrs. Bonnie Riner. Including but not limited to the fact she took a tremendous pay cut to return to education- and a Title 1 school at that- to make a difference in the lives of students, surrounding faculty, and the community.

But what I am here to tell you is that she hands down exemplifies the exact kind of candidate your company has founded its success on with the “1 Equals 3″ Hiring Philosophy. Her passion for education, concern for students, and ability to present, decorate, and facilitate a classroom for the best learning environment possible is exactly the kind of excellence you want to reward.

I indeed believe that with one great employee, you get three times the productivity of a good employee, so you can afford to extensively train them and communicate to them, empower them and pay them 50 to 100% more than what other retailers might pay them. Exactly like I believe, you have many a teachers to choose from for this $1,000 makeover and just as your hiring philosophy states you must be willing to recognize and reward the stand out, exceptional candidate like Mrs. Bonnie Riner. She will use the gift, just as your employees use their extra income, to provide exceptional service- except with your employees that exceptional service is for the customers, whereas Mrs. Bonnie Riner will use that generous gift as exceptional service to her classroom, students, and surrounding community.

As a fellow educator and a dear friend who knows her heart and skill- I nominate Mrs. Bonnie Riner. Also as a fellow educator, I want to thank your company for your generous gift to such deserving teachers and for striving for excellence with your hiring philosophy, just as I know you will do with the selection process of this contest.

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Matrice Swinson says:
June 27, 2012 at 2:33 pm

I'm so glad that The Container Store is supporting teachers with this contest. My name is Matrice Swinson and I ...

I’m so glad that The Container Store is supporting teachers with this contest. My name is Matrice Swinson and I have been teaching Middle School Science for 6 years. I love what I do and I’m always seeking new and innovative ways to reach my students. I do know that organization is an important skill for the teacher. I do the best that I can, but I’m linited. I have linited resources at my school because of the school budget, I’m linited financially because we have been furloughed 10 days for 2 consecutive years and science hasn’t been the top priority at our school. I would love to win the $1000 classroom makeover. This would truly enhance my classroom and allow me to do more engaging activities with my students. I hope I’m choosen as one of 10 winners. Thanks.

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Shannon E. Jones says:
June 26, 2012 at 6:14 pm

My name is Shannon Jones and I am a 2012 graduate of the University of North Texas (Go Eagles!) I ...

My name is Shannon Jones and I am a 2012 graduate of the University of North Texas (Go Eagles!) I can’t remember a time that I did not want to teach. I have been dedicated to making kids lives educational and fun with jobs including a summer camp counselor and nanny to two wonderful girls throughout my college years. I recently got hired at a school in the Lewisville independent school district teaching 2nd grade. This happens to be my dream grade. I have a vision of being a teacher who makes learning a priority, challenging, but most importantly one that makes learning fun! I do feel beyond blessed to have gotten this job so quickly after graduation however it has it’s downside as well. I am still under the category of what one would call “poor college kid” status. I have collected my classroom library from a local thrift store, and have a lot of wonderful second hand things! Now all that is missing is the tools in which to organize my dream classroom. As a new teacher it is unheard of to have a ton of new things and I am humbled by the fact that I have received such amazing second hand stuff, but I would love to be considered a worthy candidate for this container store cash! I would put it to good use and more importantly by being able to organize all of my things it would give me and my class more room for our fun learning experiences throughout the entire year and years to come! Thank you for reading and considering me for this opportunity!

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pam says:
June 26, 2012 at 12:44 pm

I started teaching when I was 30 years old. For 18 years, I taught pre-k through the state of Georgia. ...

I started teaching when I was 30 years old. For 18 years, I taught pre-k through the state of Georgia. Last year, Georgia froze the salaries of pre-k teachers and have made extensive cut backs to the program. Although I strongly believe in the concept of developmentally appropriate education, I made the difficult decision to leave my beloved pre-k colleagues and moved to kindergarten. The classroom that I moved to was originally a first grade room and had little resources for me to use. This year I am being moved once again to another classroom. I need help organizing and setting up my classroom in order to have a successful school year. I am an older teacher, but have gone through many changes in the last few years. I recently completed my Master’s degree and am currently paying back student loans making needed classroom purchases difficult. I have many more years left to teach since I started teaching at such a late age. I want to be successful and contribute much to education. Winning this prize would be an awesome lift to my year and would help out immeasurably in years to come. Thanks for this opportunity and good luck to all.

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Melissa Mehler says:
June 26, 2012 at 10:14 am

ALOHA! I am a second grade teacher not from Hawaii but in Stansbury Park, Utah. I have taught my students ...

ALOHA! I am a second grade teacher not from Hawaii but in Stansbury Park, Utah. I have taught my students for years about the “Aloha Spirit”-a powerful way to resolve any problem, accomplish any goal, and to achieve any state of mind or body that you desire. My goal for every student is for them to understand this “spirit” as they grow not only academically but also as a person. I would love to reorganize my classroom in Hawaiian decor to provide my students with a constant reminder of this spirit. I am continually adding a variety of hand-ons materials to enrich learning but am in need of ways to store and organize them. Thank you for this chance and ALOHA!

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Lisa Bilson says:
June 25, 2012 at 11:45 pm

I'm a Head Start teacher in my local school district. Our school consists of re-purposed trailers. I share a trailer ...

I’m a Head Start teacher in my local school district. Our school consists of re-purposed trailers. I share a trailer with another teacher and our rooms are exceptionally small. I absolutely love what I do but am constantly frustrated by lack of space and need some help. I have almost no storage space as there are no closets in my classroom. A classroom makeover would help me make the most of a tiny room where I teach 2 classes, morning and afternoon, each with 16 children who are a mixture of at-risk, Special Needs, and English-Language Learners.

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Jenny Hudson says:
June 25, 2012 at 7:56 pm

This will be my first year as a middle school teacher. It had been my dream to become a ...

This will be my first year as a middle school teacher. It had been my dream to become a teacher since I was a child. However, I took a different major when I went to college over ten years ago. I found the courage to go back to school 3 years ago to get my teaching certificate. It was a difficult goal to attain as I had to work for tuition and also attempted unsuccessfully to have a family. Both of which was a financial strain. I believe that organization is the key to being an effective teacher. I love to organize and research proves that classroom orderliness and character influences student behavior and the ability of a teacher to teach. There is a lot of expense that goes into setting up your first classroom and $1,000 would go along way to providing the atmosphere I know my students deserve.

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Jennifer Fowler says:
June 25, 2012 at 6:48 pm

Every summer Mrs. Fowler returned to her classroom in an attempt to create the perfect atmosphere for learning. Her ...

Every summer Mrs. Fowler returned to her classroom in an attempt to create the perfect atmosphere for learning. Her classroom was small; her classroom was in one of the oldest sections of the school. Mrs. Fowler worked in a rural school in Eastern Kentucky…a school that could not budget for classroom repairs, organizational tools, and decorative luxuries. But in a few short weeks, there would be over 130 middle school students passing through the door ready to learn. She had to do the best with what she had. And, suprisingly, every year she did just that. She created a learning atmosphere on a shoe-string budget. Her rolling cart no longer rolled, but housed on the cart were writing tools the students would use to produce their textual masterpieces. The bookshelf no longer had a middle shelf, but it still framed the classroom library stacks. The filing cabinet only had 2 working drawers, but inside you would find hundreds of manila folders casing authentic lesson plans from 12 years of teaching experience…the other drawers opened at one time, and Mrs. Fowler is sure her missing stapler and hole-punch must be inside from last year’s room pack-up. So, with her non-rolling rolling cart, her shelfless bookshelf, and her 2 working drawer 4-drawer filing cabinet, Mrs. Fowler had an amazing year. But she already dreams of next summer; wouldn’t it be nice to surprise her students with the materials they deserve…

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Barbara Klinger says:
June 25, 2012 at 6:38 pm

I'm not sure I deserve the classroom makeover more than other teachers. However, I do know that I am ...

I’m not sure I deserve the classroom makeover more than other teachers. However, I do know that I am in desperate need of a way to better organize items in my classroom. Over the years I have accumulated a mishmash of items that I currently use to attempt to organize my classroom. I know that there has to be a better way to make everything easily accessible to my students.

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Kelly King says:
June 25, 2012 at 3:39 pm

Hello, I am a secondary mathematics teacher at a inner city charter school. I teach various grade levels and ...

Hello,

I am a secondary mathematics teacher at a inner city charter school. I teach various grade levels and use numerous manipulatives in a day. The recent budget cuts within the state have caused me to seriously cut back on any of the creative activities and decorations I regularly due. I am also honored by being named the mathematics department head for the coming year. With this I will have two rooms that I will need to organize and use to full potential. With limited personal funds any assistance is greatly appreciated. I would love The Container Store to makeover just one of my classrooms which will help improve the education of my students.

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Kimberly DeWeese says:
June 25, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Jentry Caussey is one of the most caring, wonderful teachers I've ever met. She is currently a 2nd grade ...

Jentry Caussey is one of the most caring, wonderful teachers I’ve ever met. She is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Huffman Elementary. Huffman is a great school, but only because of our great teachers. We have an incredible diverse school in terms of ethnic diversities, socioeconomic diversities and resulting academic diversities. In one classroom, Ms. Caussey could be teaching children 1-2 grade levels above and below 2nd grade. It is a hard job that she does well. Additionally, she is a wonderful mother to two elementary aged boys. Seriously, between 2nd graders all day and two boys at night, how can she NOT deserve AND NEED a $1,000 classroom makeover. Additionally, after many years in 2nd grade she is moving to 1st grade. What a great way to celebrate and start new.

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Lindsey Presuhn says:
June 25, 2012 at 10:41 am

I am a 4th grade teacher at a small school in Willow Lake, SD. This will be my second ...

I am a 4th grade teacher at a small school in Willow Lake, SD. This will be my second year teaching there, my 5th year overall, and my first year as a Mrs. instead of a Ms.
I have always been able to save a few hundred dollars to spend on my classroom over the summer, but now with a wedding, that money has already been spent.
My wood desk is from the 1950′s and is falling apart, my chair is so low to the ground I cannot use it (although I am rarely at my desk during the day)
My students have desks from the 1950′s as well. The chairs are attached, the tops have carvings in them, and most are unajustable so students need to sit on their knees to reach their desktop.
I have spent close to 1000 dollars on my classroom library but am running out of room to display the books in an appealing way.
Help Please! Make my first year as a Mrs. one my students and I will never forget!

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Kerri Lagendyk says:
June 25, 2012 at 8:38 am

I would be thrilled to win a classroom makeover. I am returning to teaching after an 8 year hiatus during ...

I would be thrilled to win a classroom makeover. I am returning to teaching after an 8 year hiatus during which my family has grown to include two wonderful sons. My youngest will be entering kindergarten this year and I am excited to be returning to the career I am so passionate about. I’ll be teaching 3rd grade in the small private school that my sons attend. This is an amazing school, filled with dedicated educators, but as you can imagine, salaries are quite small. I am over the top organized in our home, and would like to be the same in our classroom. I know that children thrive in organized atmospheres with clear expectations. I want to offer my students every opportunity for success, but I do not have the resources to create the classroom I envision. Winning this contest would set my students up for an amazing year of learning and growing together as a team. It would be a dream come true!

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Amira Bree says:
June 24, 2012 at 7:42 pm

I think that my Orchestra teacher Miss Craig deserves to win 1,000 dollars to organize because she has been trying ...

I think that my Orchestra teacher Miss Craig deserves to win 1,000 dollars to organize because she has been trying to get our music organized since she came to our school. But there just isn’t enough room in our cabinets for all of the music. We are moving to a larger room next year, but the bad thing is we are going to lose our storage room, so we can’t just have stacks of music on the floor like we do now, because people would trip over them, and that could spell disaster especially for bass players like me that carry their 1,000+ dollar instruments around the room. I think that she should be one of the teachers to get it because she is just trying to make the years we have with her the best that she can. If she doesn’t get some funding from an outside organization, she will never get the money to buy the new cabinets we need, because funding for music programs in our school are slim to none. Thank you for taking your time to read this, i hope to get a response.

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- Rissa Glick says:
  August 14, 2012 at 5:43 pm
  
  Great nomination! Hope Miss C. has a great school year!
  
  Great nomination! Hope Miss C. has a great school year!
  
  reply
Michelle Henderson says:
June 24, 2012 at 4:13 pm

As a new teacher I have come to realize that maintaining the organization throughout the classroom is just as important ...

As a new teacher I have come to realize that maintaining the organization throughout the classroom is just as important as preparing a good lesson plan. I am in much needed help with organizing my classroom for this upcoming year, which is why I would really love this classroom makeover. I enjoy teaching my students in a hands on learning environment which means I have a lot of project activities and games as well as ten iPads and three e-readers which I would like my students to have access to whenever they are needed. However, I am running into difficulties with storing these activities and pieces of technology in a safe, but accessible place and this Container Store Classroom Makeover will really help me get this aspect of my classroom organized. This makeover would help myself and my students be more organized so we can spend more time learning and engaged in the great learning activities have planned.

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Tammy Klinger says:
June 24, 2012 at 1:28 pm

I love teaching. I love having a child’s eyes sparkle the first time they read a word or a page ...

I love teaching. I love having a child’s eyes sparkle the first time they read a word or a page in a book for the first time.
I’d like to say I knew from the time I was a child that I wanted to be a teacher, but it wasn’t until my son stepped into the classroom for the first time that I felt it was the place for me. After going to college (another first for me), and teaching in the same school for the last eleven years, I can say it was one the best choices I have ever made in my life.
The struggles teachers meet today are hard. The thing we want to the most (to teach children), is often the hardest to do because of the challenges of budgets, and demands of legislatures, school boards, and funding.
The small rural school I teach in was built in the early 1900’s and back then closets were not thought of, so storage for today is almost nonexistent. But of course storage and being organized in first grade is essential. Keeping manipulatives, books, lessons, and things for activities organized can often be a challenge, and sometimes take a wide imagination to make it happen.
Teaching a child to be organized in their space, thoughts, and learning stems from the teacher herself being organized in her space, and modeling of great organizational skills.
Having the resources to teach and model great organizational skills would be a dream come to me, and my students in my little country school.

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Marianne Griffith says:
June 24, 2012 at 11:14 am

I would love to win your $1,000 classroom makeover. I am an art teacher in a Title 1 school in ...

I would love to win your $1,000 classroom makeover. I am an art teacher in a Title 1 school in Phoenix. I have about 225 students every quarter, with about 900 per school year. There is no art budget for supplies or furniture in my school. Everything I need for art, I have to apply for grants and hope that I am successful. My room really needs organized! With so many students in and out, it is important to know where to find supplies and materials. I also need an organized method to store student artwork. I would really love to have portfolios for each student where they could keep their artwork safe. And, I need lots of ideas for how to organize and store art stuff. This would be a very big help for us!

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Ella Herlihy says:
June 24, 2012 at 10:53 am

I would like to nominate my mom, Patsy King, for the Organized Teacher award! She has spent the last ...

I would like to nominate my mom, Patsy King, for the Organized Teacher award! She has spent the last 50 years selflessly serving students and their families by teaching public, private, and homeschool students. This year she will be teaching homeschool students in a new Homeschool Co-op. Her challenge will be teaching 3 different subjects (math, science, and writing) – in a space that is not her home or a permanent classroom. She will have to keep her materials for each class separate, organized, and portable. Homeschooling myself and having utilized many fabulous products from the Container Store, I know that in your aisles are awesome tools she could use to simplify her teaching and her portable classroom. Did I mention that she just turned 72 this year, so hauling all she needs to and from her car and classroom will be a challenge that an innovative wheeled storage container would be a perfect fit! She also tutors students in multiple subjects from her home, so being able to quickly and easily find the materials she needs is crucial to maximize her time with her students. I hope she wins so I can join her on a fabulous shopping spree to make her year a great one!

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Michelle Cobb says:
June 24, 2012 at 8:12 am

"The sign of a good teacher is a messy desk." This is a quote that I share with my studnets ...

“The sign of a good teacher is a messy desk.” This is a quote that I share with my studnets all the time when they poke fun at my ever-increasing paper load on my desk. I then laugh and plead for them to contact the show “Mission Organization” to get me professional help. As most teachers are, I would classify myself as a perfectionist; however, if they teach high school English, they must be willing to let some things go. For me, this would be a clean desk. If you could help this teacher out by providing this wonderful opportunity to get organized by The Container Store, she would immensely appreciate it.

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Julie Hapeman says:
June 23, 2012 at 9:34 pm

I am a teacher of students with visual impairments in Milwaukee and I travel from school to school, keeping supplies ...

I am a teacher of students with visual impairments in Milwaukee and I travel from school to school, keeping supplies in my trunk and back seat. Often, I keep items in cardboard boxes, which get crushed when I have extra equipment to transport. I have recently taken on the assistive technology (AT) duties for my program and have been going through our equipment, trying to organize all of devices, software, and assorted cords and cables. I’m trying to barcode and inventory everything we have. The task can be overwhelming at times. I would love to get more organized in my “mobile” office and in the work space I use to write reports and complete my AT duties.

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Teresa Wilson says:
June 23, 2012 at 9:11 pm

I have been teaching for over 25 years and have accumulated tons of stuff! I need to reorganize, purge ...

I have been teaching for over 25 years and have accumulated tons of stuff! I need to reorganize, purge and plan my classroom to utilize the limited amount of space I have. I would LOVE to have a makeover!

Thanks for the opportunity!

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Allison Kelly says:
June 23, 2012 at 9:05 pm

"The True Confessional of a Third Grade Teacher" Ah teachers. When you think of them, words like "dedicated," "engaging," "patient," "creative," ...

“The True Confessional of a Third Grade Teacher”

Ah teachers. When you think of them, words like “dedicated,” “engaging,” “patient,” “creative,” and “organized” probably come to mind. Five wonderful words. . . and I’m here to tell you that I only embody 4/5 of them.

Time to get real:

Confessional #1: I am not organized. Like, at all. In any way. During the school year I like to think of my classroom as a haven for “creative chaos.” (Confessional #2: “Creative chaos” is really just a word-smithy way of saying “unorganized.”) It is not uncommon for my students to say things like, “Mrs. Kelly, when are you going to clean your desk?” and, “Mrs. Kelly, is your desk OK?” and of course there’s, “Mrs. Kelly, why do we have to keep our area organized when yours looks like. . . that?” (Oh, that one hurts every time.)

The bottom line is this: I love my job. LOVE. I live for engaging activities that get my students excited about learning. I get giddy when my students ask questions that show that they want to further their own learning. I ADORE messy activities and projects because, well, they’re FUN and my students learn the most from those types of experiences. With all of this going on, I’m pretty much ok with my lack of organizational skills. (Did you notice I said, “pretty much?” Confessional #3: Sometimes my disorganization REALLY gets to me.)

There are times throughout the school year when my crazy classroom just buries me with its piles and its stashes and its stashes and its piles. . . It just becomes too much. Want to know what I do when the mess starts to mess with my teacher-mojo? Confessional #4: I hide it.

Yep, that’s right. All those piles and stashes just have to GO AWAY. Some piles get plopped randomly onto any shelves with available space, while others get stuffed into drawers. Sometimes piles go under my desk. (If you can’t see ‘em, they’re not really there, right?) Any item that has the capacity to hold something is a potential pile container. “That social studies shelf that holds my maps has an extra inch of space on it. . . let’s put a pile there!” “Oooh, that student has been absent for a few days. . . I bet she wouldn’t mind if I stored a few things at her area!” “That flower pot is only holding an amaryllis bulb – it’s not blooming or anything – I’m gonna stick some things in THERE!”

Confessional #5: All of those “storage solutions” I just wrote about? Yeah, I’ve used them all.

Confessional #6: I need help. I don’t WANT to be like this, I just AM like this. Maybe with the proper tools I could be organized like those other teachers I hear about! I bet they exist. . .somewhere. . .

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LILLIAN HEMPHILL says:
June 23, 2012 at 8:44 pm

For some reason, only know to God, my classroom tends to the catch-all spot for the entire 9th grade (275 ...

For some reason, only know to God, my classroom tends to the catch-all spot for the entire 9th grade (275 kids). I am honestly afraid to go back to school because I know this will happen again this year. I clean out one closet, I found 8 pairs of khaki pants, 7 green polo shirs, 4 pairs of tennis shoes, assorted belts, numerous pairs of sock….wait for it…3 sets of dress clotehs for boys, cleats, two baseball uniforms, 5 baseballs, 3 bats, 2 baseball hats, one glove, 4 jackets…and it goes on and I haven’t even got to myself yet nor have I mentioned my teaching materials. On the last day of school, I had the 8th graders asking me could they store things for next year in my classroom….I nearly fainted. I need HELP!

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Susan says:
June 23, 2012 at 8:28 pm

I try every year to do a better job of having everything in my classroom organized. It can sure make ...

I try every year to do a better job of having everything in my classroom organized. It can sure make the year go easier. I teach a blended Head start, Special Education with peer models classroom of 3 and 4 years old. I try to use all my extra money for items for the children and their families because they need it. I would love to have some help with the organization and maybe I could actually get there. Just usually don’t have the money for anything extra in my classroom. Kids and their families come FIRST!

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Meagan England says:
June 23, 2012 at 8:24 pm

My students deserve a classroom makeover to help them have a more organized classroom. The more organized the classroom the ...

My students deserve a classroom makeover to help them have a more organized classroom. The more organized the classroom the more learning that will take place. Students and I will be able to find all the resources easily within the classroom. An organized classroom will also encourage students to be organized themselves, which is a life skill all students need. Students will also enjoy their environment much better if their classroom is organized. A classroom makeover would mean the world to my students and me.

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Caitlin Orsborne says:
June 23, 2012 at 8:22 pm

I am a special education teacher and I moving into a new classroom for the 4th time in 5 years. ...

I am a special education teacher and I moving into a new classroom for the 4th time in 5 years. I have never stayed in a classroom long enough to become completly organized, plus I am organizationally challenged! My students thrive in an environment that is highly organized and orderly. Winning this makeover would allow me to give them a classroom that will fit their needs.

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Zena Lewis says:
June 23, 2012 at 8:00 pm

I must confess. I am organizational challenged. I teach middle school students and have 3 different subject areas. My classroom ...

I must confess. I am organizational challenged. I teach middle school students and have 3 different subject areas. My classroom is like so many other teachers, SMALL. With no bookshelves are cabinets, things tend to get stacked. I have one very small closet that is full of things. In the busyness of the school year it is never opened. Unless, it is taken care of in the summer, it probably will stay the same. I dare not open it without care and especially if someone is in the room.(SIGH) I feel like I just went through therapy sharing with you so candidly. Perhaps my request to be considered for this contest is selfish. However, I believe if the makeover is awarded to me it could change more than stacks in my room. It will free my mind to completely look at the way a teach.I need some help. I don’t think I can do this on my own. Thank you so much. I’m ready!

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Jane Howard says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:50 pm

I desperately need a classroom makeover. I am changing grade levels and classrooms for the third straight year and ...

I desperately need a classroom makeover. I am changing grade levels and classrooms for the third straight year and have accumulated many resources with each transition. I am using a variety of castoffs and am trying to make it work, but I spend much time trying to locate or relocate resources. Please help me become a more organized teacher so I can give my students my best. They deserve it!

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Adelia Hall says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:49 pm

My classroom is a wonderful place to be each day. I love seeing little wheels turning and smiles lighting up ...

My classroom is a wonderful place to be each day. I love seeing little wheels turning and smiles lighting up faces as new skills are learned. I love my job and I look forward to each new school year. I would love to win a makeover! As much as I love what happens inside our four walls, I would love to have more storage and a more organized classroom. Over the past few years I have found ways to hide center activities. I have boxes under the openings of my lockers, snatched up an abandoned file cabinet, and when all else failed I crammed it all into the one cabinet I do have. I have already started planning for a new arrangement in the classroom for this next year. Thank you for caring about teachers!!!

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Cece Meyer says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:45 pm

I would so welcome a classroom makeover!! I have taught 30+ years in primary grades. I have 140 ...

I would so welcome a classroom makeover!! I have taught 30+ years in primary grades. I have 140 second graders who enter my room each day for a 50 minute literacy lesson. My biggest challenge is keeping all of their writing activities organized. I have tried many different ways of organizing their work but my room still is cluttered with all our materials, supplies, task cards, markers, crayons, pencils, notebooks, magnetic letters, sentence strips, notecards, books and manipulatives. Any help would be more than greatly appreciated.

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Laura says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:44 pm

I am a teacher who desperately needs organization. I teach at a Title I school and can't always afford what ...

I am a teacher who desperately needs organization. I teach at a Title I school and can’t always afford what I need. My husband last his job and has been out of work for almost a year. Times have been tough, but I still want a great learning environment for my kiddos.

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Colleen says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:25 pm

There were no walls, Short cubbies(Lockers) made our halls. They built our walls, mighty tall. Cubbies inside, along one wall Storage is needed Many times ...

There were no walls,
Short cubbies(Lockers) made our halls.
They built our walls, mighty tall.
Cubbies inside, along one wall
Storage is needed
Many times I have pleaded
Storage to help with organization
To provide my students with the best education.

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Irma Cruz says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm

This money would really make a difference in my classroom. In 2009 my school began a new project for kindergarten ...

This money would really make a difference in my classroom. In 2009 my school began a new project for kindergarten students. The idea is to make spanish speakers kindergarten students fluent in English. They receive all their classes in English. The problem? Since the native language here is spanish 90% of resouces provided by the goverment and the Department of Education are in Spanish. We need money to acquire decent tables cause the ones I have now are moth eaten and almost all the chairs have stabilization problems. Last May a University close to the school donate me an old computer, but it hardly works for my kids. Since the project began I had exellent group of students but I want to give them more each year It woild be amazing to receive this money and acquire some things for them.

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Ben Anderson says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:17 pm

I am taking on a new challenge in the upcoming school year. My Principal decided to make a Math ...

I am taking on a new challenge in the upcoming school year. My Principal decided to make a Math Intervention Specialist position at our school, and I liked the idea of working with every 1st-5th Grade classroom at my school. It will be my job to press students learning, by coming up with new ways that makes math fun to learn. The students that I work with come from migrant families, and live in poverty. Starting a new classroom with little to no materials will not be easy. I’ve taught 1st grade for the past 10 years, and I taught 2nd grade for one year. The majority of the things I’ve collected over the years are children’s books and reproducible books. During the past 4 days I’ve been in Math training at my school district to help me in my new position. It is my goal to get prepared over the summer for my new position, and any extra money would be a blessing to me and my students. Thank you for such a great opportunity, and thanks for making a difference in so many children’s lives in the upcoming school year.

Sincerely,

Ben Anderson
Chief Kamiakin Elementary School
Sunnyside, WA

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Linda S. says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:15 pm

Wow, I would so love a classroom makeover! I have a very small kindergarten classroom. We are also a very small ...

Wow, I would so love a classroom makeover!
I have a very small kindergarten classroom. We are also a very small public charter school. Our budget does not allow for purchases for storage or shelves and things.
I have “things” everywhere and nothing is organized very well. I just do not have the funds to purchase child friendly containers or bins.
The students love to use all the centers but I must rotate and put some away inorder to have enough space.
If my classroom were to win the makeover I hope to have all the center activites out and ready for the students to use.

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Calya Williams says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:13 pm

Hello! I REALLY need to win this $1000.00 classroom makeover! My classroom is located in a 7 room POD ...

Hello! I REALLY need to win this $1000.00 classroom makeover! My classroom is located in a 7 room POD (mobile unit). We feel so out of the loop from the teachers in the main building because we can’t have smartboards attached to our walls. I am still using the old fashioned overhead projector and transparencies. I would love to purchase a document camera or a projector to at least project things on the overhead screen versus using the overhead projector. The students at my school are primarily free and reduced lunch recipients. I want to make sure they receive the best education possible, and adequate technology would make that possible! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, choose me as your winner!!

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Heather Wilhite says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:13 pm

I ponder why I feel that I deserve to win $1000 Organized Teacher Makeover Contest and begin to dream of ...

I ponder why I feel that I deserve to win $1000 Organized Teacher Makeover Contest and begin to dream of what my classroom could become. I deserve this makeover because I am changing to my third classroom in my school. I have spent two days moving all my “stuff” from my old classroom into my new classroom. I have just stacked it up everywhere because I am going from a classroom with plenty of storage to a room with one storage cabinet. I don’t know what I am going to do with all my “stuff.” I lay in my bed at night and design my ideal classroom with plenty of storage and all my teaching things in their place. I pray that the Organized Teacher Makeover Contest would help me out! PLEASE!!!

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April Scurlock says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:13 pm

I am legally blind and teach 5-6 math in a Title I school. Having a vision impairment makes it ...

I am legally blind and teach 5-6 math in a Title I school. Having a vision impairment makes it difficult to find things. So if I won the makeover, I could organize all my materials and know where it all is when I need it. This would truly make my job a little easier! Thank you for providing this opportunity for teachers!

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Amanda Yoshida says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:11 pm

I am going to be a first year teacher this year and supplies are extremely limited. I will be working ...

I am going to be a first year teacher this year and supplies are extremely limited. I will be working in a very low socioeconomic area with a tight budget. I am also required to have college items all around my class, which will also cost a lot of money. I want my students to be able to have all the necessary resources that they need to be successful. This classroom makeover would mean a great deal to me and my future students.

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Karen says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:09 pm

My best friend, Marlene is a sixth grade teacher in a middle school in Brooklyn. City budget cuts have cut ...

My best friend, Marlene is a sixth grade teacher in a middle school in Brooklyn. City budget cuts have cut school funds. Marlene uses her own money to buy organizers, decorations, books and prizes for her students. She spent over $1000 of her own money last year.

Marlene is very organized. She knows that an organized classroom helps the students learn better because they are able to access materials and books easily. She chooses a theme and then purchases all the same color organizers for her classroom. She wants to teach the students how to be organized.

Marlene spends her weekends making things for her classroom, shopping for new items and creating fun games for her students. She needs a lot of organizers to hold the game pieces, books and items for the center.

I hope you will consider Marlene for one of your prizes because she is hard working teacher who believes in supporting her students with the best materials. She’s one of those dedicated teachers who would really benefit from a Container Store Makeover.

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Leea S says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:07 pm

I work in a school that has enrollment of 500 or less K-12. We are going through rough times financially. ...

I work in a school that has enrollment of 500 or less K-12. We are going through rough times financially. My coworkers receive a budget of $75 for the classroom. Myself I am the computer lab/reading aide, so I don’t get a budget. Anything I need for the classroom comes out of my pocket. I don’t mind as it is for the students. My room used to be the home ec room, so I have the washer and dryer in there, along with 22 computers! Storage is limited but what I have I’d LOVE to be Uber organized! Thanks for the chance!

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Jennifer Hancock says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:05 pm

I would love to win a classroom makeover from The Container Store. After teaching kindergarten for 11 years, I am ...

I would love to win a classroom makeover from The Container Store. After teaching kindergarten for 11 years, I am moving to a new building and will be teaching 1st grade in the fall. You can imagine how much stuff a teacher accumulates over the years and I would love to win this makeover contest to start off the new year (in a new building and a new grade level) being organized and ready to teach.

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Judy Behling says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:04 pm

I am a 51 yr. old middle school English teacher who changed careers at the age of 45. I ...

I am a 51 yr. old middle school English teacher who changed careers at the age of 45. I have worked in the same town for the last 6 years, but have had to move around from middle school to high school (traveling between two high schools) and now back to middle school, which I love. I have had to work out of a crate for just about 5 years, and now I finally have a classroom! I would love to have a classroom makeover and be able to provide the type of learning environment for my students that is welcoming, warm, colorful, and ORGANIZED.

Thanks in advance for your consideration,
Judy

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Jessica says:
June 23, 2012 at 7:03 pm

I desperately need to be one of the recipients of the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest”! I am NOT an organized ...

I desperately need to be one of the recipients of the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest”! I am NOT an organized teacher, but desperately want to be! I have stacks of materials, papers, school supplies and books all over my classroom. I would love to have containers to house all of the necessities of my classroom! I am a fifth year teacher and teach third grade at a Title 1 school. 78% of students enrolled at my school qualify for free/reduced lunch. We only get $100.00 a year for supplies; I spend all of this money on paper, pencils and crayons for my students for the year. As a mother of two, I would not be able to purchase organizational supplies for my classroom out of my own pocket. I would take care of all of the containers and would use them for years to come. PLEASE give me an organization makeover!

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SUSAN CHURA says:
June 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Winning your contest would make a significant difference in the lives of my students. This sentence reflects the heart ...

Winning your contest would make a significant difference in the lives of my students. This sentence reflects the heart of my message. Your contest would help a community of students achieve their individual learning goals.
In my classroom individual learning needs, individual learning styles, and child centered needs are the framework for each exciting day. Each child has their own wide assortment of books, manipulatives, art materials, and incentives. This is also true for the students I teach on a volunteer basis after school.
I do need help organizing these materials. Student and teacher created materials have found temporary homes in plastic baggies, shoe boxes, and copy room boxes. Winning the contest would give my students easier access to materials that will assist in intervention for different learning needs and styles. Students are my priority. Your organizational materials will allow me to create durable, attractive, easy to access learning stations that provide for individual needs.

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Suzann Armitage says:
June 23, 2012 at 2:29 pm

I am a passionate teacher of preschoolers with disabilities, and a Container Store fanatic! I learned the joys and ...

I am a passionate teacher of preschoolers with disabilities, and a Container Store fanatic! I learned the joys and benefits of your products long before I became a teacher, back when I was organizing just for my one son. (He just graduated college, and enjoys the Container Store Lego waterbottle which I gave him for Christmas!)

Any teacher can use and deserves $1,000 worth of organizational help, but I think my special needs kids are very worthy of a beautiful and well organized classroom. The kids I teach have many challenges: poverty and disabilities such as autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy. It takes so many materials to teach these little students, and I turn to the Container Store to help.

Things I have purchased on my own include crates, binders and card holders, Elfa units, hooks, baskets, folding shelving units (easy to bring home at the end of the year), your best boxes, shoe and sweater boxes. At home, Elfa shelves and units house things not currently being used at school. I could write a blog on ways to use your products in the special education classroom!

Thank you for offering ten teachers a chance to upgrade their classroom. I know just what I will purchase if I win!

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Maria says:
June 22, 2012 at 8:15 pm

I moved to a brand new school... with barely any storage! All of my stuff (6 years worth of teaching) ...

I moved to a brand new school… with barely any storage! All of my stuff (6 years worth of teaching) is in boxes waiting for me to unpack them in August. I need ideas and help on how to do this without storage!!!!!!

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Nerland Jeeanniton says:
June 21, 2012 at 11:20 pm

Why do I deserve to win The Container Store Organized Teacher Makeover Contest? As I walk into my classroom, I ...

Why do I deserve to win The Container Store Organized Teacher Makeover Contest? As I walk into my classroom, I can’t help but noticed the lack of storage for books, papers, student work, etc. The hole in my chalkboard and the missing cork on my bulletin boards. As a teacher with asthma brrought on by dust alllergies, it’s been a challenge to keep the volume of papers organized in a way that will not gather dust. Winning this makeover would be a two-fold blessing – being organized, and staying healthy. Thank you for your consideration.

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Victoria Snow says:
June 21, 2012 at 9:16 pm

I am in desperate need of a classroom makeover. This summer I had to switch classrooms. In my ...

I am in desperate need of a classroom makeover. This summer I had to switch classrooms. In my last classroom I painted all of the walls, added shelves in the cupboard, and did many improvements to make it look adorable. When I found out I had to move I was crushed because I love my classroom! The new classroom I am moving into is very plain and needs a LOT of work. After spending my own money on my previous classroom, I don’t have the money to redo my entire room again. Right now everything is in boxes and it looks totally overwhelming. I need some organization help!!! Thank you for your consideration.

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Hannah Sawers says:
June 21, 2012 at 7:56 pm

I'm writing this about one AWESOME teacher, Heather Sawers. She is so dedicated to what she does! I am always ...

I’m writing this about one AWESOME teacher, Heather Sawers. She is so dedicated to what she does! I am always hearing stories about how her children made her smile and her new and exciting teaching stratagies that she cannot wait to try out! Right now is her summer vacation, but her idea of vacation is coming up with the lesson plans for next year and attending at least 4 different workshops or siminars. She loves making things exciting for her students and will learn anything that she can to teach them even more! She wants every child to get the best education possible. Though there are hard times and stressful days, she always manages to make the best and find the positive side. Her children love her and adore her. She puts her entire heart (and summer) into teaching the generations that will be our future. And with her teaching them, I feel pretty great about our future being very bright! Thank you for your concideration!

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- Rissa Glick says:
  August 14, 2012 at 5:38 pm
  
  Congratulations to Heather S. Hope she has a great school year and looks like she is a real blessing ...
  
  Congratulations to Heather S. Hope she has a great school year and looks like she is a real blessing to her students.
  
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Meghan says:
June 21, 2012 at 7:37 pm

I love teaching, but I don't love the challenges of keeping a classmroom organized for all of my students. ...

I love teaching, but I don’t love the challenges of keeping a classmroom organized for all of my students. As a special area teacher, I see 240 students throughout the day. Although I try to encourage the students to help keep all of the crayons, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, markers, papers, etc all in their proper places after each class, the reality does not match my dream. It’s my opinion that students will absorb more from class if the environment is organized, easy to use and attractive looking. Unfortunately, those ideals also cost money that are simply not in my teaching budget. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to make our classroom more organized for the students I serve!

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Chad H. says:
June 20, 2012 at 9:06 pm

Amber Harre is a wonderful teacher who has helped so many kids in her 15 years of teaching. She ...

Amber Harre is a wonderful teacher who has helped so many kids in her 15 years of teaching. She spends personal money to buy shoes, clothes and other supplies for her kids each year to make sure they have what they need to have the best learning experience.. She is so deserving of this contest with her dedication to learning and personal commitment at night and weekends to students success in the classroom through her giving of personal time and money to be sure that our futures are filled with educated people with integrity and value each other with respect and dignity. She is regularly invited to high school graduations as an “honored teacher” where 6 former teachers for each graduating class are nominated by the students as the best teacher they had in school…. In short, she is a wonderful teacher who gives back to the community, and takes time each time she sees former students and parents to make sure they are doing well, and is always greeted with a smile and thank you’s from them for her contribution to their lives…

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Lisa Batten says:
June 20, 2012 at 2:48 pm

I need a makeover of my room. I have little storage to keep track of studnet notebooks, homework or ...

I need a makeover of my room. I have little storage to keep track of studnet notebooks, homework or classroom supplies. I’ve tried many different storage ideas from plastic carts to crates with little success. With anywhere from 150 – 180 students I really need help taking care of all the clutter.

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Amanda K says:
June 20, 2012 at 1:17 pm

I would like..... LOVE to nominate BONNIE RINER!!!! She will be teaching 1st graders at a Title 1 school in Oklahoma. ...

I would like….. LOVE to nominate BONNIE RINER!!!!
She will be teaching 1st graders at a Title 1 school in Oklahoma. She is an amazing teacher who puts her students needs before her own and for a newlywed that can be difficult! Bonnie is a teacher who is always thinking outside the box to keep her students intrigued and on task which can prove to be difficult in today’s fast paced society. Anyone who has ever been in a classroom knows how important it is for a teacher to be organized and this prize would help jump start Mrs Riners school year!!!

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Amanda Lindblom says:
June 19, 2012 at 9:47 pm

I am writing today on behalf of a very deserving candidate! My friend Bonnie Riner is a first grade teacher ...

I am writing today on behalf of a very deserving candidate! My friend Bonnie Riner is a first grade teacher at a title 1 school. The children she will impact are so deserving of the best she has to offer. Like most teachers, Bonnie has a huge heart. She has proven to be extremely generous even when it makes things harder on herself. This classroom makeover would truly be a blessing for this very deserving woman. I cannot express how happy I am that there are teachers out there like Bonnie. With a little help, she will change the lives of so many wonderful young people!

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Katherine Glick says:
June 19, 2012 at 9:33 pm

I would like to nominate my sister, Bonnie Riner. She is returning to teaching this year as a first grade ...

I would like to nominate my sister, Bonnie Riner. She is returning to teaching this year as a first grade teacher at Jane Phillips Elementary in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Bonnie is an incredibly talented teacher and will be an amazing addition to Jane Phillips! Bonnie is returning to teaching despite the fact that she will be making significantly less money in Oklahoma than she did teaching in Missouri. I think that fact alone speaks volumes about Bonnie’s commitment to education. Beyond that, Bonnie is the type of teacher who invests everything she has in each of her students. Her time, her energy, and sometimes her sanity are all sacrificed for the well being of her students and her fellow teachers. Bonnie was frequently recognized by parents and kids when we have been out running errands, each thanking her for being such a great teacher and for making learning fun! Bonnie is a dedicated teacher and really deserves this Organized Teacher Makeover and I would love to see her classroom transformed!

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Catherine Poulin says:
June 19, 2012 at 7:54 pm

I have used so many products from the Container Store--from organizing the Stamp and Coin Club acquistions to working on ...

I have used so many products from the Container Store–from organizing the Stamp and Coin Club acquistions to working on major projects and keeping everyone organized.

Many people have given stamps and coins to the club over the years, but organizing them by continent and country was overwhelming until we started using the accessory and shoe boxes. Thank you.

With the projects the students have, they make and collect a variety of presentations from which the next year builds upon. Keeping their research, supplies and final products organized is more than a challenge. Thank goodness for your various boxes and magazine holders to get them through the project; the major concern now is preserving them after. I know The Container Store must have a solution for this high school teacher!

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Joyce Durdin says:
June 19, 2012 at 5:26 pm

I am a Lead Instructor for an Adult Educaiton Program at Gwinnett Technical in Lawrenceville, GA. Our program is ...

I am a Lead Instructor for an Adult Educaiton Program at Gwinnett Technical in Lawrenceville, GA. Our program is strictly funded by state and federal grants and we are receiving almost 40% less for FY’13. We are having to cut back in every area – staffing, materials, supplies. A classroom makeover would really help fill in the gap in our funding and perk up everyone’s spirits. Thank you.

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Kate O. says:
June 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm

It all began in a crate with wheels six years ago, so I am grateful to have a classroom to ...

It all began in a crate with wheels six years ago, so I am grateful to have a classroom to call home for my full day of teaching eighth grade language arts. Still, I am a paper-and-supply catastrophe!

Here are the Top Reasons Why Room 108 Needs a Classroom Makeover:

1. The “organized chaos excuse” is not a lesson worth teaching.

2. The bottom two drawers of my file cabinet currently store remnants of clean-off-my-desk day.

3. A student once advised me to cover the mess behind my desk with a hot pink plastic table cloth: “No one will notice!”

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Renee Pharis says:
June 19, 2012 at 4:52 pm

My mom deserves to win the classroom makeover. She teaches elementary music at the only public 3rd and 4th grade ...

My mom deserves to win the classroom makeover. She teaches elementary music at the only public 3rd and 4th grade school in town. Every student who goes through our city’s school system will go through her classroom at some time. She deserves to have this classroom makeover because she works very hard and it is really important to her that her classroom is welcoming to students. She has a small storage room that seems to overflow with instruments because organization is difficult with oddly shaped items. She would benefit from having shelves and baskets in which to store instruments, books and other teaching materials. Since she is not a regular classroom teacher, she does not receive the same kind of budget attention from administration even though she has the most students. Please consider my mom as a perfect candidate to win this classroom makeover! She is the hardest working and most deserving teacher there could be.

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Norka Raxach says:
June 19, 2012 at 3:11 pm

Ms. Diaz is an extraordinary teacher of the gifted fifth grade class at Biscayne Elementary School. From day one ...

Ms. Diaz is an extraordinary teacher of the gifted fifth grade class at Biscayne Elementary School. From day one Ms. Diaz dedication toward her students went beyond the classroom walls.

In addition to teaching, Ms. Diaz would spend her time researching programs in the area that would be benefit her students. Ms. Diaz would provide tutoring before/after school, she helped build a class garden and ran the art and drama club. As you could imagine, Ms. Diaz barely had any time to organize her desk. Ms. Diaz is involved in a lot of projects and uses her classroom for them. I think it is very important that she keeps her classroom organized.

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Kristina Casterlin says:
June 19, 2012 at 1:22 pm

Pick me :) This year I am transitioning into teaching 5th grade and two STAAR Tested subjects! I teach in ...

Pick me This year I am transitioning into teaching 5th grade and two STAAR Tested subjects! I teach in a portable building and it is not very spacious. I think that with a Container Store makeover, I could be more productive in managing my time, energy and equipment for teaching Math and Science! I am a huge proponent for using ‘hands-on’ lessons. Being organized will give the students great opportunity for learning! I teach at a Title 1 campus where we have 90% students who participate in the free/reduced lunch program. I have taught all my 15 years at this school~It fulls my heart to be a small part of my students lives!! I am passionate and love what I do…Please consider my plea for Container Store assistance!!! Thank you~Be Blessed

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Chanell says:
June 19, 2012 at 12:16 pm

I would love to be more organized in my classroom! I've spent the last three years teaching at three different ...

I would love to be more organized in my classroom! I’ve spent the last three years teaching at three different schools, so I never could organize and store anything in my classroom over the summers. Next year is my first time being a second year teacher at my school and I’m thrilled. I have plans to build up a digitally organized library, absent student station and student work station, but I need to get organized beforehand. I would put theses funds to good use and then post pictures of the updates for my blog buddies to read!

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Kim Hofferichter says:
June 19, 2012 at 9:36 am

I would absolutely love to win a classroom makeover! After teaching 3rd grade for several years, I am making the ...

I would absolutely love to win a classroom makeover! After teaching 3rd grade for several years, I am making the leap up to 4th!! Hooray! However, all of my teaching stuff is packed away and awaiting my return from summer vacation.. I plan to re-organize my stuff and re-decorate my classroom this year and could use some major help! Being organized helps my students and I to be more productive throughout the school year. Unfortunately, organization is something I need to master! AHH! I hope you consider me and my classroom for the Organized Teacher Makeover! I truly appreciate this wonderful opportunity and love that The Container Store is helping teachers get organized. We spend a lot of our extra time and money to make our classrooms awesome places for learning. Thank you again for all you do!

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Jennifer Turner-Lynn says:
June 19, 2012 at 9:35 am

As an educator myself, I know how hard our teachers work to make the lives and experiences of children that ...

As an educator myself, I know how hard our teachers work to make the lives and experiences of children that come through their classrooms exceptional. No educator can truly be compensated for what they give to our community and our society. It’s even harder to narrow our list down to one who stands above the rest, but in this case, it was really a clear choice.

Pam Turner has a remarkable background. She is a former military wife that committed herself to more than 19 years of service; she has opened and directed a new day care facility for military personnel, has taught school in more than three states and she served as a pastor’s wife and mother for several years. Currently, she teaches kindergarten at South Macon Elementary, a rural school in Western North Carolina. With pay freezes over the last three years and one of the lowest pay rates in the nation, she perseveres to ensure her students do not go without. With little money for supplies and greater than 60% of our students meeting poverty guidelines for free and reduced lunches, finding the resources to meet the classroom needs are difficult. However, she makes sure this happens. She sews individual supply holders for each student, brings locals in to build bird houses, throws a Leprechaun Party, and so much more. She ensures that her students learn and meet the dreaded testing standards all while ensuring they have a fun, creative work environment.

As a divorcee, living on her salary alone, winning this contest could make a world of difference. She spends thousands of her own money each year because she thinks that her students deserve the best. It’s not really something she can afford to do, but she does it anyway. Winning this contest would allow her the opportunity to expand the services she is providing while rewarding her with a job well done. Her service to our country as a military wife, a pastors wife, a teacher, and a mother are all great reasons to consider her for this award. Thank you for your consideration.

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Melissa Brothers says:
June 19, 2012 at 8:06 am

I have been a special education teacher for 28 years. My students range in skills from pre-kindergarten to 6th ...

I have been a special education teacher for 28 years. My students range in skills from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade. Keeping the vast array of materials organized is a real struggle. I do not have a prep period and students are coming in my room every 30 to 45 minutes. Thus there is never time to put things away or get organized before the next class arrives. I need help!

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Rissa Glick says:
June 18, 2012 at 11:53 pm

Thank you, The Container Store people, for recognizing that teachers need help from those in the community! A stressed ...

Thank you, The Container Store people, for recognizing that teachers need help from those in the community! A stressed out teacher can easily become an ineffective teacher in the best of circumstances. Organization plays a huge role in how a teacher can make the most of their time, talent and resources. Being organized enables teachers to utilize ALL the resources available to them. I am nominating Bonnie Riner to win an Organized Teacher Makeover Contest. Bonnie has taught for four and a half years in the Park Hill School District located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school where she taught was located in the poorest neighborhoods in the district with many living in Section 8 housing. As a person with a passion for teaching and a mission for helping those in need, Bonnie gave each student the attention they needed and went above and beyond what was expected. Her most challenging situation was during her last year of teaching as she had several students with learning disabilities in her classroom. She dealt with the situation with grace and provided tools and understanding for the other students ,as well as the child with the learning challenge, in her classroom to approach and cope with distracting behavior. Bonnie especially has a heart for those with disadvantaged situations…whether a physical or emotional issue…or a background of abuse or neglect.

Bonnie loves to utilize volunteers in the classroom as helping hands to teach students and provide them with effective learning methods. A gift of organization supplies will help Mrs. Riner organize her volunteers in the classroom. And that, in turn, will help her students.

Bonnie has participated in several mission trips locally and internationally serving native American Indian children, building homes in Tijuana, Mexico for those in need, serving the imprisoned in Indonesia. These were trips she paid for out of her own pocket to reach out and provide for people in need.

Bonnie married last year and moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She took a break from teaching for a short period, but realized she missed it too much. Teaching is where her passion lies and she secured a position teaching first grade in a Title 1 school there, Jane Phillips Elementary. Although she had an opportunity to continue working in the corporate world, she knows that her heart is with kids…teaching them not only about reading, writing, and arithmetic…but also about how to care about themselves, others, and to explore the world around them. Bonnie’s students will learn that there are lots of people who care about them. Not worrying about buying supplies out of her own pocket to get organized will enable her to spend more time with her students, utilizing volunteers and partnering with parents and the community to create the village these kids need to succeed. Thanks again for offering this opportunity for 10 teachers to make the very best of their school.

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Kim says:
June 18, 2012 at 8:37 pm

I teach writing in a junior high. I am fortunate to have taught in this school for 14 years, and ...

I teach writing in a junior high. I am fortunate to have taught in this school for 14 years, and I even feel fortunate that I have been in the same classroom for 14 years. However, I have been in the SAME classroom for 14 years! I need an energized, bright, and “hip” classroom! Since part of teaching junior high is also teaching organization, this makeover would show students how a classroom can be organized and be welcoming. If I want my students to be organized, I must practice what I preach. Currently, my room is bland. I hate to admit it, but I even have the same posters up from my first year of teaching!! Each year I have wanted to redo my room, but actual teaching & planning has gotten in the way as well as having a baby, my mother’s passing, my own three month medical leave, etc. I love my students–junior high is the best to teach! I know they would enjoy a cool room! Our district doesn’t give teachers money for their classroom except for pencils & basic desk supplies. Although I’m not burnt out on my students, I am burnt out on my classroom. This next year is putting extra pressure on teachers due to politics and the economy, and a new classroom would give me such a boost of energy!

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Janlyn Turner says:
June 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm

I would love to win a classroom makeover. I have been teaching for many years. I taught Kindergarten ...

I would love to win a classroom makeover. I have been teaching for many years. I taught Kindergarten for 14 years and this will be my second year teaching lst grade. I cannot seem to get all my stuff where I need it. Mainly, because I don’t know exactly what all I have that relates to lst grade. Everything was so new last year that I could not seem to get myself organized. Please help me get it together so I can teach my students better and have more time for them not having to search for what I need.

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Marlene Miranda says:
June 18, 2012 at 2:31 pm

¡Hola! I'm a high school Spanish teacher, and I would love a make over to organize my curriculum and student ...

¡Hola! I’m a high school Spanish teacher, and I would love a make over to organize my curriculum and student papers. I am very challenged in paper organization. Luckily, I have been blessed to have a co-worker with the same challenge or else we would have had many problems. We often ask each other where workbooks are or answer keys or specific. If we had a system, we would be much more efficient. We just need some help! Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Gracias,
Marlene

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Nicole Borgstrom says:
June 18, 2012 at 1:55 pm

It feels a bit strange to write a narrative that focuses on myself and why I deserve to win anything ...

It feels a bit strange to write a narrative that focuses on myself and why I deserve to win anything let alone a thousand dollars to help organize my classroom, but I find myself saying ‘why not what’s the worse that can happen?’. Let me start by saying that the reason I know about this contest is because I made a special trip to Minnespolis last summer to visit the CONTAINER STORE for the first! After that one trip I knew that I had found heaven! I have spent hundreds of dollars giving my classroom small upgrades but can not imagine how awesome it would be to finally be able to pull it all together with a win like this! I love the clear shoeboxes and so do all the other adults who filter in and out of my special education resource room looking for supplies for the students we work with. As a special educator I work with children who have emotional and behavioral disorders from kindergarten through grade six. They can be very tough on supplies and equipment yet I find the best way to teach respect is to first demonstrate it myself through caring for not only people but my belongings and supplies. There is no better place than the container store to find the right tools for that! The students know that my room is a safe place that they retreat to where they will find order and safety, unlike many of their homes. I teach them to sort and clean and put things away in their places as a way to feel in control and accomplished. I would use this money to create a more visually calming and organized space that would continue to teach these virtues to my future students! I thank you and respect your consideration for this promotion!

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Christina Schneble says:
June 18, 2012 at 1:16 pm

One of our school's kindergarten teachers, Emily Mershon, deserves a classroom makeover. We teach at a charter school called ...

One of our school’s kindergarten teachers, Emily Mershon, deserves a classroom makeover. We teach at a charter school called Horizon Science Academy East Dayton Campus in Ohio. Most of our parents struggle financially, so we usually provide school supplies for our students throughout the year. We have been in operation for 2 full years and every year Emily Mershon teaches some very active students. I have noticed that some of her students do not understand boundaries as to what they can touch or get into. I believe Emily Mershon could benefit from a classroom makeover so she can buy necessary organization tools to help her teach her students what they are allowed to use or touch, as well as what they are not allowed to use or touch. Not only is Emily an excellent, full-time teacher, but she is a wonderful wife and mother to her husband 3 children. They are taking their first family vacation this year and I would really like to help her out by her winning this Organized Teacher Makeover. Please take Emily Mershon into full consideration for this contest. She is truly deserving of this makeover. Thank you.

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Renee Hiatt says:
June 18, 2012 at 11:11 am

I am entering my second year of teaching pre k 3 and have found that I have a great need ...

I am entering my second year of teaching pre k 3 and have found that I have a great need for organization!! I started last year with the bare essentials that I could find throughout the school. Needless to say, most of the other teachers had already had their belongings for their classrooms with little left to pass along. I had to find other means to make it work. I would like to be more prepared this year for my incoming class and be able to offer them and my co-teacher the best classroom that any pre-k3 child and parent would be proud of. This makeover could be a life saver for my students, my parents, my assitant and myself. Please consider my classroom for this wonderful opportunity.

Thank You,

Sincerely,

Mrs. Renee’ Hiatt
Immaculate Conception pre k -3 teacher

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Samantha McLeod says:
June 18, 2012 at 10:28 am

I teach elementary band in a suburban school in New Jersey. While we are not in as dire of a ...

I teach elementary band in a suburban school in New Jersey. While we are not in as dire of a situation as urban school, due to recent budget cuts, I find myself having to supply a lot of classroom materials and instruments out of my own pocket so my students can have what they need. So much equipment is needed to teach band, and I find my small budget disappears very quickly on the things I need the most. Organization materials are often the things that don’t end up on the short list. Since every instrument needs a different part in band, it takes a lot of organization to try and keep all the music in an accessible, organized place. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to copy something again because it gets lost among the parts for the over one hundred children I teach weekly. Equipment and instrument storage is also proving to be challenging in a room not set up for such a task. Please Container Store, help me give my students the organization and structure they need to make the most out of their band experience!

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Britt P. says:
June 18, 2012 at 8:54 am

I am passionate about working with kids with a hearing loss. I have kids that use sign language, kids that ...

I am passionate about working with kids with a hearing loss. I have kids that use sign language, kids that use listening and spoken language, kids with cochlear implants and kids with hearing aids. Working with such a variety of students means a variety of teaching materials, not to mention my students range from preschool through high school. I have tons of books, games, flash cards, paper, toys, art supplies etc. I also travel, which means my home office stores a lot of these materials. That’s a polite way of saying that my school supplies have taken over my home! I would love the opportunity to start this school year organized.

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Denise W. says:
June 18, 2012 at 8:34 am

Our school is a charter school and we do fundraisers to help pay for most everything in our school. We ...

Our school is a charter school and we do fundraisers to help pay for most everything in our school. We are in a former cotton mill and parts of it have been redone but there are other parts that are waiting on money to be done. If we could win this contest, I am sure the teachers would not mind splitting the money to help one another or they may decide on one area that needs it more than others. We all work as a team and that makes our school special.

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Kirsten Eldridge says:
June 17, 2012 at 11:08 pm

I am a teacher in Atlanta Public Schools. This past year they decided to close my school and i ...

I am a teacher in Atlanta Public Schools. This past year they decided to close my school and i was moved to a year round school. I will be going back to work on July 3. I have always struggled with being organized and this year my new classroom only has two rolling closets and a paper holder thing. I dont have any shelves for my room or places to store materials for my students. I have some things I bought with my own money but it will be an interesting start to the school year. I really want to organize my room and have a space for everything so my students can learn to be organized themselves but I dont have a lot of money to get start especially with school starting a whole month earlier then it usually does.

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Judith Au says:
June 17, 2012 at 9:52 pm

I work in low socio-economic charter school, my students love to learn and having an organized classroom would not only ...

I work in low socio-economic charter school, my students love to learn and having an organized classroom would not only be beneficial for me but also for my students. I often have to stay until 6-7 pm trying to prep for the next day. Organization would make things so much easier for me to leave on time and not waste valuable planning time. This makeover would be a dream come true, so I could do what I love to do most teach.

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LeslieBritton says:
June 17, 2012 at 9:27 pm

I would love a $1,000 classroom makeover as I am being asked to transition from the special education department into ...

I would love a $1,000 classroom makeover as I am being asked to transition from the special education department into the general education classroom. I have worked as a special education teacher for 7 years, 6 of these years basically working with 5th grade students who were working at a variety of levels (from 1st grade to 3rd grade). Now, I am going to be a 5th grade math and science teacher. I am trying to organize my classroom into the two distinct areas so that it will be easier for me and the students to transition from one area to the other. However, as we all know, math and science are interrelated so I need to have easy access to various manipulatives and/or tools as the need arises. Please consider me as a person that would be most grateful for this makeover. Respectfully, Leslie Britton

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Carrie Trudden says:
June 17, 2012 at 8:37 pm

I would love to receive a classroom makeover because my classroom is currently being renovated and the ceiling is being ...

I would love to receive a classroom makeover because my classroom is currently being renovated and the ceiling is being lowered from nearly 12 foot ceilings down to 8/9! So when I get back in my room to unpack, organization is going to be key to maximize space and make the room feel as large as it used to. I’m a technology teacher who teaches grades K-5 computers once a week for an hour. This will be my 14th year teaching and my 6th year in this position. So I’m viewing this renovation as an opportunity to make a change in my room and my teaching style. I want my room to be welcoming and feel like home for my kids. I once read that using the same colors and patterns in a classroom makes it feel bigger. But not only should the room look cohesive, it needs to be functional for kids to capitalize on their learning. Kids today learn differently and as a teacher who uses Laptops I need to capitalize on the mobility a laptop provides i.e. I need to move away from stationary tables and chairs that are fixed all year. What I would use the Makeover Money for is to purchase items to make my classroom a more mobile environment that would enable flexible movement of kids around the room for various projects. Items like SmartLap LapDesks for Intermediate Students, & Elfa Kids Coloring Tables & Kids Chairs for Primary Students would enable me to create floor areas in my room that students can move about the room but still have a place to work that promotes proper ergonomics. Other items that I would like to purchase are cord keepers, organizers for other technology equipment to make my classroom an organized space with technology and 21st century learning at my students fingertips.

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Sara Ajisafe says:
June 17, 2012 at 8:26 pm

Hi, I am a 3rd grade teacher in College Park and I will make it short and sweet as to why ...

Hi,

I am a 3rd grade teacher in College Park and I will make it short and sweet as to why I need a classroom makeover because my school is in a church and the rooms sizes are inadequate. My students need someone like you to help create an organized classroom that is conducive to learning.

Thank you,
Sara Ajisafe

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Janie Senko says:
June 17, 2012 at 6:38 pm

I teach 2nd grade. I love my kids and know that an important part of their academic success depends on ...

I teach 2nd grade. I love my kids and know that an important part of their academic success depends on reading well. So, I have MANY books. I love them, and want my students to love them. But my classroom has limited space. I need help in displaying and shelving all of my books.

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MaryAnne Stargel says:
June 17, 2012 at 5:07 pm

I would LOVE an organizational overhaul in my classroom. Teaching more than one subject at the middle school level, causes ...

I would LOVE an organizational overhaul in my classroom. Teaching more than one subject at the middle school level, causes a lot of paperwork and having to prepare for multiple lessons to be juggled throughout the day. I’m already known as the organizer at school and at church where I volunteer with the junior high ministry and I make due with what I can afford or create (most of which does not look the most appealing and often falls apart). I know there are a ton of tools out there to help my classroom run more organized and more efficient that I just don’t have the funds for. I found out that our class sizes are being increased again this year and that means more students in each of my five class periods, more papers, more projects and hopefully more time with technology. A classroom make over would be amazing and would help keep my students and myself on track for great achievements this year, and for years to come! Thank you for being so supportive of education and teachers!

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Kerry Bennett says:
June 17, 2012 at 12:49 pm

Classroom make over, let's see! I have moved rooms twice in the past year. I am going to be ...

Classroom make over, let’s see! I have moved rooms twice in the past year. I am going to be teaching kindergarten in the oldest part of the building which was built in the ’50s. Needless to say it is out of fashion and storeage. Since our school is mostly English Language Learners the parents aren;t participatory so they are not able to help the teacher in anyway. I am going for my masters and don’t have the money to really make the room pop for the students. I want the room to be welcomeing and now it is dark and creepy. I will be ever grateful for the oportunity to really show my refugees that a classroom is a home.

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Jo Saragusa says:
June 17, 2012 at 11:23 am

I nominate Bonnie Riner--After leaving Park Hill School District in KC after 4.5 years teaching grades1,2 and 4...she was offered ...

I nominate Bonnie Riner–After leaving Park Hill School District in KC after 4.5 years teaching grades1,2 and 4…she was offered a position as a 1st grade teacher at Jane Phillips Elementary in Bartlesville, OK. She is very excited to be returning to teaching as that is definitely her passion. She has such a heart for teaching children and, as this school is a Title 1 school, the need for an organized classroom is so important. This Title 1 school most of the students enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program, so there is definitely an impoverished student body. Bonnie also has a heart for the neediest of children and helping them overcome odds that may be stacked against them.

She spent some time at Conoco Phillips in Bartlesville working and was her typical over-achiever self there and I am confident she would have been offered a position there making much more money than a teacher’s salary will provide. However, she hated it and time stood still in her workday. She most definitely comes alive in the classroom, even with all the stress and long hours involved, Unfortunately, Oklahoma schools do not compensate as well as Missouri schools do, especially for those who have attained Master’s degrees. Sigh. But Bonnie is a determined young woman, who wants to be in the classroom regardless. She is the most creative, sharing, caring teachers and helping her attain supplies to keep doing what she does so well, more organized, more colorful, keeping the kids attention..well that that would be a great gift. Thank you.

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Martha James says:
June 17, 2012 at 10:52 am

My classroom needs a makeover. I teach in an all-boys school and they have NO concept of organization. ...

My classroom needs a makeover. I teach in an all-boys school and they have NO concept of organization. Our classrooms are crammed with students and it takes every bit of space to find places to store necessary school supplies. There are great build-in shelves, but most of them are located above a 9-ft step ladder reach. I teach chemistry so I have many manipulatives that need places to go; calculators that need a home; and files for all of my students’ tests. Help me teach them what organization means. I love to have everything in its places and able to be found, but cannot afford to overhaul my classroom myself.

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Angie Rhoads says:
June 17, 2012 at 9:48 am

Mrs. Bonnie Riner definitely needs to win the organized classroom. Although, Bonnie is very organized and handy she has ...

Mrs. Bonnie Riner definitely needs to win the organized classroom. Although, Bonnie is very organized and handy she has students who come from homes where they have nothing. Most kids are on the discounted or free lunch program. Where Bonnie could benefit from this makeover is she could put her money into sending the kids home with food and free up some of the money she uses on organization. Please help Mrs. Riner!!

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Ann Albert says:
June 17, 2012 at 9:16 am

Kacee Albert of White River High School is an English and AVID teacher that deserves to win your award. ...

Kacee Albert of White River High School is an English and AVID teacher that deserves to win your award. Not only would she love to be more organized and have any additional resources available to her and her students; she is a great teacher, who wants what is best for her students. She strives to instill in them the idea of “going the extra mile”, doing a little better than they think they can, and SHE believes many times that they are more capable than they seem to think they are.

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Sharon Schneider says:
June 17, 2012 at 7:29 am

I would like to nominate a very deserving, Bonnie Riner for the Organized Teacher Makeover Contest. After leaving Park ...

I would like to nominate a very deserving, Bonnie Riner for the Organized Teacher Makeover Contest.

After leaving Park Hill School District in KC after 4.5 years teaching grades1,2 and 4…she was offered a position as a 1st grade teacher at Jane Phillips Elementary in Bartlesville, OK. She is very excited to be returning to teaching as that is definitely her passion. She has such a heart for teaching children and, as this school is a Title 1 school, the need for an organized classroom is so important. This Title 1 school most of the students enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program, so there is definitely an impoverished student body. Bonnie also has a heart for the neediest of children and helping them overcome odds that may be stacked against them.

She spent some time at Conoco Phillips in Bartlesville working and was her typical over-achiever self there and I am confident she would have been offered a position there making much more money than a teacher’s salary will provide. However, she hated it and time stood still in her workday. She most definitely comes alive in the classroom, even with all the stress and long hours involved, Unfortunately, Oklahoma schools do not compensate as well as Missouri schools do, especially for those who have attained Master’s degrees. Sigh. But Bonnie is a determined young woman, who wants to be in the classroom regardless.

Thanks for your consideration!

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Maria R. says:
June 17, 2012 at 6:08 am

I will be homeschooling my kids this fall thus I will be their teacher. The $1000 will be great to ...

I will be homeschooling my kids this fall thus I will be their teacher. The $1000 will be great to create and organize a study and playroom for them especially since we live in a tiny apartment. I would love to create a calm and organized space for my kids which will encourage them to love learning.

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Lynn Atchison says:
June 17, 2012 at 12:28 am

I've taught at the same school for 24 years and love my students and their families with all my heart. ...

I’ve taught at the same school for 24 years and love my students and their families with all my heart. They are the reason I teach. When something gets in the way of that, I do all I can to remove it. A few years back I was diagnosed with ADHD and in the past few PLUS years, my organization skills have become a major road block. I want to work smarter, not harder and be more effective each year for my first graders. Please consider me for your “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest” so my students get the best “me” I have to offer. Thanks.

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Kimberly Fermaint says:
June 17, 2012 at 12:03 am

Last year, as a first year reading teacher, I was very blessed to enter a room that was filled to ...

Last year, as a first year reading teacher, I was very blessed to enter a room that was filled to the brim with many different teaching resources. However, my predecessors were not keen on organization and I inherited a general mess. With only three bookshelves in my room, dictionaries were stacked in piles around the room, textbooks were missing, and decade old novels were shoved onto a metal book truck that is missing one wheel. Because I started about 3 weeks after school officially began, I never found the time or resources to turn my classroom into an organized environment. My time was dominated by learning curriculum, getting to know students, and learning from those around me. The students and I managed and finished our year together strong (academically), but majority of my students are economically disadvantaged and count on my room for task management and learning tools, that I just was not able to provide last year on my own.
Coming into my second year of teaching, I feel much more prepared for what is to come; yet my classroom still lacks the flow and space planning which make any room effective and efficient. To date, I have about 16 boxes of new and used books, 3 boxes of donated materials, and 2 boxes of audio-visual equipment that I have been collecting all summer for my students, yet my class space is not equipped with shelves or bins to hold all of these educational items. I feel very honored to be involved in a career that aims at changing lives, still I feel as if the full potential of my room is not being reached. With proper organization tools and resources, I know that I will be able to no longer fret about how things are utilized in daily routines or where they are located; I will, instead, be able to focus my heart, time, and passion on those who are our future.
Thank you so much for this opportunity,
Kimberly Fermaint

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Barb Lord says:
June 16, 2012 at 10:37 pm

I have never been to a Container Store and I am certainly not very organized. However, I am a ...

I have never been to a Container Store and I am certainly not very organized. However, I am a pre-K/Kindergarten special education resource teacher and I have a very small space in which to work. It would be wonderful to have an organizational system in the room that would make it easier to be and stay organized so that I can put more time into working with my students instead of trying to figure out where to put things. What a great opportunity!

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E Ernst says:
June 16, 2012 at 8:58 pm

I teach chemistry in the basement of a building that is nearly 100 years old. I currently share a ...

I teach chemistry in the basement of a building that is nearly 100 years old. I currently share a classroom with two other teachers. We have very little storage and could use your help in making our classroom/lab safe and efficient for storing student work, supplies and lab equipment. Thanks for your support!

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E Ernst says:
June 16, 2012 at 8:56 pm

I teach chemistry in a building that is nearly 100 years old. I share a classroom with two other ...

I teach chemistry in a building that is nearly 100 years old. I share a classroom with two other teachers and have very little storage space. I could really use some help in keeping supplies, student work, and lab equipment safely stored so that we can be productive and efficient! Thanks for your support.

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michelle says:
June 16, 2012 at 5:47 pm

Mrs. Bell deserves a classroom makeover because she is in a public school so most of her things need a ...

Mrs. Bell deserves a classroom makeover because she is in a public school so most of her things need a makeover.

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Caroline Sumerlin says:
June 16, 2012 at 3:58 pm

I would love to win this for my roommate Paige Kuhn. She has been working as a teaching assistant in ...

I would love to win this for my roommate Paige Kuhn. She has been working as a teaching assistant in an ALE classroom and is starting off next year with her very own classroom. Organization is essential when working in a special needs classroom and being a first year teacher she doesn’t have much stuff or money to start out with. Paige is one of the most passionate human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She puts 110% into her students. Many nights she goes out spending her own money from her second job at Joe’s crab shack just so she can make hands on and engaging centers for her students. If she won this contest she would have the money necessary to set up an amazingly organized and exciting classroom for her students to walk in on the first day.

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Jillian says:
June 16, 2012 at 1:27 pm

My son's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Schleyer deserves a classroom makeover because she is one of the most organized people/teachers I ...

My son’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Schleyer deserves a classroom makeover because she is one of the most organized people/teachers I know. Even though her classroom is the smaller of the 2 kindergarten rooms she makes use of her room in an efficient manner. Each child has their own cubbie to keep their daily necessities and she has a desk of course but the other shelves and tables in her room are filled with fun activities, games and books. She tries to denote different sections of the room for reading, charts for learning, and others areas too but their is always ways to make it more efficient. Her classroom inspires learning but it shouldn’t be inhibited by storage for new supplies, arts/crafts, paper, etc. Mrs. Schleyer taught my son to read even in a crowded environment, think of what else she could do in a better organized space, she deserves an improved more functional use of her own space. Thank you.

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Brenda K. Miller says:
June 16, 2012 at 1:19 pm

I love my students. Ways to improve their science education is uppermost in my mind much of the time. My ...

I love my students. Ways to improve their science education is uppermost in my mind much of the time. My husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the end of this school year and my students helped me finish off the school year on a high note. Teaching is a family affair at my house and my husband is a big part of my successes in the classroom. He knows how important it is that I give my students my all even while he is undergoing treatment this upcoming school year. I want to spend every minute of my time teaching this school year not searching for equipment or papers. I am working hard all summer to become as prepared as possible so nothing will interfere with pure instruction and discovery. Container Store supplies are a must for me every year. They are durable enough to survive students and functional and aesthetically pleasing, so I want to use them all the time. Thanks for offering this opportunity to teachers.

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Jillian Hoffman says:
June 16, 2012 at 12:55 pm

I am a kindergarten teacher who is returning from maternity leave. I just had my second child. Having a sub ...

I am a kindergarten teacher who is returning from maternity leave. I just had my second child. Having a sub in my classroom for 3 months left it in total disarray. I am ready to start the new school year fresh and organized. I usually have anywhere from 28 to 34 kids. I have been teaching for 10 years so I have a lot of manipulatives, books, games, etc. I believe in the importance of play and hands on learning for kids so that requires a lot of “stuff”. I have spent a lot of my own money on organizational tools over the years for the classroom. Now that I have a family it is hard to spend my own money on things for the classroom but it is also hard to spend a lot of time cleaning and organizing. I would rather be home playing with my own kids. My goal is to get my classroom organized and teach my students how to keep it that way. A place for everything and everything in its place. An organized classroom is a happy and fun place to learn! Thank you.

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Kaye Gilbert says:
June 16, 2012 at 12:38 pm

As a special needs high school teacher, organization is one of the hardest area to manage when you are teaching ...

As a special needs high school teacher, organization is one of the hardest area to manage when you are teaching seven different subjects with a variety of grade levels. I have been in the school district for 25 years and would love to start thuis next year with an organized closet! Please help!

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THESHA LEWIS says:
June 16, 2012 at 12:26 pm

I would love to have a classroom makeover by the Container Store!!My biggest challenge is finding space for all of ...

I would love to have a classroom makeover by the Container Store!!My biggest challenge is finding space for all of my materials and keeping up with the demands of my paperwork as a Special Educator. A makeover of my room would help me to stay organized which would allow me to spend more time with instruction and less time trying to find ways to stay organized. I am currently teaching in the school where I went to elementary school. I was a student there in the 70′s and I don’t really think that must thought went into spacing saving ideas at that time. I currently use the Container Stores shoe boxes to house my center activities for my students. A makeover of my room would help we to stay organized and provide better instruction to my special needs students.

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Veronica Martinez says:
June 16, 2012 at 11:16 am

I believe I deserve a teacher makeover because I just found out that after 8 years of teaching with a ...

I believe I deserve a teacher makeover because I just found out that after 8 years of teaching with a partner in one room, I will now have my own room! The classroom is a blank canvas, it is exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time! The room is not too storage friendly and any ideas or help I can get would be greatly appreciated. I want to create a learning environment that not only clutter free, but also one that teaches my students organization skills.
I currently teach Kindergarten for the Bay Shore School District in Long Island (New York). With all the manipulatives and art supplies we use with Kindergarten, you can imagine the storage we need! I’m looking forward to a new and organized school year!

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Yvonne Conner says:
June 16, 2012 at 10:48 am

I would like to win a classroom makeover for my sister Janice McCoy of Jasper ISD in Texas. She is ...

I would like to win a classroom makeover for my sister Janice McCoy of Jasper ISD in Texas. She is a very dedicated teacher who went into teaching later in life from being a controller @ a company. When I call her at night or on weekends, 75% of the time her husband will say “she’s at the school”. She is not a terribly organized person and I feel this would help her tremendously. Her kids are all grown and she has grand kids, but she is terribly dedicated to the children she teaches. I feel this would be a terribly precious gift to her.

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Jenny sanderson says:
June 16, 2012 at 10:36 am

My daughter attends a charter school so extra funding for storage and organization are low on the list! Her ...

My daughter attends a charter school so extra funding for storage and organization are low on the list! Her teacher uses a portable classroom and does an outstanding job with the limited space she has. I think that having everything organized and at her fingertips will take away some of the stress that comes with being a teacher and allow her to shine brighter than she already does.

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Amy Lee says:
June 16, 2012 at 10:14 am

I work with special education students on their fine motor and sensory skills. My students typically are diagnosed with autism ...

I work with special education students on their fine motor and sensory skills. My students typically are diagnosed with autism which impacts their abilities to function at school. We work on their foundational, functional, developmental and behavioral skills in hopes they can mainstream with more success. I am lucky to get a whole classroom but unfortunately don’t have access to organizational shelving. I was able to buy Tupperware ware box type containers to store all my materials and toys but it’s so difficult to get stuff out. I have purchased a ton of equipment and toys over the last 8 years that I have been doing this and love working with the children. Everything is going well except the organizational piece of the room. I am told I will be moving rooms again this summer and appreciate the ability or chance to organize my room from the very beginning. It would improve my ability to get things easier and organize all the equipment and toys I have in the room. Being organized is important to stay on top of things. This opportunity would also help me stayed organized with all the paperwork that comes with this job..

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Terri Johnson says:
June 16, 2012 at 9:34 am

I am a high school teacher who teaches students who still cannot read or cannot read well enough to master ...

I am a high school teacher who teaches students who still cannot read or cannot read well enough to master high school classes. We have a program that is incredibly effective. I have had students who begin my class with a pre-kindergarten reading level and leave testing out on grade level. It is incredibly rewarding to watch these students read and develop a new attitude about school and begin to dream about college.

This program includes instruction on computers, whole group instruction, small group instruction, and independent reading. There are an incredible amount of materials involved in the program which is wonderful. However, because the number of students I teach is small, I have a very small classroom. I have to be incredibly and impeccably organized to function in a small space. It is a lesson to the students on how to be organized, as well. Part of their problem is lack of organization. The look on their faces when I showed them how to organize a notebook was priceless. We use the notebooks to store their work, their progress on the program, and their goals for future progress. I store their textbooks in plastic crates in this small room. I bought a small half price set of bookshelves to store their notebooks. Once a week all the notebooks slide and fall off the shelves.

The independent reading area is supposed to be set up as a comfortable reading area with fun, attractive furniture. I currently have a couple of camp chairs. We are responsible for providing the furniture for this area due to budget cuts from the district.

When one lives in a small space, one has to be extremely organized to survive and operate. When I think of extreme organization, I think of the Container Store. I use your products in my home and would love to have my classroom outfitted with your products. My students would learn the valuable lesson of being organized along with learning to read better. Organizational skills will help them to be successful in the world when they leave high school. The Container Store is the perfect partner for an organized learning experience.

Thank you for your consideration,

Terri Johnson
Langham Creek High School
Houston, TX

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Jane Thatcher, MSW says:
June 16, 2012 at 9:32 am

I am a social worker at a Title 1 elementary school. This means that our children come from an area ...

I am a social worker at a Title 1 elementary school. This means that our children come from an area of high poverty and large numbers of non-English speaking families. This year, we lost an incredibly loving and motivated first grade teacher, who literally bought bags of books and learning materials for her students and their parents. She was at school on Tuesday, April 24, and died of a brain aneurism on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Her sweet family wants to leave her classroom materials for the new teacher. In her memory, and to honor the lovely, brand-new teacher (she had literally finished her practice teaching at our school the week before) who took over her classroom, I would love for the Container Store to gift her with an “Organized Teacher Makeover.” This new teacher has done a beautiful job with the children during their mourning, and she has been hired for a permanent position in the fall, but she is a bit overwhelmed with this classroom bursting as it is with wonderful materials.

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D. Hope Dow says:
June 16, 2012 at 8:06 am

My cousin, Kristen Bush Baugh graduated from college in May of 2012. She will be starting a new job ...

My cousin, Kristen Bush Baugh graduated from college in May of 2012. She will be starting a new job as a teacher in Jones County, GA. She is such a special young lady and would really benefit from a classroom makeover. As a new teacher, she will be starting from scratch.

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Twyla Preising says:
June 16, 2012 at 7:43 am

A teacher is judged within the first 7 seconds. Students need organization in order to establish trust for their new ...

A teacher is judged within the first 7 seconds. Students need organization in order to establish trust for their new teacher. No one does organization like the Container Store. I want my classroom to have the newest ideas for organization. The room would showcase vibrant and yet classy materials that are easily accessible and ready to use at a moments notice. I am about to begin my 29th year of teaching – would love to show off a new style!

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Sharon A. Brady says:
June 15, 2012 at 11:03 pm

Hello, I am nominating Mr. Danny Jaques as a candidate for “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!”. He is a Science teacher for ...

Hello,
I am nominating Mr. Danny Jaques as a candidate for “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!”. He is a Science teacher for 7th and 8th graders at Ignacio Junior High school, located in Ignacio, CO. 81137. Ignacio is in the Ute Tribal Reservation in Southern Colorado, so most of his students are Native Americans.

He is such a great guy, he is ALWAYS paying for supplies out of his OWN POCKET for his students. He also brings a group of his students to Space Camp in Huntsville Alabama every summer. In fact he is there right now. He doesn’t know I am entering him in this contest.

I am his girlfriend and I’m always trying to find a way to help him get organized. I found a few wire baskets for his desk but it is just a drop in the bucket as far as helping him to get organized. He is a bit of a slob to be quite frank and I just throw my hands in the air every time I see his classroom.

He needs help!

Thank you for considering him in your contest.

Best regards,

Sharon A. Brady

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Joshua L. Rubin says:
June 15, 2012 at 9:50 pm

I teach students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities at a school with a high rate of poverty and a ...

I teach students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities at a school with a high rate of poverty and a large immigrant population. Although I have a system of bins for organization, they are insufficient for my needs.

Aside from regular classroom supplies, I would love to be able to support my students’ needs in learning organizational skills. A sturdy system of organizational materials would help me support my students’ individual learning needs better. For those who need to learn classification and sorting skills, the $1000 Container Store makeover would be a new way for my students to receive that instruction.

Furthermore, my classroom is located in a windowless basement. The Container Store’s colorful options would certainly liven up the room!

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Susan Willingham says:
June 15, 2012 at 8:44 pm

I get to do something very cool. I teach Kindergarten students in a Title 1 School! We're the Hopkins Mustangs learning every ...

I get to do something very cool.
I teach Kindergarten students in a Title 1 School!
We’re the Hopkins Mustangs learning every single day
To read and write stories . . . whatever comes our way.

Listening, talking, and sharing with each little person
Leaves precious little time for organization.
When I’m at school the kiddos deserve my very best
At 3:00 p.m. I’m ready for some rest!

So, help with containers, etc. instead of chocolate
Would make my life easier and not show on my hips.
You’ve organized my home closets very effectively
Now all I need is classroom help from those who hold the key!

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Brandee says:
June 15, 2012 at 8:30 pm

After seven years of being in the classroom, my role at my campus is changing. Now, I will be an ...

After seven years of being in the classroom, my role at my campus is changing. Now, I will be an instructional coach… helping teachers. I am thrilled about my new position and terrified too! Not having my own classroom will be tough. But, hopefully I will be able to impact more students…as well as teachers…in this new job. I will have an office now. Scary! And, there is no furniture for visitors. Storage is minimal. There is just a desk and a chair for me. How are teachers supposed to feel comfortable seeking input, meeting, and planning fun lessons in that environment? My biggest fear is that teachers won’t come and “use” me. I want my office to me an inspirational, peaceful oasis where student learning can really be affected in a positive way. So, some help making my office an inviting space for teachers and me to communicate, learn together, research, brainstorm, etc. would be a dream come true. Plus, my husband and our bank account would be thankful, too!

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Jessie chun says:
June 15, 2012 at 8:30 pm

You do not need another teacher telling you how she is working with old , dirty, and broken furniture in ...

You do not need another teacher telling you how she is working with old , dirty, and broken furniture in a classroom that is overcrowded with too many students. I believe that I should win a classroom makeover for the simple reason that I am a dedicated teacher of 12 years who’s commitment to my students and profession have not wavered during this time. Working with urban children in New York City is challenging and requires me to be inventive with the limited resources that I have. Everyday that I am at work, I strive to help each student reach his or her potential. Everyday that I am not at work, my mind is working on ways that I can help my students reach his or her potential. If I am fortunate enough to be chosen for a classroom makeover, it will make my job just a bit easier. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Paula Feinberg says:
June 15, 2012 at 8:02 pm

I would love to make-over my Middle School classroom because I would like to more fully engage my students. I ...

I would love to make-over my Middle School classroom because I would like to more fully engage my students. I recently saw a video filmed in a Southern California classroom where students’ chairs were replaced with large balls. Research has shown that kids need to move more in school to be alert, responsive and active. One way to facilitate this, is to allow the students to sit on the large exercise balls that can be seen at athletic clubs. Students are allowed to wiggle, roll around, and use movement during their class activities.

For kids who have attention deficits, they would be encouraged to move around helping them maintain their attention, students who might be overweight would be naturally using core muscles to remain steady on the ball, and lastly…think of how much fun it would be to enter my classroom to sit on a ball for a hundred minute period and learn new information. Retention of information that is delivered using movement has been proven to be successful.

I know my active Middle Schoolers would love this novel idea.

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Jill Pigeon says:
June 15, 2012 at 7:09 pm

I teach French in a public middle and high school in Virginia. I have 5 different "preps" as I ...

I teach French in a public middle and high school in Virginia. I have 5 different “preps” as I teach French 1, 2, 3, 4/AP and Interest Block. I do have quite a few manipulatives, many of which are different not only for each level, but for each chapter within each level. For example, my weather chapter I have many different flashcards, weather pictures, pretend microphone for when students present weather like a meteorologist. The chapter on classroom vocab, I keep manipulatives specific for this chapter for vocab practicing this vocab, such as a bookbag filled with pencil, pen, eraser, calculator, ruler, blank paper, books, colored pencils, cell phone, etc. My list of manipulatives seems to have no end. I find it essential to use hands-on things when learning a new language. It is extremely to be and stay organized because I teach many different levels. To add confusion to this, I also teach out of three different classrooms because I travel between the high school and the middle school. It would be a dream-come-true to win $1,000 to spend on organizational products to help me focus on my teaching and less on struggling to stay organized.
Thank you for considering my entry in this this contest,
Jill

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Erin Briner says:
June 15, 2012 at 7:05 pm

Kellie Pearson of Mountain View Elementary School in Santa Barbara, California REALLY deserves to win a make-over contest! I'm ...

Kellie Pearson of Mountain View Elementary School in Santa Barbara, California REALLY deserves to win a make-over contest! I’m going to be honest and say that Kellie could teach & inspire in ANY environment and doesn’t need a classroom make-over to help her be a better teacher…she just DESERVES a spectacular treat! Kellie has taught both of our two boys and many other children that we know. KELLIE JUST GETS IT! She learns about the kids, she gets to know their strenghts and weaknesses and she uses that knowledge to booster their self esteem and bring what they are “Good At” into how to teach them & into what they need to learn. Kellie is a TRUE INSPIRATION! She has a pure and loving heart & it shows every single day when she shows up for work. Please, please, please show Kellie that she deserves a reward for being the best teacher we could ever ask for! Thank you Container Store!

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Tatiana Carciente says:
June 15, 2012 at 6:47 pm

I am writing for an amazing teacher that has done so much for my daughter and the kids in her ...

I am writing for an amazing teacher that has done so much for my daughter and the kids in her class, she tutor before and after classes on her own time, giving all the kids supplies and materials that she was able to hand them to help them on the subject that they would need help in. Out of her way she created a drama and art club, and with everything going, there was time she was unable to find some item and the kids would find these item for her. I remember going to her class to meet with Ms. Diaz to see where my daughter stand towards the FCats, and wow! she really need help to keep thing organize but also it’s understandable. I totally recommend that you please help her to get this make over. By the way, my daughter increased her grade got all A’s and 1 B I am so proud and thankful of such an amazing teacher and hope you guys choose her for this contest. Ms. Diaz at Biscayne Elementary School, Miami Beach, Florida is one of a million “Great, Caring, and Helpful Teacher” I am so lucky that my daughter had the opportunity to have such an amazing teacher
Best Regards,
Tatiana Carciente

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Melissa Davenport says:
June 15, 2012 at 6:42 pm

I've taught for five years now, and am just switching from public to private school. In packing and cleaning ...

I’ve taught for five years now, and am just switching from public to private school. In packing and cleaning out my classroom, it occurred to me that in starting over this August, it’s really my chance to start fresh. I can create a classroom system that works for me and my new students, making my mark and establishing a functional learning environment.

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Betty S says:
June 15, 2012 at 6:15 pm

I would really want to win the organized teacher makeover contest, and I'll tell you why. I don't have my own ...

I would really want to win the organized teacher makeover contest, and I’ll tell you why.

I don’t have my own classroom. As a music teacher, I am placed in the auditorium because there are no other rooms for me to teach in. It isn’t the best space to have just because there isn’t much room to move around, everyone comes in and out of the room, but mostly because there is no storage space.

The only place that I can store things is behind the stage. But that doesn’t’ really work because the light switches are back there and people need to easily access them. So for this reason, they can’t place heavy furniture on the stage. So what I have devised is a box plan. Its the only thing I was able to get my hands on! So I have used boxes(mostly from reams of paper) and buckets to divide up the things I need on a day-to-day basis.

However, I need to rework this plan as well because:
#1 Eventually my administration will probably freak out that this is the system I have chose…
#2 I can’t easily access the boxes I need (when I need them)
#3 There will be the problem of moving everything for summer cleaning
#4 I am in the process of getting instruments donated to the school
#5 All the equipment I used is from my own home, so I need to lock it up to make sure its safe. After all, its all that I have.

The type of “organization” that I would need would be a lot more complex then installing a shelf. It would need to be well-thought out by professionals for the best and safest way to store and keep everything safe.

PLEASE HELP!

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Lori Hale says:
June 15, 2012 at 5:48 pm

I am nominating Amber Farley for the classroom makeover. Amber is a 4th grade teacher at my son's school, ...

I am nominating Amber Farley for the classroom makeover. Amber is a 4th grade teacher at my son’s school, Martin Elementary, in Crandall, Texas. My son, who is going into 6th grade, did not have Mrs. Farley as his teacher, but I have come to know Mrs. Farley because I spend a lot of time at the school doing volunteer work. Mrs. Farley always has a warm smile and “hello” anytime I pass her in the hallways. I know that she greets her students everyday with the same warmth. Many of my friends’ children have had Mrs. Farley, and they all love her. Mrs. Farley is no different from many teachers out there – she is passionate about what she does, and she loves her students like they are her own. However, I believe Mrs. Farley deserves and needs this makeover not only because of her dedication but because she has recently had to endure a tragedy that no one should have to endure. On June 9, Mrs. Farley’s husband of 7 years, Guy Farley, was killed in a tragic car accident just a few miles from their home. He had just turned 41 on June 5. From what I understand, he was driving home from an off-duty job (he was a deputy sheriff) when a car swerved into his lane on a two lane highway and slammed into him head on. He was killed instantly. I cannot adequately put into words the pain and anguish she must feel. My heart is broken for her and their two daughters. If I were in her shoes, it would be all I could do to just get up every morning and breathe. I can’t imagine also having to worry about all the work and planning it takes to get a classroom ready and organized for the next year’s incoming students. So, it is with great pride and hope that I nominate a very deserving, warm, and caring teaching for this award. I hope that it will put a smile on her face and that it will bring her some comfort to know that her classroom will be ready for her students next year. Thank you for this opportunity!

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Jenelle Malone says:
June 15, 2012 at 5:37 pm

I would absolutely LOVE a classroom makeover! I have been moved to 3 different school these past 6 years, and ...

I would absolutely LOVE a classroom makeover! I have been moved to 3 different school these past 6 years, and organization would make life a WHOLE lot easier!

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Lisa K. says:
June 15, 2012 at 5:12 pm

My husband's classroom is in extreme need of organization help. He's a high school Special Ed ...

My husband’s classroom is in extreme need of organization help. He’s a high school Special Ed teacher with a really small class room. He is also a year around head coach. He coaches 90-120 high school (9th-12th grade) athletes year round who routinely use his classroom as a gathering spot, an after school study spot and regrettably a dumping ground. He tries to keep after them to clean up, but that could be a full time job! Both teaching and coaching jobs require a ton of paperwork. The classroom is small and between the paperwork, multi purpose use and limited storage it’s hard to keep organized. Having better or improved organization solutions would go a long way in making his classroom work better for him and his students.

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Christina Rodriguez says:
June 15, 2012 at 5:12 pm

My husband, Steven Schulz, has been an elementary school teacher for 16+ years now and while he is the most ...

My husband, Steven Schulz, has been an elementary school teacher for 16+ years now and while he is the most kind-hearted man I know, he is also the most unorganized. He teaches 2nd grade in a low income school demographic (Fontana, CA) and many of his kids have never even seen many of your products or how they can be used. Your Suitcase promotion made me smile because many of his kids have never seen one of those!

We spend about $1000/year out of our pocket on supplies for his classroom already and I know that winning this contest will help us shift funds to things like backpacks, books and prizes for the kids vs. things he needs to corral stuff!

While I was unemployed for 18 months, I volunteered in ‘Mr. Steve’s’ classroom and found so many small ways to help him organize his room but I lack the expertise he really needs. I think any ideas that work for him may also help other teachers at his school. PLEASE pick my husband as it will make him happy, make me happy and really help 2 dozen well-deserving kids!

PS…thank you for recognizing the work of teachers with this contest!

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Lori Schaap says:
June 15, 2012 at 5:11 pm

KINDERGARTENERS!!!! TWENTY OF THEM!!!! Right there is reason enough for organization! Most five year olds do not ...

KINDERGARTENERS!!!! TWENTY OF THEM!!!! Right there is reason enough for organization! Most five year olds do not have an organized bone in their little bodies and need all the help they can get! We work on a place for everything and everything in its place as learning independence and growing up. Having awesome organizationsl stuff is step one! Thanks!

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Cheryl says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:58 pm

I am being moved from a large classroom to a very small classroom. I am struggling to find room for ...

I am being moved from a large classroom to a very small classroom. I am struggling to find room for storing manipulatives, paperwork, etc. I have been teaching for 12 years and need help organizing everything! I would so love your help! (and my family would love for you to help me too!)

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English says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:27 pm

Erin Elliott, my son's Kindergarten teacher, deserves a room makeover. Last year was only her second year to teach ...

Erin Elliott, my son’s Kindergarten teacher, deserves a room makeover. Last year was only her second year to teach and she was called in at the last minute to fill the need for an extra Kindergarten classroom. Not only was she at a new school teaching Kindergarten for the first time, but her classroom was the only Kindergarten classroom that was not in the Kindergarten wing. She only had two weeks to convert a 1st grade classroom to a Kindergarten classroom. She got organized somehow, learned the names of 20 children, sent home individualized behavior reports EVERY DAY and all of the children felt so loved.

The depth of her love was made clear during the last week of school when she presented each family with a personalized binder full of each individual student’s photos and schoolwork – from the very first day of her class, the field trips, the parties and school events – for 20 children. I don’t know when she slept or had a personal life. She must be the most organized person in the world. I know how much she would appreciate a room makeover and all the great ideas she could probably share with The Container Store. She embodies “Organization With Heart”.

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Allison Paysour says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:23 pm

Imagine you are 5 years old. You are in school for the very first time in a large room ...

Imagine you are 5 years old. You are in school for the very first time in a large room with many manipulatives, puzzles, games, writing items, books, etc. You try your best but you do not always remember where everything goes. You get frustrated as others try to help you/the teachers try to help you. Wouldn’t it be easier if everything had its own container that was labeled with pictures or other shelving items that were easy to recognize so you knew where everything went?

Well, when I stepped foot in the container store for the first time that’s what I saw…isles and isles of items to make my classroom more organized and easier for my students. Shoe boxes in the Container Store are not shoe boxes they would hold markers, crayons, scissors, etc and they would all be easy to figure out because you can see right through them and tell what’s inside. The large goodie bins would not hold candy but math items to help students estimate or add/subtract. The cord clips would organize all of the wiring we have for the technology in the room and keep the wires from coming out and getting in the way of learning or they would help keep the wires where they are supposed to be when we are re-arranging the room to find more space. The magazine files could hold/sort all of my leveled books so the children could find what they wanted to read easier. I could go on and on about this store. I have so many ideas of how I could change my room by using this store. It would make teaching my little ones so much easier because everything would be nice and neat and organized.

Teachers do not get paid a lot…as you know. Something you might not know is that, in Wake County, we have not received a raise in 5 years. That is hard. We spend most of our own money for things in our classroom and winning this would make such a difference to where I could not worry about the day to day straightening up after my children and spend more time creating new ideas/projects for them.

I was lucky enough to have parents this year who wanted to get our classroom something for teacher appreciation. I sent them to The Container Store to purchase Lego storage containers. They have made such a difference in my Engineering Center. The legos are organized and the containers are very appealing to look at. Little changes in organization mean so much. I can only imagine my room if I should win this contest. It would make such a difference.

I appreciate your time and thank you for the opportunity. I know the prize will be greatly appreciated, no matter who it goes to. Have a wonderful day.

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Kimberly Ahokas says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:21 pm

I am a brand new teacher and I would love help with organization right off the bat!

I am a brand new teacher and I would love help with organization right off the bat!

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Kacee Barrett says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:18 pm

I am a first grade teacher that prides myself on my good organizational skills, but I do have to admit ...

I am a first grade teacher that prides myself on my good organizational skills, but I do have to admit that keeping a classroom organized can be challenging. With my ever-growing stacks of supplies, papers and books, I find myself searching for the most effective way to keep things orderly. One specific area in my classroom I could use help organizing is my library. I have been teaching first grade for six years and have been purchasing, printing and collecting a wide-variety of books for students to read on a daily basis. Learning to read is the single most important skill students need to learn in first grade and I would like to organize my books in a way that makes finding a book easy and enjoyable for all of my students. If I am awarded the $1,000 prize, I would use the money to organize my classroom library.

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Chris says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:10 pm

The space that we have for music class is incredible. Organizing the space is a major monster that I ...

The space that we have for music class is incredible. Organizing the space is a major monster that I haven’t been able to tackle. I am sure it is my personality as I have organized chaos. I long for organization that will make the space look neat and will facilitate teaching my students about organization. I have tried many things and have spent my own money creating a neat, functional, musical classroom, but it always ends up with papers and supplies everywhere. It would be great to have someone come in and help me organize this great space. I feel that I haven’t done the room justice and our community deserves that. I love The Container Store as I used to work there when I was in college. I loved my job on the truck shift and always speak highly of the entire organization. I know that winning this prize would help take this amazing space and not only transform it, but it would help me be a better teacher. That is what this is all about. Reaching our students in the most organized way!

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Julie Burke says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:45 pm

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD HELP US! BUT OUR SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE IS IN DESPERATE NEED ...

I DON’T KNOW IF YOU COULD HELP US! BUT OUR SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A MAKEOVER! Is it soo bad for teachers to have a place to go and unwind before we head back to the students.! Our teachers, at Cleveland Elementary, are some of the best I have ever seen. They come together as a team, they stove to bring the children every resource possible, and they teach the children to reach for the sky! So can the teachers have the lounge makeover so they have a place to go and reenergize! Help me help this terrific staff!! You would have all the teachers and staff unwavering thanks:)

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Denise Turner says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:42 pm

Being a new teacher, I am still struggling with organization. The Container Store helped me get my computer room totally ...

Being a new teacher, I am still struggling with organization. The Container Store helped me get my computer room totally organized. I have already been told by my principal that my disorganization is an issue. She has put this goal in front of me to take charge of my classroom organization. Teaching mathematics with manipulatives, paperwork, and tools are items that the Container Store can help me. I truly believe that the Container Store will help me get my classroom TOTALLY organized that I won’t have to worry about being embarassed when my students’ families come into my classroom.

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Julie Burke says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:38 pm

Hi Major Organizer (Container Store)! I am a Science Teacher for 7th and 8th grade Science in Chicago Public ...

Hi Major Organizer (Container Store)! I am a Science Teacher for 7th and 8th grade Science in Chicago Public Schools. Why do I need an Organized Teacher Makeover ! Where to start- I have so many donations and can I purge? Working with more than one curriculum is difficult let alone classroom management OWWW! But et me get to the point! As I said earlier I teach 2 classes of 7th grade life science, 3 classes of 8th grade physical science, and a 7th grade pre-algebra section. The science classes are full of inquiry which includes labs that are completely hands-on for the students. Right now, i use shoeboxes (plastic) for the students to put materials in and take out to do the lab. Does it work? Sometimes, but now to put the materials away back where they belong is a madhouse! Ohh I can’t tell you how I hate putting the materials away because I can’t read the labels of the original boxes! Then I have my back to the students and what can they be doing! It is a interesting dilemma and I would love some help on trying to do the right organization! Any suggestions:) Any help is greatly appreciated!!! Please HELP!!!

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Lillian Rosenbaum says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:23 pm

I am a public school teacher, who teachers in a self contained special education classroom. After 9 yrs of teaching ...

I am a public school teacher, who teachers in a self contained special education classroom. After 9 yrs of teaching in a full sized classroom, I will be getting moved to an office space with 7 1st grade kids and 4 assistants, plus myself. This will be an interesting logistical situation, and requires a lot of creativty, therefore I feel that to benefit my students, and give them the best possible educational experience, this makeover will be needed!

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Barbara Narges says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:22 pm

My daugter Christy Hemmert deserves a classroom makeover. She has been working in an inner city school for the past ...

My daugter Christy Hemmert deserves a classroom makeover. She has been working in an inner city school for the past year teaching Math and Language Arts. Her students come from homes that most of us can’t even imagine. They come to school hungry, not properly dressed, bruised, etc. At school they know they are safe. She spends her own money own supplies,
treats for good behavior and assignments well done. If there is a special dress up day she will buy little things so that all of the students are able to participate.
This leaves little money for her as a mother of 3 hersrlf to spend on things for her classroom. A $1000 gift card would make it possoble to build up her durable supplies and leave more for the decorations and her students. Little things mean an awful lot to these kids. These are things they otherwise would not have.

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Marcia L. Carter-Wright says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:08 pm

I teach English to students who speak other languages. I need a classroom makeover to become more organized to ...

I teach English to students who speak other languages. I need a classroom makeover to become more organized to teach these diverse learners. My students are mixed in levels. I have some who are nonspeakers of the language to those who are almost proficient.

Having to teach these students English literature in addition to speaking, reading, and writing the language, It can get hectic when there are different worksheets stacked in piles on the countertop, and papers get misplaced or shuffled together. At times, I get confused as to what I want the students to get completed.

Please HELP!

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Laurie says:
June 15, 2012 at 3:07 pm

This would be great to win. My biggest downfall is organization. I have been asked to organize my ...

This would be great to win. My biggest downfall is organization. I have been asked to organize my classroom materials several times. I do not have the resources to buy containers that I need. I have been purging materials but there are still many materials to be put away so they are easily accessable. Your contest would be a great help. Thank you.

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Terri Karls says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:56 pm

Our Kindergarten teacher, Adrienne Landgrave deserves a room makeover as she is a special teacher that will go the extra ...

Our Kindergarten teacher, Adrienne Landgrave deserves a room makeover as she is a special teacher that will go the extra mile for students and their families. She has helped a young girl and her family who is no longer in her class. The young girl has cancer and she has raised money with another teacher to give the young girl a surprise birthday party going as far as to get a pony at her home! She is a great person with all the kids. My grandaughter has has her for a teacher and this coming up year, my twin grandaughters will have her as a teacher and our family can hardly wait. Please give alot of consideration to our Lemont Kindergarten Teacher, Adrienne Landgrave.
Thanks so much for this opportunity,
Terri Karls—Grandma

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Laura Dobrinick says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:41 pm

I am a reading specialist in a K-6 building. I would love to have some help organizing all my ...

I am a reading specialist in a K-6 building. I would love to have some help organizing all my things for my intervention program that I use with groups that includes 7 books and papers and another group that uses letter tiles and worksheets. My class space, or closet as my husband refers to it, is just 6×10 and has a ton of boxes where I keep some of the materials. My other books that I share with 2 other teachers is 2 floors up on various bookshelves and filing cabinets. Organization would be wonderful!

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Myra Scott says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:41 pm

I have been working with families for over 24 years and I have visited the homes of each one of ...

I have been working with families for over 24 years and I have visited the homes of each one of my kindergarten students throughout the summer to get to know them and their families. I love learning about the different cultures represented in my classroom. As I learn about each family, I want to organize the material to be use throughout the year and The Container Store can help me organize items given to me. I believe in my student’s as I began working and enhancing their abilities to learn.

I have also provided workshops after school for parents who cannot speak English. I provided a translator to help parents learn how to work with students at home. I make learning in my classroom a life-long committment. My students understand their learning as I make them accountable for their learning.

I went back to school to learn and advocate for parents of gifted students in kindergarten. Yes, kindergarten students are gifted learners. I shared all my learning with other members on my team and we now have been referring kindergarten students to be nurtured during the school year.

I enjoy working with my students and what a reward it would be for me to be selected to receive a makeover in my classroom. I teach young kindergarten students to be organize and what a way to model this skill throughout my classroom.

Thank you for taking the time to support teacher and reading my information.

Myra Scott
Myrascott123@yahoo.com

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Karen says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:38 pm

I need a classroom make over for my special needs pre-k classroom. Our classroom was opened with out having all ...

I need a classroom make over for my special needs pre-k classroom. Our classroom was opened with out having all the furniture need for the room. We have a bunch of older furniture that we have made work, but it would nice to have some new stuff that would help organize our centers better to meet all the needs of the children in my classroom.

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Sierra Eschrich says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:38 pm

My father, Steven Eschrich, decided to change his career at the age of 40, from being a successful stock broker ...

My father, Steven Eschrich, decided to change his career at the age of 40, from being a successful stock broker to be a public high school economics teacher, and has never looked back. His commitment to completely change his career, going back to school to get a Masters degree in Education, with two kids at home and another on the way, has made him an incredible role model to myself and my siblings. His decision to make this big change in order to make a more positive impact on youth has taught us to always make the changes we need to in our lives to be better citizens of our community, even if that means facing great challenges.

He now teaches at one of the top public high schools in the US and every year oversees multiple extra-curricular organizations and enrichment trips for his students. He has led student teams who have consistently won national competitions with the Federal Reserve System and the Euro Challenge competition. He is an incredible adviser to his students and never falls short on his commitments to them, no matter the impact on his personal time or even sleep. Even with the hours he devotes to furthering his students’ academic experiences, he is always there for his three kids, from assisting in coaching his son’s baseball teams to tutoring his college-student daughters.

My father deserves the recognition for his hard work and dedication to going above and beyond the classroom for his students. A room makeover would make his classroom a space where his students can collaborate and learn in a much more warm and inspirational environment.

Thank you for your consideration!

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Kim Baylyff says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:34 pm

My story is a simple one, I am a elementary visual arts teacher in a very large urban school district. ...

My story is a simple one, I am a elementary visual arts teacher in a very large urban school district. I love my job!!! My challenge is that I work at two to three different schools in a year, so I am constantly moving and carting my art materials and supplies from one site to another site. In one day I serve over 100 students and in one week that number moves up to 500+!! So there is definitely a need to be organized in the various art spaces that I use. I work in some economically disadvantaged communities that have little to no resources. So, I try to accommodate my students by bringing in as much as I can, thus earning the name of “art cart lady”. I am in need of art classroom makeover! I need ways to store materials, keeping them accesible, and still keep them portable if I need to move them from one site to another. In times when the arts is cut from many school districts, I am proud to say that “Art puts the heart in Smart”.

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Sally Rogers says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:29 pm

I am a Montessori teacher at a small Montessori school, 14 students in the elementary classroom which is grades 1 ...

I am a Montessori teacher at a small Montessori school, 14 students in the elementary classroom which is grades 1 – 6. We don’t use textbooks, just materials and your poly envelopes with buttons, storage boxes and shelves are a wonderful way to store our lessons. Please help a small school(35 students) to have organized classrooms.

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Larry Napier says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:28 pm

My daughter, Kim, has just received her education degree and will begin her new profession as a teacher in August, ...

My daughter, Kim, has just received her education degree and will begin her new profession as a teacher in August, 2012. Kim currently has a large student loan balance to pay off and does not have the funds to set up her classroom in the manner that she believes necessary. Kim is married with one daughter but her husband’s job is being eliminated in the fall of this year. Kim is a lovely person and will make a great teacher. She really deserves to have something wonderful happen to her so that she can commence her new teaching position with a postive attitude.

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Megan McDaniel says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:28 pm

Danielle Gambe at Roth Elementary in Klein, TX has to be one of the most deserving teachers for this makeover. ...

Danielle Gambe at Roth Elementary in Klein, TX has to be one of the most deserving teachers for this makeover. She spends countless hours and dollars away from the classroom to make sure each kid gets taken care of and enjoys their education inside the classroom. She has experience with special needs children. She has touched the life of a young boy very near to my heart, who is autistic and entered her 2nd grade class at barely a kindergarten level and lacking severely in social skills. Now he’s heading to the third grade with numerous friends and at the same reading level as his peers with a 96% grade. Knowing how much she cares makes me wish she had more of the things she needs to continue giving her all for these kids.

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- Rissa Glick says:
  August 14, 2012 at 6:05 pm
  
  Congratulations to Danielle G. Great entry and sounds like she is making a huge impact one child at a ...
  
  Congratulations to Danielle G. Great entry and sounds like she is making a huge impact one child at a time. Have a great school year Danielle!
  
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Jennifer Brandon says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:25 pm

I need your containers to keep all my stuff. The things for my students so there's always enough. Notebooks and pencils and books of all ...

I need your containers
to keep all my stuff.
The things for my students
so there’s always enough.
Notebooks and pencils
and books of all kinds,
to peak student interest
expanding their minds.
Containers for them
to save all their work,
the spot for ideas
and brainstorms to lurk.
I would be very grateful
and more organized
if offered a share
of your generous prize.

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Kimberley says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:15 pm

As a high school teacher in an extremely rural area, I am often struck by the poverty in my (new) ...

As a high school teacher in an extremely rural area, I am often struck by the poverty in my (new) small town. I moved here two years ago hoping to be able to help the students in this ruralmcommunity improve their lives and their achievements. My students are almost all on welfare, and the home and school situations are what you would expect to find in an inner-city school rather than those you would imagine in a small, seemingly-sweet farming community. My students constantly walk into my classroom and tell me how much they love the way it “feels.” What they don’t realize, however, is that the “feeling” they enjoy is that of a safe, clean, ORGANIZED space. It is a concept almost completely foreign to them. I have spent hundreds of dollars (of my own money, of course) trying to provide them with this type of learning environment. I would love to be able to do even more for my students! If we could organize our arts/crafts supply area and our reading center, they would have more room to work on student-generated projects and products rather than just studying lessons from the textbooks, many of which I purchased for them. I know there are many schools in our nation, and many teachers who deserve a helping hand, but if I am fortunate enough to be chosen as a recipient of this “scholarship”, I know that my STUDENTS will benefit in more ways than one. By maintaining an organized, attractive learning space, I hope to inspire them to realize that they CAN actually change their home situations and that being poor doesn’t mean you can’t be organized and clean. I also want to teach them to think for themselves and to learn how to repurpose items that can be used to organize and clean! Thanks for supporting teachers and the students we serve!

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Victoria King says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:12 pm

I'm writing this post about a teacher who has not only impacted my life, but the lives of hundreds of ...

I’m writing this post about a teacher who has not only impacted my life, but the lives of hundreds of other students over the years. Having taught kindergarten and first grade for over twenty-three years now, this lady knows how to reach the children and teach them in the best way possible. As she teaches at a smaller school, she is required to pay for the majority of her classroom resources and tools that she uses to not only teach, but to love these kids. Given the opportunity to use the award money for her students and her classroom environment, I know this teacher will use the prize wisely and effectively to the sure benefit of those she encounters in the school environment.

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Izabel Hodson says:
June 15, 2012 at 2:05 pm

I would like to nominate my teacher Julie Parks to get a classroom makeover. She is the AP Calculus ...

I would like to nominate my teacher Julie Parks to get a classroom makeover. She is the AP Calculus AB teacher at Parkway North High School in St. Louis, Missouri and is deeply devoted to each and everyone of her students. Here is a story about Ms. Parks and my first day with her in Honors/Advanced Placement Algebra II/Trig:

The first day I went into class with Ms. Parks I had absolutely no idea who she was. I had heard nothing about her, good or bad, but was thoroughly curious to find out how my year would turn out with her. I sat down in her class and the bell rang. Immediately Ms. Parks was so nice, considerate and of all things completely organized! She gave us so much material it started to become overwhelming but she had such a system and was so organized that it wasn’t as nearly overwhelming as some teachers. Now I tell every single person about how if they should try to get one teacher it should be Ms. Parks because I cannot believe I did not know about her until I had her. She is truly always doing everything she can for her students and I cannot begin to count the people who are so thankful they had her during their time in high school.

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Michael Dunn says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:55 pm

I am a High School Math teacher at Carter Riverside High School in Fort Worth, Texas. Our school serves wonderful ...

I am a High School Math teacher at Carter Riverside High School in Fort Worth, Texas. Our school serves wonderful families in a neighborhood populated by mostly economically disadvantaged people. Our school is historic, having been buikt in 1935. Our principal is an excellent leader who cares about our students; however, very little money is available to help in the classroom. I donate supplies during the year, as well as reasonably healthy snacks for my students; however, I cannot afford to donate a desperately needed filing system and newer bookcases for math student;s work and reference book storage. Our cabinets were built into the building in 1935 and are bearely usable.

We have some portable used filing cabinets that are very difficult to use and do not have adequate capacity. Several times a week I get to cut my arms and bleed as I reach gehind the nmtal drawers to pull out student binders and other items that fall behind the drawers. I donb’t know exactly what it would cost to solve this problem; however, I am certain that modern filing, organizing and storage systems could be used from The Conainer Store for less than $1000. We don’t need to actually redo the whole room. Our old furniture is plastic and old tables, but still works.

It would be nice to be able to solve this problem. Thank you for your consideration.

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Jacquie Waugh says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:47 pm

I am writing for myself and my co-teacher Susan Garcia. We both work for the El Dorado County Office ...

I am writing for myself and my co-teacher Susan Garcia. We both work for the El Dorado County Office of Education. I am a Head Start teacher, and Susan is a State Preschool teacher. We have made it a priority to make our classroom as organized and tidy as possible. We utilize many components from the Container Store. Our dilemma is a very small classroom and an ever shrinking budget in the State of California. Head Start is still able to give us a good budget to follow, but Susan only receives $250 for the year. We do combine our resources as we are a great team together. Our needs are simple: More containers to store classroom materials from manipulatives to our vast amounts of paperwork, and supplies like the erasable labels and cascading file containers, and even scrapbooking supply containers. Our other need is for durable storage for our shed in which we will store items that are rotated in and out throughout the year. We rely heavily upon parent volunteers, as well as, students from the local colleges so having an orderly classroom is essential. Our number one priority is the children and their families, and modeling for them a clean, safe, and organized space is invaluable. All I can say is oh the possibilities!!! A parent can feel pride in living in a home that is also clean, safe, and organized, and know that their children are also learning and living that way also. They then can move on to accomplish other vital goals like: going to school, applying for a job, getting custody back of their children, or even just having a home. Life today is complicated, so we hope to have our families have opportunities that will make their lives better and happy. My only other wish is for a store to open up in the Greater Sacramento area. I currently plan all of my trips to the closest Container Stores in San Francisco, Walnut Creek and San Jose. It is like going to Disneyland for me. I often tell people I have a container fetish. =)

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Christine Carroll says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:43 pm

I teach English to 10th- and 11th-graders in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Most of my students come from poor homes, and ...

I teach English to 10th- and 11th-graders in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Most of my students come from poor homes, and so I find it expensive–but necessary–to try to provide them with the same kinds of learning experiences they could receive in a richer school. My classroom is bright and lively, and the kids love it. I have posters to inspire and teach them; wild curtains and colorful classroom accessories to make the room fun; and many arts materials to help them both visualize what they read and write, and to share it in some unorthodox ways. (A writers’ cafe is in the cards for next year–something we’ve never attempted.) The room lures kids who don’t take my classes, and teachers and administrators often stop in to comment on how welcoming they find the space. (The only one who isn’t a full-fledged fan is my husband, who mock-grumps that I use way too much money out of pocket. He also doesn’t like schlepping everything home at year’s end.) I’ve seen what such an atmosphere can do. The kids respond to the color with creativity they didn’t know they had. They sing. They write. They rap. The find they can succeed in English–some tell me they never have before. I would love to win this contest and to share with my three fellow English teachers. You have no idea how far $250 apiece could go–not only to help our kids create but to help them understand that orderliness is a skill they will need in further education, in the workplace and in life in general.

P.S. This is my second career. I will turn 60 this year, as I begin my fourth year of teaching. I’ll be teaching English again, and my principal has asked me to advise teacher cadets. Writing and research are my passion–I also freelance after 40 years in the newspaper biz. I have learned an amazing amount from my kiddos, including fancy handshakes, fist-bumping and some language that would curl most people’s hair. There are good days and bad, but I love teaching.

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Ashley Strickland says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:42 pm

My school is getting a new school in 2014. To prepare for this, my wing of the building is being ...

My school is getting a new school in 2014. To prepare for this, my wing of the building is being knocked down this summer and all the teachers are moving to portables until our building is built. At the end of this past school year, I had to box EVERYTHING in my classroom. I did not know I had so much stuff, until I ended up with 112 boxes of stuff!!!
Having The Container Store makeover my classroom would be wonderful! I would be able to use your help instead of the 112 brown cardboard boxes that my stuff is in now over summer.

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Susan Vonier says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:29 pm

The teacher that I nominate for the Organized Teacher Makeover is Evelyn Heath. Morristown SDA Church School is a ...

The teacher that I nominate for the Organized Teacher Makeover is Evelyn Heath. Morristown SDA Church School is a small school but she is the Principal and teacher. She constantly takes money out of her pocket to pay for things her students need throughout the school year. She gives extra time after school if a student needs extra help. She takes phone calls if a student needs her help with their homework. She sometimes is so busy she doesn’t always get enough quality time with her daughter and husband because she puts her students needs first. I wish I had known such a dedicated teacher when I was going to school. Evelyn richly deserves this organized makeover.

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Laurie Stiles says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:24 pm

We love that the Container Store loves teachers!! I am requesting the Organized Teacher Makeover for the science department of ...

We love that the Container Store loves teachers!! I am requesting the Organized Teacher Makeover for the science department of my middle school. Our department consists of 9 extremely dedicated individuals who make it work with budget cuts and increases in class size. When Texas changed its TEKS, we had to do some reorganizing to get the right materials and supplies to the right grade levels. We have 2 teachers who teach more than one grade level, which requires an amazing amount of organization and creativity. We would use the money to purchase materials to keep labs together to move supplies from one teacher to another easily and not as time consuming. Thank you for this opportunity and for helping teachers!

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Julie says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:20 pm

I would LOVE to win a classroom makeover!! In August, I'll be ready to start my 25th year teaching! ...

I would LOVE to win a classroom makeover!! In August, I’ll be ready to start my 25th year teaching! A few changes are on the horizon! The first difference will be a reduction in my amazing assistant’s hours due to budget cuts! This saddens my heart, since my students with Specific Learning Disabilities, Autism and ADHD deserve small group instruction at their instructional level. Many of my language arts and math groups will be larger, therefore, I will need to be more creative with my methods of teaching! It would help so much to have more organizational systems, in place, for all of my materials…..as each group only attends for 30 minutes. More efficient ways would be so helpful to maximize my teaching time for each incredible group of students!! Not only will our group size change in my resource room….the number of students in each classroom will increase, too! My students deserve THE BEST!!! Improving my organizational techniques, with The Container Store materials, will allow me to grab my materials and GO!

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Bonnie Archer says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Cables and connectors. After teaching high school English for 2 1/2 decades, I am not the Technology Resource Teacher ...

Cables and connectors. After teaching high school English for 2 1/2 decades, I am not the Technology Resource Teacher for a middle school. My classroom has turned into a computer lab. My space is minimal so I have the teacher challenge with papers and physical documents, but it’s complicated by having nothing to block the view of the interactive white board. The snarls of cables makes for a less than ideal environment. There must be a way to tame this cable monster.

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Nicole Redden says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Being a Type B personality is HARD. I have to work extra hard at maintaining ANY organization to the ideas ...

Being a Type B personality is HARD. I have to work extra hard at maintaining ANY organization to the ideas and thoughts I have about what I REALLY want my classroom to look like and how I want it to function.

I would love a classroom makeover! I teach both 8th grade English and Citizenship and Responsibility. I purchase my own organization tools and storage. These items are often so expensive, however I continue to do this in order to show my students that without some form of organization to the things around you, it makes it that much harder to succeed in not only studying, but getting good grades. The first “gift” I give to my students is an entire filing cabinet that they can put papers from my class or other classes in so their work doesn’t get lost in the “abyss” of their backpack. I feel that their need for this type of organization takes priority over the lessons that I used to just file away. I have over 1500 book titles in my classroom and the library is organized as well, although it takes a lot of work on my part to do so. Limited storage prevents me from continuing my passion of shopping for novels for my students. I have also created personal journals for my students to keep on a daily basis. I do not have storage for these either and the journals are often lost among other papers the students need to keep in order.

I would love to have some help to create a system of organization that works effortlessly so I can focus on creating more fun and relevant lessons the students can learn from!

Thanks,

Nicole Redden

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Karen Linton says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:12 pm

I would love to have a classroom makeover. I am the teacher in our Alternative Learning Center, which is ...

I would love to have a classroom makeover. I am the teacher in our Alternative Learning Center, which is basically an unfunded program. With the exception of a hand-me-down desk, two file cabinets and two bookshelves, all of the items in the classroom have been purchased by me. I would love to have some sturdy, matching storage for the classroom. I’m not the most organized person in the world and lack of storage makes it more difficult. Please help me Container Store. I look through your catalogs and website and dream of what I would like to have for my classroom if I had enough money. Thanks for considering my classroom for a makeover.

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Laura Brown says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:07 pm

Shelley Noles should have a makeover - she was teacher of the year last year in a NOLA school. ...

Shelley Noles should have a makeover – she was teacher of the year last year in a NOLA school. Shelley works tirelessly to make her students the best and the brightest, and can use any help she can get. New Orleans is still a struggling town. The school system doesn’t have near the money it once did, and neither do the parents to help. The money could help her get school supplies for herself and the kids to keep them organized. She’s a great teacher and a little help would go a long way!

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Christine says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:06 pm

I would like to nominate Beth Porter of Vaughn Elementary School in Vaughn, WA for an organizational classroom makeover. Beth ...

I would like to nominate Beth Porter of Vaughn Elementary School in Vaughn, WA for an organizational classroom makeover. Beth has been a dedicated educator of elementary students in the Tacoma Public Schools and now at Vaughn (a very small school district in a rural area) for many years. She gives all of her energy to her students and I know that she does not have much of a budget for extra organizational items for the classroom. Many times she spends her own money on these types of things. She is a fair and just person, and is a great role model for students. She also speaks Spanish and tries to expose her students to worlds beyond their own. You couldn’t pick a better educator for this makeover.

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Kathy says:
June 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm

Ms. Cuaresmas is an AWESOME teacher! My daughter has had her for both 1st and 2nd grade and has ...

Ms. Cuaresmas is an AWESOME teacher! My daughter has had her for both 1st and 2nd grade and has grown a lot as a learner and member of the school community! Our school is an old one, so there are many things that aren’t the best for organization. The classroom library is all over the room with books in bins that are not meant for books, as well as lots of containers that are “making do” in the classroom. She works tirelessly with our kids, spending lots of extra time, energy, and money to make things the best she can in her classroom. I would love to see her get some help making things work the best they can in her classroom!

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Mark Johnson says:
June 15, 2012 at 12:58 pm

I am a German teacher in Houston, Tx. So....bitte, helfen Sie mir mit der Organizierung meines Zimmers! An organized classroom is ...

I am a German teacher in Houston, Tx. So….bitte, helfen Sie mir mit der Organizierung meines Zimmers!

An organized classroom is a functional and enjoyable classroom – each of my students receives a 3-ring binder, which they store on a designated shelf for the 2-4 years they take German. Having their own binder helps them take ownership of what they learn. And helps provide structure and routine to their time in my classroom. Every good teacher knows that organization, structure and routine are non-optional.

So I already have that going – how can Container Store make it even better? I would love to help provide students with the binders, and I would love to have it color-coordinated, in the colors of the German flag, of course! By providing the students binders and dividers, I can do a better job of teaching them how to be organized, and I can free up more money for field trips and other supplies.

I would also love to replace the super cheap plywood bookcase I use to hold the binders. The book case is made by one of your Swedish competitors, who will remain unnamed – and it is already falling apart after 3 years of hard use. I don’t know how much longer I can keep nailing it back together. I would be so happy to have a high-quality, long-lasting Elfa bookcase!

And it would look so good! I love bringing good design into the classroom. My students don’t see enough of it in their homes, and everything I do is about giving my students a taste of a bigger, more sophisticated, modern world. If they spend a few years in my classroom surrounded by excellent Container Store design, I believe it will stick. Some things are taught overtly, some things by more subtle means.

My German program is at an urban, low-income, high-risk school, so every penny I put to use to make my students’ educational experience richer, and smoother, is a penny well spent.

What else would I use the makeover for? The usual things that most teachers pay for out of pocket: tacks, and desk organizers, photo frames (for photos of my students – next year I am starting a Hall of Fame wall in my classroom to honor my most accomplished students) and much, much more.

Thanks so much for your consideration. Should you choose my classroom to receive your gift, I invite you to come visit!

Sincerely (and Vielen Dank)

Mark Johnson
Reagan HS
Houston, TX

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Stacey Beam says:
June 15, 2012 at 12:55 pm

I am a 5th-8th grade reading teacher. I teach at a low income school. Every student at our school is ...

I am a 5th-8th grade reading teacher. I teach at a low income school. Every student at our school is on free lunch.I have up to 36 kids in my classroom. I have all kinds of books in my room. Since we are a low income school we don’t have much money to buy things. I have to buy all my books at a yard sales. I need some way in my room to organize my books. I am one of the only teachers at our school that doesn’t have a closet. I have no where to store or sort my books. I use plastic tubs to organize class sets of books. I am in need of a total make over in my room! Not to mention I am a pack rat! I keep everything. It would make my day so much easier if I have your supplies to help me out!

Thank you,
Stacey!

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Ashley M says:
June 15, 2012 at 12:49 pm

I am starting a new job as a middle school science teacher. The middle school I teach at is ...

I am starting a new job as a middle school science teacher. The middle school I teach at is a STEM project-based academy. If you don’t know what that means, it means that lots of kids are working on lots of projects with lots of parts all at the same time. That’s a lot of stuff for one teacher to keep track of!! I will definitely need to be organized. As an eleven year veteran, and a National Board Certified Teacher, I know I am up to the task, but $1000 of organizing equipment and storage improvements would make me so much more effective. Instead of spending my time searching for the right part or tool, I can spend my time problem-solving with students and supporting their learning. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has been shown by research to significantly increase student engagement and achievement. It also inspires students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in science. My school has a majority of students who come from families who are struggling economically. Their parents don’t have the extra resources to send them to cool summer camps and enrichment programs. Without my classroom, they would miss out on actually being scientists and might get stuck just reading about science in a book. We might lose the next Watson and Crick! Please support my incredible students as they set out to solve the problems of our world.

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Gloria Wilson says:
June 15, 2012 at 12:37 pm

We are a brand new private Christian school that is opening this fall, and we have rented a school building ...

We are a brand new private Christian school that is opening this fall, and we have rented a school building and are working really hard to get everything organized. It would be really great to have this help. Thanks.

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Georgeanne Kestner says:
June 15, 2012 at 12:30 pm

I would love a classroom makeover. I have been teaching for 29 years and have accumulated a ton of teaching ...

I would love a classroom makeover. I have been teaching for 29 years and have accumulated a ton of teaching materials. I try to be organized, but it seems I spend so much time looking for materials I know I have somewhere in my room. This time could be spent planning and teaching the wonderful kids in my second grade. Please Container Store save me from my disorganization.

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Dawn Schwartz says:
June 15, 2012 at 8:25 am

I teach high school students with moderate to severe special needs. One of the biggest challenges of teaching this ...

I teach high school students with moderate to severe special needs. One of the biggest challenges of teaching this age group is the need to find age appropriate materials and create an environment that is stimulating and challenging for them. We have many manipulatives that are used to help learning by giving students concrete experiences that are vital to them to understand and retain the skills that they need. Consequently, this creates a lot of storage requirements and organization so that they are found quickly and kept together and secure. Many of the materials that are in my classroom are made or bought out of my own money or from one of the therapists that work with my students. So keeping them neat and protecting them for continued use is very important.

Also, teaching organization skills is one of my goals for these students. They are at a jumping off stage and learning how to organize their own materials comes from a lot of practice and seeing in use day. Additionally, the materials from The Container Store are visual and spatial which assists these students in seeing the overal structure of how to organize materials into different components. Finally, The Container Store has the neatest ideas and colorful products that make organization fun and would lend themselves to making my classroom look like an incredibly cool high school room that they would enjoy learning in every day.

Thanks for having this contest. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the wonderful students I am privileged to teach.

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Angela Rowe says:
June 15, 2012 at 7:56 am

Dear The Container Store, I would love to have a gift like this one. I have been teaching for three ...

Dear The Container Store,

I would love to have a gift like this one. I have been teaching for three years now as a substitute teacher searching for a full time position. I recently accepted my first full time job teaching elementary school for the district I grew up in. Over the past three years, I have had to learn how to teach and organize my supplies for the students and myself in several other teachers classrooms as I have not had my own. This year, I am excited to set up my own classroom and organize it with The Container Store products. I have so many ideas to help my students be as successful as possible in my classroom and am excited to have the supplies easy to find in the classroom for them. I am a teacher that teaches with a lot of hands on practice and with that comes a lot of materials. This gift would help me to have a place for everything I need all year long in the classroom and would allow my students to focus on the content being taught rather than the supplies all over the place. I am excited to set up my first classroom for success this year and would love to have the help and support from The Container Store.

Thank you,
Angela Rowe

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Kellie Robinson says:
June 15, 2012 at 4:55 am

I need a container store classroom makeover! I work in a class with children with special needs. ...

I need a container store classroom makeover! I work in a class with children with special needs. We have multiple staff working with the children. The systems we have an place to find materials and store them are not working effectively. Materials are getting misplaced. Finding things is very difficult. My filing systems are not adequate. We desperately need the container stores help!

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Erika Gehringer says:
June 14, 2012 at 1:55 pm

My art students and I were just discussing how my art room at Haddonfield Middle School needs a makeover HGTV ...

My art students and I were just discussing how my art room at Haddonfield Middle School needs a makeover HGTV style. They were willing to spend part of their summer helping me organize and decorate. I teach the entire middle school, about 500 kids, and I have to keep their projects organized and sorted. Not to mention all the art supplies. I am sure that your beautiful store has some fabulous systems that would help. My problem is that the room is large with lots of big pieces of furniture that are underutilized. I don’t know where to start. Please help! I would really love to be able to use some of the fabulous Container Store products to help organize this outdated room. My students and I would really appreciate it! Thanks for your consideration.

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Julie Mason says:
June 14, 2012 at 12:10 pm

I would like to nominate Kristy White with Farwell ISD in Farwell, Texas. Not only is she a teacher, ...

I would like to nominate Kristy White with Farwell ISD in Farwell, Texas. Not only is she a teacher, coach and parent of a high school junior, she also takes care of all of the athletic booster t-shirt orders. The life of a teacher and coach is busy, add a daughter that is a junior and athlete herself, and the necessity to be organized to handle all fundraising t-shirt orders for the athletic boosters. Very deserving of your $1,000 classroom makeover.

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Jan Armacost says:
June 14, 2012 at 12:02 pm

I am in great need for a classroom makeover! I am a newer teacher, this year will be my 3rd ...

I am in great need for a classroom makeover! I am a newer teacher, this year will be my 3rd year teaching. However, I get moved to a different grade every year. I have moved from 2nd grade to Kindergarten and now am going into 3rd grade this year. I have stuff in my room for all 3 grades!! I need to get organized, but have not really had a chance to because I am being moved every year.
The reason I get moved every year is because we have a small school where the numbers of students fluctuate every year. This means teachers have to get moved. Unfortunately I am getting moved because I am a strong teacher. This makes it even worse because I feel as if the good teachers get punished. This makeover would make me feel like I am getting something that I deserve for being a strong flexible teacher.

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Gwen Moody says:
June 14, 2012 at 11:21 am

Dear Container Store Judges for the "Organized Teacher Makeover Contest", I am a 2nd grade teacher at Immaculate Conception School in ...

Dear Container Store Judges for the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest”,

I am a 2nd grade teacher at Immaculate Conception School in North Little Rock, AR. I absolutely LOVE my job, or should I say my “calling” as an elementary teacher. As a teacher, I have many responsibilities, one of which is teaching my students the importance of ORGANIZATION and how vital this skill is in their life of learning.

If I do not have the necessary tools to model this lesson, they will not learn it. Organizational tools will provide my classroom (their “home away from home”) with a helpful, inviting, and professional space for learning. Now is a “teachable moment” in their young life. What better way for me to provide this organized classroom environment for my students than with help from The Container Store.

Thank you for considering my entry to help my students learn the important life-long lesson of “organization”.

Sincerely,

Gwen Moody

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Gwen Moody says:
June 14, 2012 at 10:57 am

Dear Container Store Judges for the "Organized Teacher Makeover Contest", I am a 2nd grade teacher at Immaculate Conception School in ...

Dear Container Store Judges for the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest”,

I am a 2nd grade teacher at Immaculate Conception School in North Little Rock, AR and absolutely LOVE my job, or should I say “my calling”. As a teacher, I have many resposibilities other than academics. In teaching young children, now is the time to help them understand the importance of ORGANIZATION in their life of learning. If I cannot model this vital lesson for them with wonderful orgiaztional tools to help in making my classroom (their “home away from home”)a neat, professional, yet comfortable organized space, then they may not see the importance. Now is the “teaching moment” that could make a difference in their life!!!

I would absolutely be thrilled to be chosen for this “Organized Teacher Makeover”. One of my favorite mottos in my classroom, as well as in my own life is: “A place for everything, and everything in its place”. What better way to provide this in my classroom than from The Container Store.

Thank you so much for your consideration in choosing to help my classroom.

Sincerely,

Gwen Moody

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Nellie Kirspel says:
June 14, 2012 at 10:09 am

The Container Store is one of my favorite places to shop whether for my home needs or my school needs. ...

The Container Store is one of my favorite places to shop whether for my home needs or my school needs. I receive the catalogue through the mail occasionally and always get great ideas and gift ideas. As a teacher in my school, I can utilize many things from the Container Store. In my classroom, it is vitally important that I be as organized as possible to better utilize my time. A well organized room shows a well organized teacher and leads to successful teaching. Time is of an essence and being organized allows a teacher to spend valuable time instructing students rather than looking for materials. The Container Store has some excellent systems and materials such as shelving units and contaniers among other things that will enable the teacher and students in the classroom. Learning in the classroom is the goal of every successful teacher for her students. The Container Store has the resources available to enrich that goal.

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Faviola Martinez says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:40 pm

I am a pre-kindergarten special education teacher. I work in a small room with 22 children. There is very limited ...

I am a pre-kindergarten special education teacher. I work in a small room with 22 children. There is very limited space in the classroom. I would love to have more bins and other organizational materials so that my students can move freely as well as have easy access to the materials. I have purchased some bins (clear shoe boxes) to place the students belongings as well as some manipulatives and have seen the great difference in the classroom. It would be great if I could have a classroom makeover that would most definitely enhance my students learning environment as well as my teaching.

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kim Palmer says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

I am voting for a3rd grade teacher,She is a single mother,has A Bachelors Degree and 2 Masters,This teacher trully loves ...

I am voting for a3rd grade teacher,She is a single mother,has A Bachelors Degree and 2 Masters,This teacher trully loves her students and gives her all,She spends alot of her own money on extras for her kids and classroom,Her name is Ms.Jennifer Jordan and she teaches at Ruth Fyfe elemtary school in LasVegas,Nv. and if anyone deserves this she is your perfect candidate,She would be Perfect for this and I promise you, you won’t be sorry she’s AWESOME!!!!!!

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Susan Kennedy says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

I am a high school teacher who works with over 100 students a day. A class size averages about 25 ...

I am a high school teacher who works with over 100 students a day. A class size averages about 25 to 31 at a time in a room no larger than what some would deem a storage closet. Keeping my materials and my students’ stuff organized helps in our ability to move around the room freely to work with each other. I, like many of my colleagues, operate with very little money from our school; we no longer receive money for individual needs, but operate on a department budget. A dream for my room is to have an environment that is bright, cheery and functional, so all my students my be the best individual they can be. I have so many ideas and the Container Store offers so many options that I would be able to create a friendly, organized space that anyone would be happy to produce great work in.

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Erin Crissman says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

I need some major organization help!! I am a 4th year Spanish teacher and not only do I travel between ...

I need some major organization help!! I am a 4th year Spanish teacher and not only do I travel between two schools every day (I teach two classes at a middle school, then three at a high school), but I don’t even have my own classroom. My “office” is shared with two other teachers in a room about the size of a closet at one school and at my other school I have a desk with 4 drawers in the back of a classroom. Teaching 120+ students a year means I have so much paper and supplies that I need to keep organized and my current system (piles on a desk) is simply not effective. I simply cannot express how much I would be love to win this so that my kids could have a better learning environment! Thank you for sponsoring such an awesome contest and recognizing teachers! No matter who wins, it will be well deserved! ¡Muchas gracias!

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Stacy says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:05 pm

I am a kindergarten teacher who loves to make fun new things for my students. I am always looking for ...

I am a kindergarten teacher who loves to make fun new things for my students. I am always looking for ways to keep things in their place while doing this. This will be my 11th year of teaching and it seems like every year I end up with more stuff. It would be a great pleasure to be able to use the container store in my classroom. Being able to know where everything is would be a great way to start the new school year!!

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Jami Hofer says:
June 13, 2012 at 8:12 pm

I would love to have a classroom makeover, but my husband teaches next door, and he needs it so much ...

I would love to have a classroom makeover, but my husband teaches next door, and he needs it so much more than I do. He can’t find the top of his desk most days. His bookshelves are stuffed full of books going every which way. His filing cabinets are a huge mess. After 14 years of teaching in the same room, he really has a mess going that he can’t get out of on his own. Please help my husband. He is a dedicated teacher where he helps title 1 kids all the time. It’s time someone helped him.

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Kimberly Woo says:
June 13, 2012 at 6:41 pm

My students and I would greatly benefit from a classroom makeover! I have been teaching for 6 1/2 years at ...

My students and I would greatly benefit from a classroom makeover! I have been teaching for 6 1/2 years at the high school that I attended and was initially hired in the middle of a school year. When I was first hired, there were not enough classrooms for me and I had to rotate and use 4 other teachers’ classrooms. They were very kind to me and my students and gave up their classrooms during their prep periods so that I could teach my own classes. So I traveled to each room with a cart carrying all of my lesson plans and supplies. I had no office or room to call my own and sat in a corner of the computer tech’s office. I was finally given a classroom that I have been in the last few years, but that room came with almost no organizational tools. I have one large filing cabinet that does not lock in the back of my room that must be there to cover a hole in the wall. It is not in a practical place, so I don’t use it much. The room also came with a small bookshelf that is bursting with books and now I am starting to just pile things up on the floor. I have bought my own small shelves to put in my classroom supplies such as markers and rulers. My classroom could greatly benefit from an organizational makeover and I know my students would appreciate it as well.

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Donna says:
June 13, 2012 at 4:07 pm

I am moving into a classroom where the teacher just left her stuff plus I have a garage with my ...

I am moving into a classroom where the teacher just left her stuff plus I have a garage with my teaching stuff! I really need a way to organize and store the things I will need to make me a better organized teacher. I am having a cute frog themed room next year, I don’t want all this stuff to get in the way of a great year. Can you help????

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Erica Van Ollefen says:
June 13, 2012 at 4:04 pm

I think my art classroom deserves to win this organization makeover! When I started working in my building two years ...

I think my art classroom deserves to win this organization makeover! When I started working in my building two years ago, there was no art program before me, and I started with bare bones and a budget of only a few hundred dollars. I walked into a classroom a week before school was to start with literally NOTHING on the walls,heck not even any tables or chairs… and one cabinet of shared school art supplies donated to the new art room. Every dollar I’m given, and my own money, has gone towards buying supplies to build up the program, but we have very little storage for those supplies, and the storage we do have is sub-par to say the least. For example, our crayons are sitting in a large cardboard box that is already ripping down the sides and being torn to shreds from the students constantly digging through the box.It is my dream to have everything in neat clear plastic bins all easily accessible to the students. Not only will this help my students, but a messy disorganized room is not a relaxing atmosphere that gets the creative juices flowing. I want them to feel free when they create, not surrounded by cluttery piles of stuff! This makeover could help us get some much needed organization and storage for this still developing art program and give our classroom the organized efficiency it so desperately needs. Pick out art room for the Container Store Organization Makeover, the crayons are begging you!

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Arline Culp says:
June 13, 2012 at 3:08 pm

I nominate my daughter, Ms. Emily Culp, to win the gift of $1000 to help her organize her new classroom. ...

I nominate my daughter, Ms. Emily Culp, to win the gift of $1000 to help her organize her new classroom. Emily is a brand new middle school English teacher. She has been working with young writers ever since she was in her early years of high school, through her own writing consultancy business, and at 3 years of Great Books summer camp. Her parents are very proud of her completing her college education, student teaching, then a half- year full-time teaching position in Massachusetts this spring. We were in awe at the time she put into the program and the care she showed her 101 students as their long term substitute. This fall she has been hired to teach at a brand new Basis Charter School in Washington DC. She will have an entire classroom to set up for the first time. She will be teaching a total of six, sixth grade middle school English classes. She is a very organized teacher but will greatly benefit from some new supplies to help give her a boost so that she can focus on the kids instead of the planning and shopping for the room. Thank you for this offer and every teacher is so deserving!

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Jessica Caudill says:
June 13, 2012 at 12:45 pm

Sherri Story, aside from being my Mom, is truly an inspirational teacher. Not only is she dedicated to her ...

Sherri Story, aside from being my Mom, is truly an inspirational teacher. Not only is she dedicated to her students’ learning, she pushes the boundaries for new and innovative ways to teach and inspire her students. Mrs. Story teaches advanced biology classes in Suffolk Virginia at Kings Fork High School. Suffolk, Virginia is one of the most underserved financial areas in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Not willing to accept mediocrity, Mrs. Story has contributed many of her own funds and found creative ways to fundraise in order to create the 21st century classroom.

Desks? Not in Mrs. Story’s classroom. She has removed the desks (aside from some lab tables) and replaced them with office chairs in small groups to encourage group discussions and interactions. Students use white boards to collaborate and write their ideas. Mrs. Story not only has removed the desks for the students but has also modified her desk. No longer does she sit and enter grades at a computer, but rather walks on a treadmill that fits under a modified desk. Note taking? Using a high-tech system with a smart pen, one student takes notes in a specialized notebook that allows the notes to be imported into a word processor and then e-mailed to all of the students.

Mrs. Story, through the Theory of Knowledge program, encourages her students to stay active in current events. Students are taught to not only present their opinions, but support them and fight for what they believe. Some of her students approached their principal about placing posters up around the school to support a national charity. After having only been teaching at King’s Fork High School for 3 years she was recognized as teacher of the year for Suffolk County Public Schools. As the Science Department Chairperson, she encourages her peers to seek creative ways to encourage students’ learning and how to incorporate technology into the classroom such as her recent quest to obtain funding for micropipettes for electrophoresis for DNA research.

Mrs. Story never gives up. No matter what the obstacle, she is constantly seeking new ideas and creative methods of teaching. Her students appreciate her “on the edge” teaching methods and her persistent encouragement. Mrs. Story provides these underprivileged students with a sense of hope with a “can-do” attitude. Her presence is a valuable gift not only to her students, but to peers and the county. Mrs. Story, a blessing to all she meets, is more than deserving of the gift to enhance her classroom with the organizational items from The Container Store.

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Robyn Nylander says:
June 13, 2012 at 12:41 pm

I would like to nominate my sister, Tiffany Hickman, who teaches first grade at Kellog Marsh Elementary in Marysville WA. ...

I would like to nominate my sister, Tiffany Hickman, who teaches first grade at Kellog Marsh Elementary in Marysville WA. With all of the goverment cut backs hitting public schools more and more teachers are faced with having to purchase school supplies using their own hard earned money. Even some of the most basic of school supplies like paper, glue, pencils, and crayons are purchased by Teachers. My sister is such a dedicated teacher who is always buying school supplies in order to help her students learn and strive in school. She shops back to school sales to stock up for the coming year. She spends hundreds of dollars a year out of her own pocket and I don’t think the public realizes how much teachers provide so that their children learn. I’m so proud of my sister for being a Teacher, it is such a tough and often thankless job. She would be so surprised if she won.

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ashley fore says:
June 13, 2012 at 12:22 pm

I just finished my fourth year of teaching woodshop to 300 7th graders using another teacher’s idea of "organization." ...

I just finished my fourth year of teaching woodshop to 300 7th graders using another teacher’s idea of “organization.” Next year, I am taking a new position of teaching all 600 6th graders the magic of electricity. I will be getting a new room, new equipment with very small parts, new curriculum, new students, and my own way to organize. I have slowly been purchasing things to help with the organization process like the Cascading Letter File Tote. The true test will be where and how to put all this new supplies. I would love to win this contest to help get bins, paper organizers, and a color coordination system going for them. This way they can manage their many projects with less losing of all those small electrical parts. Having an organized teacher means having an organized classroom and the ability to teach organization skills to 600 6th graders.

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Shannon Christensen says:
June 13, 2012 at 11:55 am

Art by its very nature is disorderly. Artists in particular tend to have bouts of messiness. We can't help it. ...

Art by its very nature is disorderly. Artists in particular tend to have bouts of messiness. We can’t help it. Our creative brains start going and we never take the time to figure out how to put organized methods to our madness.

As an example, last year I decided to work part-time as an elementary school art teacher. I was paired with the full time art instructor, Betsy Bogle. I found that a year or so before, Betsy inherited the room from the previous art teacher who’d been there for about 30 years. Can you imagine a room left to an artist for 30 years? Yikes! It really wasn’t as bad as can be imagined but it was/is in need of some help.

Betsy wanted to get things organized but instead put her extra time into the projects for the children, not in re-organizing her room. (BTW, her artwork for the kids is delightful.) She also spent time helping me as a new teacher.

At the end of the school year, we found out that school administrators needed to move the art room to an outdoor trailer. The thought of moving an art program’s contents can be a bit overwhelming and emotional. As any organizing expert knows, it’s A LOT OF WORK figuring things out and then following through with them. And schools only have so many resources.

I’m not teaching next year and that’s where I left Betsy, with the idea of a major move and not knowing how it’s all going to work out. I know the caliber of person Betsy Bogle is and the importance that the school puts into its art program. If you’re looking for a deserving duo then you’ll want to look at them. They helped me with my new experiences, I know you’d be a great help to them in theirs.

Sincerely,

Shannon Christensen
artist, author, & family advocate
shannonsstudio.com

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Jennifer Thurman says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:29 am

I would love a container store classroom makeover! I need a makeover because I teach kindergarten and have had ...

I would love a container store classroom makeover! I need a makeover because I teach kindergarten and have had up to 42 students in one classroom. I am always struggling to find ways to organize materials and supplies for so many students on a teacher’s salary.

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Kimberly Wagoner says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:25 am

My husband could use an "organized teacher makeover!" He had a heart attack in April and wasn't able to ...

My husband could use an “organized teacher makeover!” He had a heart attack in April and wasn’t able to return to his school to complete the year. He will be returning the beginning of the next school year, but he will be returning to an unorganized mess! Usually, I help him pack up his room at the end of the year, but this year his brother and our son packed it up and it is sitting on a pile in our garage. We need help!

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Katie M. says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:25 am

I would love to win this for my sister Joanna Whitmire. She's been a teacher for almost a decade! She ...

I would love to win this for my sister Joanna Whitmire. She’s been a teacher for almost a decade! She has been in the librarian position for the past three years. She puts on many events for the library so that she can raise money to purchase books and organize the library. I’m partial, but I think she would really benefit from winning a $1,000.00 to organize.

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Laura Bubley says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:23 am

Working in a special needs high school classroom organization is always a challenge. As numbers continue to grow and ...

Working in a special needs high school classroom organization is always a challenge. As numbers continue to grow and dollars shrink a $1000 classroom makeover would be a god send. Our small kitchen, used for teaching life skills is in desperate need of an overhaul.

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Barbara Browning says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:10 am

The very small town of Orick, California could begin to be transformed with a gift like this. Orick is a ...

The very small town of Orick, California could begin to be transformed with a gift like this. Orick is a very small town with a school serving only 16 children. It is in the process of being cleaned up right now, but there is no money in the budget to help with organizing supplies for the space.

Orick is on the outskirts of Redwood National Park and is surrounded by majestic redwood trees. It was once a thriving lumber town, but is now an impoverished and declining town as the timber industry has slowed to a trickle. The town is besieged by problems associated with poverty and lack of education, and the school they teach in is reminiscent of something I would see in the developing world.

I am a professional organizer, and would go in with a team of 3 apprentices, and transform the entire school. I have done a similar transformation at a local family resource center, and 2 years later have seen the beautiful ongoing results – including the makeover of a food pantry that now serves food to the poor in beautiful and uplifting conditions.

I am also a Rotarian, and was only able to do the first project with the support of my club. We called it a S.W.O.T. Operation (Serving With Our Talents), and hope to do many more…with the idea spreading to other clubs and other parts of the world. We gathered community support and funds, and were able to do a $25,000 project with $2500 of club money, and the rest in donations from our club.

We are nowhere near a Container Store (The closest one is in Corte Madera – 5 hrs. away), but can assure you that this $1,000 would go a very long way in this small town. Please do consider us as an “out of the box” project. I promise you will get a lot of bang for that money, and will have exposure to a lot of people through social media and the viral nature of our SWOT Operations.

Thanks so much for you consideration.
Barbara Browning – owner, OrderWithin, Professional Organizing & Productivity Specialist

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Michelle says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:10 am

I am a school media specialist for 17 years at a parochial school. The school itself is over 50 ...

I am a school media specialist for 17 years at a parochial school. The school itself is over 50 years old and my space is over 27 years old. Very little has been done to update the space since it was built. As a frequent customer of Container Store (thanks for the teacher discount, BTW), I use MANY of your products to spruce up the place but it could really use a MAJOR makeover. Items are old, rusty, and damaged by years of humidity problems. I service over 1000 students and teachers each year and a makeover would just increase the usage of my space. Thanks for this chance to get a new look for my busy library media center.

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Jolene Dawson says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:09 am

Dear The container store, I would like to tell you about our special teacher Mrs. Masters at Chico Country Day School. ...

Dear The container store,
I would like to tell you about our special teacher Mrs. Masters at Chico Country Day School. Over the last 1.5 yrs. she has willingly stepped in to be there for her school despite even personal hardships. A little over a year ago last March she un expectantly lost her husband to a car accident. This was her life soul mate whom she had raised two son’s with. Then around 7mos. after that at the beginning of the next school year our school under went several unexpected changed ultimately leaving us without a principal. Again, as a vetran of the school and well loved by all Mrs. Masters still broken hearted by the loss of her husband stepped up to the plate and fulfilled the role and gladly!She has been teaching for 20+ yrs. and has devoted herself to all that she has encountered over the years, we would all love to see her room get a MUCH needed makeover!! Please consider Mrs. Masters—her room is piles of uncharted territory since last March

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Inzerillo Family says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:08 am

My 7 year twin girls have Ms. Blocher, from Greenville Elementary School, as their 1st grade teacher. I know must ...

My 7 year twin girls have Ms. Blocher, from Greenville Elementary School, as their 1st grade teacher. I know must people will say how amazing their teacher is but Ms. Blocher is step above all the rest. See my girls are super shy and can be withdrawn. The other children in her classroom range from anxious to talkative to full on hyperactive. Ms Blocher does the impossible and makes each and every child feel like they are the only one in the room. She gives each child so much individual attention, focusing on their strengths and taking the time to reach out to all the parents. She made 1st grade an amazing year my girls will never forget. As any parent would know, getting to the bus in the morning is an accomplishment on its own. Well not when you have Ms. Blocher, my girls race out the door. They are excited to start their day and experience all the new activities Ms. Blocher has planned. Most kids also look forward to summer break but the children in Ms. Blocher class are heartbroken that their fabulous year together has to end. There are teachers who teach and then there are teachers who change lives. Ms Blocher has changed so many lives at Greenville Elementary school and we would love to see her recognized for being THE BEST!!

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Maryanne Garris says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:07 am

I would love a makeover because I'm entering my 3rd year teaching and my school doesn't have the funds to ...

I would love a makeover because I’m entering my 3rd year teaching and my school doesn’t have the funds to give me everything I need in my classroom. We need new books, markers, paper and all sorts of things for my classroom to help make my students successful as many of them can’t afford some of the supplies we need. Can you help me?

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Crispin Reedy says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:04 am

I would like to nominate Elizabeth Dry of Alex Sanger Elementary in Dallas, Texas. Elizabeth is a long-time dedicated ...

I would like to nominate Elizabeth Dry of Alex Sanger Elementary in Dallas, Texas. Elizabeth is a long-time dedicated teacher who spends a tremendous amount of time on the Alex Sanger garden teaching kids about the environment, recycling, being green, and about where our food comes from. So many of these students have never seen a carrot fresh from the ground. Elizabeth speaks very eloquently about what it is like to see their little faces light up as they get in touch with nature and the earth. Our children desperately need to spend more time outside and with natural food and the garden that Elizabeth lovingly tends definitely does that. Furthermore, Elizabeth goes above and beyond her teacher calling because she also spends a tremendous amount of time on the Promise of Peace Community garden where she teaches the junior master gardener program as well as cooking classes for kids. Elizabeth takes the classroom outside and gets her kids into the joy of nature!

This could be an interesting opportunity for the Container Store to do a different kind of “make-over” on Elizabeth’s outdoor classroom…. her garden!

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- Rissa Glick says:
  August 14, 2012 at 5:19 pm
  
  Congratulations Elizabeth!
  
  Congratulations Elizabeth!
  
  reply
Susan M Cleland says:
June 13, 2012 at 10:04 am

Our friend and teacher, Pamm L, deserves to have help from The Container Store because she is going to need ...

Our friend and teacher, Pamm L, deserves to have help from The Container Store because she is going to need to make use of every inch of her already small Montessori 4,5,6 classroom with a HUGE class this fall. My daughter spent an entire day with her former teacher organizing and cleaning trying to make way for the incoming LARGE class in September. I know the things that THE Container Store sells would make a wonderful difference in Ms. L’s classroom without her spending her own $$ on the effort.

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Amanda Alred says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:59 am

As a special education teacher I am constantly finding new materials and materials that fit the needs of my multi-modal ...

As a special education teacher I am constantly finding new materials and materials that fit the needs of my multi-modal classroom. Also with varying ages of my students and abilities it requires me to have amny manipulatives, toys, physical therapy equipment, occupational therapy equipment and individual classroom matierials. Since I have my students for more than just one year at a time, it is nice to be able to store my materials throughout the summer monthers without fear of lost materials during mving and cleaning. A $1,000 classroom make-over would be a dream come true for all of the above reasons and more!! Thanks!! Amanda Alred

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Sabrina Johnson says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:58 am

I am a science teacher at a high poverty school in a very rural community. I took over a ...

I am a science teacher at a high poverty school in a very rural community. I took over a science classroom and lab that needs a great deal of organization! The science lab has thousands of things that need organization and I would love to have it looking as good as the displays in your stores.

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Kim Wine says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:52 am

If you are an unorganized teacher, you are an ineffective teacher. Time management is crucial in a classroom. ...

If you are an unorganized teacher, you are an ineffective teacher. Time management is crucial in a classroom. Knowing where your stuff is, and being able to access it in a timely manner is key. I taught Kindergarten for 8 years, and I have recently began teaching 3rd grade. I collected A LOT of “stuff” while in kindergarten, and I continue to build my collection of 3rd grade “stuff”. I love to share with other teachers , but I can only do that if I can find the “stuff” they need. With $1,000 I could make all my “stuff” easily accessible for myself and others. I would make the container store proud!

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Christie Rader says:
June 13, 2012 at 9:33 am

(sung to Row Row Row Your Boat) I would really love your stuff to organize my space. It would help me store, then ...

(sung to Row Row Row Your Boat)

I would really love your stuff
to organize my space.
It would help me store, then find
with everything in place.

You can help me with my needs
by granting this request
Your boxes, crates and storage bins
would make my room the best.

So please my friends remember me
when this contest is done
My students would be overjoyed
If Mrs. Rader won!

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Clare Ruesga says:
June 13, 2012 at 12:28 am

I believe that I deserve to win the "Organized Teacher Contest" because I am a high school special education teacher ...

I believe that I deserve to win the “Organized Teacher Contest” because I am a high school special education teacher with an autism class. My class needs to be organized and structured so that my students with autism feel safe and secure. I need a class that is organized without too many bells and whistles, which cause distraction and over-stimulation. At the high school level, I teach health, pe, math, English, History, Science, and Vocations. I have a lot of material that I end up forgetting to use because I don’t have it organized in such a way that is accessible. I also end up throwing things out because there is no place for them in my class. Please help me, Container Store, so I can be a better educator, teacher, and role model to my students with autism.

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Chris Galantuomo says:
June 12, 2012 at 10:49 pm

My district is in what has just been named the "poorest city in the nation". We have furloughed staff and ...

My district is in what has just been named the “poorest city in the nation”. We have furloughed staff and are facing funding cuts where we thought we were already working with the bare minimum. My students face daily struggles that most of us would never even dream of in our lifetime. Many come to school hungry, lonely, tired, or maybe all of those things, but yet, they come and do their best to learn. Many strive to do their best because they have discovered that education may be their only way out of the poverty they have come to know as their way of life. Our building is not air conditioned, in many rooms, including mine, the plaster on the walls is crumbling, the windows leak when it rains, and just recently a giant chunk of my ceiling collapsed during the school day. My students deserve better than this. They deserve to feel wanted and welcome in their school building. What message does it send to my students when that hole doesn’t get fixed or the walls are not patched? Aren’t they worth it? They are already fighting an uphill battle against poverty in their lives, they deserve to feel like they matter at school. They deserve ceilings that are not crumbling and bright, energetic, welcoming classrooms. Classrooms that say we care about you and your education and your future. This classroom makeover could give my students the encouragement they need to strive for more than they ever thought possible, it can help show them that they are important and they matter!

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Christal Napohaku says:
June 12, 2012 at 10:46 pm

HELP! My first grade classroom is in need of a Container Store makeover! My classroom will be increasing ...

HELP! My first grade classroom is in need of a Container Store makeover! My classroom will be increasing next year by 12 students, from 23 to 35 first graders. I need organizational help to maintain control of and still have easy access to all of our classroom materials.
Having 12 more bodies, desks, and sets of student materials will be quite a challenge, but receiving an Organized Teacher Makeover will make it much easier. I would be able to spend more of my time working on student learning and planning instruction than worrying about where to put scissors or papers!
Please help my classroom become an organized creative learning center by providing an Organized Teacher Makeover!

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Anna Maria Rodriques says:
June 12, 2012 at 9:23 pm

I have been a customer of The Container Store for a number of years. From setting up my in home ...

I have been a customer of The Container Store for a number of years. From setting up my in home daycare to catherine EVERYTHING I needed for putting my daughter in College. I would love for you to come in and help me organize our in-home daycare. We take care of infants and toddlers and while keeping them safe is our first priority it would be great to know where everything is…when that baby is crying!

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Kristin West says:
June 12, 2012 at 7:54 pm

In the course of a school year, every teacher spends money on organizational tools, supplies, and literature. This year, I ...

In the course of a school year, every teacher spends money on organizational tools, supplies, and literature. This year, I was told to pack up everything at the conclusion of the school year, and move all of the instruments, books, and music, to the art room (of course, on the second floor of another building). Construction will happen in my building, and will reduce the square footage of the music space. Meanwhile, the school continues to grow 15% annually. With more students, I’m now co-teaching in the smaller music room, with some classes being taught on a cart.

There are tons of supplies and curriculum pieces at my house. I haven’t even met my new co-teacher, and I have to introduce her to a room that is being demolished. Any assistance The Container Store can offer would be a huge help. Thank you for supporting us, the educators, and supporting education. We mean the world to our students, and you mean the world to us.

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Theresa says:
June 12, 2012 at 7:44 pm

We need a welcome space for staff, students, and parents please!! The room is a large former "tv studio" with ...

We need a welcome space for staff, students, and parents please!! The room is a large former “tv studio” with a high ceiling that has exposed rails, electric outlets and vents that are all painted black as are the first foot down each of the cinderblock walls. The remainder of the walls are painted sunshine yellow (think 1970s). The room has no exterior or interior windows. A screen and two side by side whiteboards are on one wall. Only two lower electric outlets are in the whole room. 7 tall brown bookshelves of different sizes, 6 black file cabinets, a large black conference table and an ugly brown cabinet surround the space. A computer server is in the corner. This space has multiple uses as an office for the reading specialist and myself, a meeting space for teachers weekly and monthly collaborative planning, storage for necessary planning materials, an instructional facility for small groups or independent instruction and assessment, meeting space for staff and parent teams and committees, and confidential gathering spot for parent conferences and special education meetings. We need an inviting multi-functional room for our 40+ year old school that lacks space for such uses. We welcome a fresh change!

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Melissa W. says:
June 12, 2012 at 12:11 pm

My car's trunk is just one place I permanently store my teaching supplies, as well as a bedroom in my ...

My car’s trunk is just one place I permanently store my teaching supplies, as well as a bedroom in my 1100 sq. ft. home. I was recently reassigned from teaching middle school English language arts classes (after 10+ years) and now have all that I’ve accumulated after teaching grades 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. I must store these accumulated materials as I may be reassigned to a different grade by my school district. It is inevitable that I will be moving to a smaller classroom in a newer school building, which makes organization even more critical with less space. I would truly appreciate $1000 worth of storage for my teaching supplies! Thank you!

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Thomas Wheeler says:
June 12, 2012 at 11:52 am

Staying organized as a teacher is an unrelenting task with elementary students. You are given so many manipulatives, arts, ...

Staying organized as a teacher is an unrelenting task with elementary students. You are given so many manipulatives, arts, and resources. The process to truly organize, manage, and make everything useful is an art. Over the past two years I served with Teach For America in Title I school, and I struggled to maintain proper organization amongst all the chaos with the overwhelming amounts of resources. I came to Phoenix from Michigan with nothing and this was very challenging at the start. Some nights I would be creating things on my own with my limited teacher income, and would stay until 7-8 pm.

As the second year unfolded I improved in my ability to keep everything organized but it wasn’t always accessible or neat. I taught Kindergarten my second year and I struggled to maintain all the Kinder manipulatives. Often I would forget I even had things because they were put away in shelves. I know if I had the proper organizational tools, I would have a more structured and balanced classroom. This would help the students to have a better learning enivornment because the students could have things at eye level, and it would eliminate time wasting for setup/cleanup. This translates into a more transformative learning experience and greater teacher sanity!!! Cheers to that!

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charlotte richman says:
June 12, 2012 at 5:48 am

I have been teaching for over twenty five years and really love my job. My biggest challenge every year is ...

I have been teaching for over twenty five years and really love my job. My biggest challenge every year is how to organize my classroom and myself. I have 25-27 who I teach kindergarten to and then loop up to first grade with them. My challenge is that my classroom is a small (new construction regular ed. room not a kindergarten room) room that I have to store files on individual students for two years, run 7 center stations, find room for a white board, have eight tables and a desk, two file cabinets, 24 cubbies for 25+ students, sink area, and a very small closet cupboard in the room. Oh! I forgot a 9×12 rug for daily gatherings. Help! I need storage and room solutions. This is very apparent as I pack my room up for the summer.

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Mara Leppaluoto says:
June 12, 2012 at 2:38 am

I am switching grade levels from first grade to Transitional Kindergarten. I am going to need to know where all ...

I am switching grade levels from first grade to Transitional Kindergarten. I am going to need to know where all of my supplies are so that I can access them at a moment’s notice. I will not have an aide, just parent volunteers (hopefully), so I will need to be organized enough for other people to be able to find my supplies, as well. Please help me@

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Jahn Ryan says:
June 11, 2012 at 10:42 pm

I would love a makeover for our classroom. I teach children who have autism and also children who are intellectually ...

I would love a makeover for our classroom. I teach children who have autism and also children who are intellectually disabled. I utilize a color coded system to teach organizational skills. Each subject is a different color, the students learn to find their supplies and learn to properly store their books and notebooks. This is a life skill for them and teaches them independance as well as builds self esteem. We have a classroom compact that states they will respect others and care for classroom materials, and they will “report” if something is not cared for. We are a rural school with 75 percent of our students on free and reduced lunch. They are proud of our room, but as a teacher I know that it could be much better. The Container Store is a “Dream Store for me, I could make our classroom so much better. Thanks for this opportunity for all teachers, I love my kids and want them to have the best I can give them.

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Lindsay B says:
June 11, 2012 at 8:50 pm

I've just finished my first year teaching and all year I've struggled with where to put everything! And do ...

I’ve just finished my first year teaching and all year I’ve struggled with where to put everything! And do it in a way so nothing gets lost and is easily accessible. This would help me to start out my 2nd year teaching organized and ready to go!

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Julie Roesch says:
June 11, 2012 at 8:48 pm

I am a 4th grade teacher who has been given the chance to teach my students in an "untraditional" environment. ...

I am a 4th grade teacher who has been given the chance to teach my students in an “untraditional” environment. I have removed all desks from the classroom and have replaced them with kitchen tables and chairs. I also have bought cushions for the kids to sit on, along with a couple of donated couches and garage sale booths. While the environment is “homey”, I am finding that I need help getting all my books organized. I have boxes of over 1000 books EVERYWHERE! There is no “set space” in my room for books, so kids have to search all over for them. Also, with no desks, my students have no “own” space to keep their belongings in. Finally, I am determined to promote writing. Unfortunately, I have paper everywhere, different designs, sizes, etc. I could really use some of your fabulous storage containers to help my room and my class to continue to be the talk around town!

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Magdalena Torres says:
June 11, 2012 at 5:32 pm

I work at a Title 1 school where the need is great but the possibilities are endless. I try to ...

I work at a Title 1 school where the need is great but the possibilities are endless. I try to provide my students with the same opportunities as any other student would from any other economic status. So, I spend some of my free time looking for supplies and new innovative ideas that I can use in the classroom. So I buy and get (for free) supplies through garage sales, friends and festivals. I have gathered different arts and crafts materials through my first two years of teaching and students know now that anything they need for my class or any other class is available to them if I have it. We keep things such as color pencils, scissors, markers, manila paper, etc. in small containers. So I definitely see myself and my co-worker (we teach same subject) using the elfa classroom drawer units to keep not just supplies but class work and projects organized by class period. I emphasize organization in class and what better way to show organization through the Container’s Store, elfa drawers.

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Sarah Kim says:
June 11, 2012 at 5:29 pm

I am entering my second year of teaching and moving to a classroom without a big closet to store all ...

I am entering my second year of teaching and moving to a classroom without a big closet to store all of my things. I am just starting off with a few things that I have bought, but mostly items that other teachers no longer need or donated. I would love to have the chance to organize and decorate my classroom as mine without the mismatched items. This would be such a wonderful start to my teaching career!

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Kevin L. Stotts says:
June 11, 2012 at 5:02 pm

Next year, after 39 years, I will be retiring. Though I love my school, it was built in the 1950s ...

Next year, after 39 years, I will be retiring. Though I love my school, it was built in the 1950s and for the most part, still looks it. I just met with the assistant principal today asking if I could have my room painted my favorite color — orange. I knew he wanted to say “no” but I told him to take his time to think about it. I even offered to pay for the paint and to return next summer and help repaint in its boring neutral (and I would pay for that paint, too). How great it would be to have my room have a $1000 makeover — my last year and thousands of students later. Better late than never.

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Alex Beavin says:
June 11, 2012 at 4:19 pm

My Mom has been an elementary schooll teacher for many, many years! She just got her Masters a few days ...

My Mom has been an elementary schooll teacher for many, many years! She just got her Masters a few days ago, so this would be an amazing gift for her!

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Debbi says:
June 11, 2012 at 1:45 pm

I would love to win a classroom makeover! Budget cuts in our district have caused teachers to make choices ...

I would love to win a classroom makeover! Budget cuts in our district have caused teachers to make choices between keeping jobs or getting much needed materials. I spend so much money out of my own pocket buying supplies and resources to teach my students. This year i have gone digging through old furniture to get enough matching furniture to make my classroom a positive learning environment! The help would be greatly appreciated.

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Liz Mogin says:
June 11, 2012 at 12:05 pm

I would LOVE a classroom makeover. Next year I am teaching 5 different preps: 2 levels of math, ...

I would LOVE a classroom makeover. Next year I am teaching 5 different preps: 2 levels of math, GATE, Leadership and Student Activities. And we only have 7 periods in a day. I love my job, but organizing all of those materials will be a nightmare. I am going to need massive help. If my classroom is organized, the class is more efficient and classroom management is so much easier.

Winning this, would be a dream come true. It would make my life a lot easier.
Go Panthers!

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Caroline says:
June 11, 2012 at 11:55 am

I am a high school Biology Teacher. It is really hard to stay organized. I have to not ...

I am a high school Biology Teacher. It is really hard to stay organized. I have to not only purchase all the daily classroom utensils(markers, colored pencils, pens, pencils, rulers, calculators) but also all the lab supplies that we need as well. I have moved classrooms almost every year, and this is why I have such difficulty organizing. I have purchased many different organizational products, but nothing has been better for my classroom than items from the container store! I love the acrylic shoe and shirt drawers to organize my materials. I would love to be able to organize each lab into different containers so that each is more accessible and movable when I have to change rooms. I would really benefit from this makeover contest because my money runs out on all the other supplies I need to buy and I rarely get to purchase organizational tools. Thanks for the opportunity to win container store! And I love your products!!!

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Lisa says:
June 11, 2012 at 10:11 am

I share a classroom with a great friend and collegue. We teach 3 different subjects in our room (English, ...

I share a classroom with a great friend and collegue. We teach 3 different subjects in our room (English, Math and Study Skills) for 3 different grade levels. With the constantly changing content and kids moving in and out, our supplies are always being misplaced. It would be helpful to have an organizational system that not only benefits us, but the students we teach every day.

Thank you for your consideration,
Amber Nizza and Lisa Sutera

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Linda P says:
June 11, 2012 at 9:03 am

I would LOVE a Container Store makeover! I need it because I am returning to full-time teaching after retiring and ...

I would LOVE a Container Store makeover! I need it because I am returning to full-time teaching after retiring and I do not have anything! Starting from scratch. I believe in color coding everything and having a place for everything – a real challenge for a 2nd Grade classroom – but I am super excited! Can you help me meet the challenge?

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Liz C says:
June 11, 2012 at 8:51 am

I homeschool my special needs son due to his health issues. As a single mom, money is scarce so ...

I homeschool my special needs son due to his health issues. As a single mom, money is scarce so winning this contest would be an incredible help!
We have a small apartment so we need to use our living space as our ‘school’ space. Lack of organized space makes the school day quite chaotic! Not only do we need school work space, but we also need a designated sensory area where my son can go when he gets overwhelmed.
Plus, due to his immune deficiency, we are often in the hospital. Being able to bring some sort of portable work container (etc) would be awesome!
It’s definitely challenging!

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Rose Moore says:
June 11, 2012 at 5:24 am

I will be entering my 26 year of teaching preschool, special ed. My daughter found the amazing Container Store ...

I will be entering my 26 year of teaching preschool, special ed. My daughter found the amazing Container Store and told me about the great organizational products.

I have been informed, my classroom will be moved and boy do I have a lot of stuff. I am a pack rat and hate to waste and throw out things. In cleaning for the move, I have found many treasures and also found….. I need to organize…

HELP ME GIVE MY CLASSROOM A CONTAINER STORE MAKEOVER!!!!

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Anne Armstrong says:
June 10, 2012 at 11:37 pm

though every teacher has challenges in her classroom, I believe my unique teaching assignment provides extraordinary organizational challenges. I have ...

though every teacher has challenges in her classroom, I believe my unique teaching assignment provides extraordinary organizational challenges. I have the great fortune to work with my district’s program for gifted and academically talented students. Each week I work with nearly 200 students in grades 5-8, on thematic, cross-curricular projects designed to challenge, inspire, and promote creativity, critical and out-of-the-box thinking. We often do creative challenges where students must build a solution to a problem presented in class using team work, creativity and only supplies they can find in my classroom. I try to keep lots of goodies stored in my classroom for just this purpose. Everything from toilet paper tubes and oatmeal boxes to nuts, bolts and washers and everything in between. Think “trash to treasure”. I’m always astounded at the creativity my students display and the enthusiasm they possess. My personal challenge is finding a way to keep all the supplies used for such activities organized in an attractive and student-friendly fashion. Students can better utilize their time when supplies are easy to find. They also happily take ownership in our classroom when they can easily sort and store there items as they are brought in from home and as we clean up at the end of class. A scholarship and expert advice from the container store is just the ticket to optimizing our classroom space and materials to make the most of our time, talent and treasure.

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Kathy Fry says:
June 10, 2012 at 10:10 pm

I teach small groups of students with learning disabilities. As each group comes in my classroom the students want ...

I teach small groups of students with learning disabilities. As each group comes in my classroom the students want to know where “their” space is. I would like to organize the room so that each child that comes into the room feels they have a special place to learn. I would like them to have a storage space for their own books and supplies, and a personal workspace to eliminate distractions when they are working. For me, I’d like an organizational system to keep individualized lessons.

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Dana Tecza says:
June 10, 2012 at 9:56 pm

Where to begin? I LOVE my job as a first grade teacher but keeping up with all those little ones ...

Where to begin? I LOVE my job as a first grade teacher but keeping up with all those little ones requires two things, patience and ORGANIZATION! I am moving schools this year and so I am starting all over with organizing my things. This is my time to get my room in order and I NEED HELP!!!

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Heidi W. says:
June 10, 2012 at 9:17 pm

This fall I will start my 20th year in teaching! As elementary teachers we are always saving things, "just in ...

This fall I will start my 20th year in teaching! As elementary teachers we are always saving things, “just in case” we might teach that subject someday. Well, I’m moving classrooms for the fall, and I want this to be my “fresh start” and so I’ve been sorting through files and it feels good, but I want the hard work to stay, and I don’t have the money to spend on organizing materials that would make my teaching easier and more effective. I’m grateful for The Container Store to offer such a gift…the person who wins will be a lucky one!

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Nancy Alley says:
June 10, 2012 at 9:05 pm

As an Elementary Gifted Intervention Specialist serving students at five different buildings in inner-city Columbus, Ohio, having $1000 to reorganize ...

As an Elementary Gifted Intervention Specialist serving students at five different buildings in inner-city Columbus, Ohio, having $1000 to reorganize the small shared spaces I use to work with my students would be incredible! I often have little to no storage space for reading books, journals, and project materials for the days I am not at each school. Being able to keep writing , math, and creative thinking materials out of the way of a speech or school counselor’s way when they are in the room is essential. Giving my students better access to their supplies would be heavenly and after teaching for thirty three years, I would truly appreciate being given the opportunity to reorganize all my materials in a way that allows me to transport them from school to school five times each week. Thanks for your awesome support of the teachers of our country !

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Sarah Roush says:
June 10, 2012 at 8:54 pm

I feel like I deserve the the makeover because I'm starting my 6th year of teaching and I forget that ...

I feel like I deserve the the makeover because I’m starting my 6th year of teaching and I forget that I have things. Sometimes you go looking online or borrowing things for others because you have no time to keep your stuff organized. If I had someone or something to help me from the beginning I think it would help me out a lot. I love the Container Store and their products!

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Rosie Sonneborn says:
June 10, 2012 at 7:29 pm

My co-worker Allie Cordova is a beginning teacher. She is very passionate about teaching but has admitted that she needs ...

My co-worker Allie Cordova is a beginning teacher. She is very passionate about teaching but has admitted that she needs help with organizing. Her husband has been going through medical issues this year and I think this would help her get excited about the next school year. She needs to get ideas on organizing and would be so excited about getting a classroom makeover.
Thank you for your consideration!

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Ann Shioji says:
June 10, 2012 at 7:08 pm

I love The Container Store! I shop there for almost all of my organizing needs. As a coordinator ...

I love The Container Store! I shop there for almost all of my organizing needs. As a coordinator of Science Fair at my school, I have several projects I am managing at any given point in time; The Container Store provides great organizational tools to help my students and I stay organized. This saves time, space, and my sanity!

Thanks to the Organized Teacher Discount Program, I am able to save some money on my purchases. However, there are so many useful products in the Container Store that I would love to purchase for my classroom. My colleagues comment that I am great at finding innovative (a nice way to say “inexpensive”) ways to organize my classroom, I still need lots of help. This classroom makeover is just the answer to my wishes!

This year, I was able to purchase a magnetic sorting tray to help my Science Fair club officers stay organized and on top of school events in our first year of the club. I had such positive feedback from both students and colleagues about how great my classroom is [starting] to look: although I know I still desparately need help! Next year will be my second year sponsoring the Science Fair club at my school, and I would love to have some great organizational products from the Container Store to make sure my students’ projects are organized attractively and effectively. This will make it easier for the students and I to see projects from start to finish, while not over-consuming precious real estate in my classroom.

I just know that if I receive this classroom makeover, my new club will be a success this year. The Science Fair is a year-long endeavor, and if I don’t help my students stay organized, it is easy to lose important paperwork and then lose steam on the project. I would love to help them find ways to make sure they meet their deadlines while staying motivated throughout the year to pursue their inquiry. If you ask any colleague of mine at my school who needs the most help at organizing, the answer will be unanimous: me!!! I know this is so because my classroom has been featured in the local newspaper twice, and while the students take center stage, I look at my overflowing cabinets in the background and I wish I could have the help I need to maintain an organized classroom. I have tried various ways to organize my classroom, and I have found The Container Store to be an essential, invaluable resource. With all of the articles, videos, and blogs available for teachers, all I need is the organizational products from your store to make my dream come true!

Thank you so much for your time!

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Juli Coopeer says:
June 10, 2012 at 6:57 pm

"Everything has a place." "Organization is key." These are just some quotes that are said in my Montessori classroom. Montessori students ...

“Everything has a place.” “Organization is key.” These are just some quotes that are said in my Montessori classroom.

Montessori students have grown up since kindergarten in a room that has a lot of materials for learning. Students use these materials on a daily basis. Many materials in the classroom are made by me or purchased. The materials do have/can have a lot of pieces that need containers to store them in.

Montessori students know that everything has a place and a purpose in the classroom. The materials that the students use have multiple pieces. Having a variety of containers for materials when made by me or purchased by the school would help the classroom be better organized. Many pieces can get lost, but having containers would allow students to not loose pieces. Having the opportunity to have a variety of containers would be a great addition to our Montessori classroom.

We are moving into our renovated classroom and we do not have the storage space that is needed for our Montessori classroom. My students do not have desk, but tables. They will also need storage containers to put their notebooks and book in. Having the opportunity to get some storage containers for materials and also for books/notebooks would help my middle school students be better organized.

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Andra Villegas says:
June 10, 2012 at 3:42 pm

My classroom really needs a makeover!! I co-teach a blended Pre K class. Our class is a wonderful ...

My classroom really needs a makeover!! I co-teach a blended Pre K class. Our class is a wonderful combination of special need students, along with regular education students. The students blend together to create a unique learning environment where everyone learns and grows! The Scholars are very busy throughout the day. Organization is extremely important in planning for the day, week and even the schoolyear! Our class recently moved to another room at our school. I am excited about getting things really organized for the new schoolyear, but at the same time, I am overwhelmed! Please help me organize my classroom!!! My scholars would really appreciate it and so would I!!

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Marianne says:
June 10, 2012 at 2:24 pm

I definitely need a classroom makeover! I will be starting my 5th year in fourth grade this coming Fall. This ...

I definitely need a classroom makeover! I will be starting my 5th year in fourth grade this coming Fall. This year, I am fortunate to be a cooperating teacher for a student teacher. This will be my first time! My classroom is a decent size, but it has a big “bump” that comes out on one side which takes away floor space. I have an adequate amount of supplies and things, but I just don’t know how to store them. I’d like to make the room more student-friendly and yet have a homey feel. I try to include personal touches with gifts I have received from past students. Please choose me for one of your makeovers. I sometimes feel like I need a makeover myself, but if I can’t have one of those…my classroom is the next best thing. Seems like I spend most of my time there anyway! Thank you!

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Jessica says:
June 10, 2012 at 12:20 pm

Hello Container Store! I love how much you support teachers. Organization and teaching go hand in hand. I teach ...

Hello Container Store! I love how much you support teachers. Organization and teaching go hand in hand.

I teach special education at a 20 year old elementary school and organize two rooms there. One room is for an office of teachers, therapists, and specialists, and the other room is for student materials and work space.

Our team works with such a wide range of students with disabilities that we have lots of materials to organize. Everything from books, to sensory equipment, to art supplies, and trampolines and swings. Everything we use for storage and organization is over 20 years old, mismatched, collected from thrift stores and garage sales, or donated. We don’t get much of a budget to work with, and the money we are allotted goes right to student needs, not organizational materials. Our room looks uncoordinated and disorganized. We have bracketed shelves made out of plywood on the walls that fall down on a daily basis, spilling toys and books, and endangering our student’s safety. We need a safe shelving system, consistent labeling, and matching, updated containers for storage.

Our other need revolves around fitting 13 professionals into a small office space. We house two special education teachers, a speech language pathologist, an occupational therapist, a teacher for the visually impaired, a math interventionist, a physical therapist, a school psychologist, and five paraprofessionals into a very small office. We are always looking for space saving solutions so we can all work together peacefully.

Thanks for your consideration! We would be very appreciative of your award!

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Alli Knighton says:
June 10, 2012 at 10:39 am

SOS! Our health classroom desperately needs a makeover! I share my space throughout the year with now 2 other teachers. ...

SOS! Our health classroom desperately needs a makeover! I share my space throughout the year with now 2 other teachers. While we rotate in and out, never teaching in the space at the same time, we need some help with storage and organization of our personal and shared supplies. With student papers, health magazines, and supplies for new activities to keep health engaging and interesting, the room can quickly become chaotic. I regularly browse the Container Store online and even spend a big chunk of time walking up and down the isle in the stores and cannot put together a dream picture in my mind or reality. Please help me and my co-workers provide a positive and working environment for our students to be successful; also helping them see how organization plays a positive role in managing daily tasks! PLEASE HELP!

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Janice Webber says:
June 10, 2012 at 10:29 am

i have been teaching elementary for 16 years and I have always struggled with organizing my classroom. First of ...

i have been teaching elementary for 16 years and I have always struggled with organizing my classroom. First of all, I don’t feel like I have the brain to create the systems. So, I always try to buy things from The Container Store to try. But, it is usually summer and the personal funds are getting low. I never feel like I have a complete system nor the tools to make it look nice.

Last year, due to budget cuts, my school was closed and I was moved to another school. I am thankful for the job and am beginning to feel like myself in my new school. However, moving to a new classroom and trying to make everything work has been a challenge. I am tired of the mismatched plastic boxes that have been collected over the years and made to work, but not really working. It would be wonderful to have the assistance of The Container Store to help make my classroom into the organized space that I have been dreaming of my whole career.

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DUYEN FENSTON says:
June 10, 2012 at 10:08 am

I am a Special Education teacher in a School District. Would love a makeover for our team's trailers. We serve ...

I am a Special Education teacher in a School District. Would love a makeover for our team’s trailers. We serve preschoolers age 3-5 years old. Would love to make our trailers more kid friendly and less hazardous! The trailers are over 20 years old and have never been renovated since then!

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Robin Ringer says:
June 10, 2012 at 8:41 am

Have you ever seen a kindergarten classroom? There are so many things that have to be compartmentalized. I teach in ...

Have you ever seen a kindergarten classroom? There are so many things that have to be compartmentalized. I teach in an urban school district (Paterson, NJ). I seem to be always spending my own money on assorted containers and still cannot get as organized as I would hope to be. I would like to have everything easily accessible so as not to waste precious classroom time.

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Mary Ellen Buckley says:
June 10, 2012 at 8:21 am

I teach 140 8th grade science students during the day and immediately after school my science lab becomes home to ...

I teach 140 8th grade science students during the day and immediately after school my science lab becomes home to our Science Olympiad team for the next 2-5 hours (5 days a week.) The 10-20 hours a week has paid off & we have won the Illinois State Championship for the past two years, but trying to keep my classroom organized and my Science Olympiad team organized is not working the way I am doing it (I rarely leave school before 7:30PM.) If I can’t come up with a workable organization system I am not going to be able to continue to coach the team next year – Please help; the Illinois State Champions are depending on you.

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Lea Oliva says:
June 10, 2012 at 6:41 am

Hi, I am a first grade teacher. I have been teaching for about 16 years. Each year I spend so ...

Hi, I am a first grade teacher. I have been teaching for about 16 years. Each year I spend so much of my own money in order to make my classroom look inviting. I made lots of new centers this year but I haven’t had the time or the money to organize all of the supplies. I also feel that my room can use some refreshing. I have lots of miss matched baskets and organizers, but I just tend to buy them because they fit my budget. I think it is important for first graders to have easy access to materials and supplies. Our budgets at school have been cut so I end less money on organizing materials and more on books. I would love the ability to spruce up my classroom. I can say I work hard each year to make my classroom a special place. winning this contest would be super and I must admit I visit your site often but I usually go to dollar stores and discount stores for products because I don’t have the money to spend. it is important for classrooms to be first grade friendly and inviting. I think I could certainly make some, big changes in my room if I were to win. Thank you for your consideration.

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Susie Bunting says:
June 9, 2012 at 10:59 pm

This next Fall will be my 24th year of teaching. I have taught in three different districts in CA, ...

This next Fall will be my 24th year of teaching. I have taught in three different districts in CA, taught third grade, first grade and kindergarten and moved classrooms eleven times. The last eight years I have been in the same room and it is a wonderful classroom with lots of room but no built in storage. I spent a lot of my own money to put in bookshelves, and gather organizational tubs and containers. Last Fall my husband helped me put up some miscellaneous elfa pieces that I had from a closet that was remodeled in our home, they worked out great for storage shelves.
So now it is time to move again. I am moving into a striped down kindergarten room, this time with I will have built in counters and storage cubbies but a smaller room. It is pretty much a clean slate, since the teacher who left the room retired and took most of her things with her. I am looking forward to decorating a new room and getting off to a fresh start.
I walk through the Walnut Creek Container store at least once a week since it is right across the street from my Yoga studio. I get lots of great ideas about storage and organizing just by walking around the store. If only I had a budget available for moving classrooms, that doesn’t exist in CA anymore. The Organized Teacher Makeover prize would be an incredible bonus to put towards organizing my new classroom. Please consider my entry, I would be forever grateful.

Susie Bunting
K Teacher- Burton Valley School
Lafayette, CA

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Kelli Cotton says:
June 9, 2012 at 10:39 pm

Our school was built in 1925 and teaching has changed and evolved so much since then. My classroom is ...

Our school was built in 1925 and teaching has changed and evolved so much since then. My classroom is not equipped with the components needed for a teacher in the year 2012! I have one wall of old cabinets that have sliding doors that fall in when you try to open and shut them. Other than these cabinets, I have no shelving whatsoever in my classroom except for ones I have managed to grab from a teachers who are retiring. The backs are all falling off the cabinets and I have to keep nailing them on. I place my books on the shelves and the backs fall off every time! Uugh! This classroom I’m in for this next year is a new one for me. This will be the fourth new classroom for me in the past eight years. I have volunteered to move from first grade to second grade and then to third grade so each new grade level requires a move. I am hoping to make this classroom I’m moving into my “new home” for quite a while. I would love for it to look updated, homey, and inviting for this great bunch of third graders I’ll be getting in August. Thanks!

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Aliza says:
June 9, 2012 at 10:24 pm

I am a first grade teacher in a school that has no budget for classroom organization. I am a very ...

I am a first grade teacher in a school that has no budget for classroom organization. I am a very organized person but need the necessary tools to make it work. I find that teachers teach mostly by example and if a classroom is disorganized and chaotic then the students might have difficulty focusing and learning certain skills. My motto is start young. If I can help first graders learn important skills that can help them for the rest of their life, they will improve their academic and social skills. A classroom makeover could be amazing for me and help in so many ways! I hope I win! Thank you for the opportunity.

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Kate says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:54 pm

I teach in a Blended Pre-K classroom. My class is made up of 8 typically developing children and 8 ...

I teach in a Blended Pre-K classroom. My class is made up of 8 typically developing children and 8 children with disabilities. It is essential to be as organized as possible. We do a great job the first few weeks but then, as things get more hectic and involved in the year, the organization sort of goes out the window. If there was a system in place that could get us through the year, it would be so helpful. Thank you.

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Marilyn Tarrant says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:34 pm

I am a Pre-K teacher and I have a small classroom with alot of furniture and of course the regular ...

I am a Pre-K teacher and I have a small classroom with alot of furniture and of course the regular teaching materials. I have a large cabinet and a large shelving unit and a closet but I could use better organization. I want to make the most of the room and storage I have to function more effectively for myself and my students.
Thank you,
Mrs. Marilyn Tarrant

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Jennifer Ruhlen says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:17 pm

Since I am a music teacher, when space got to be an issue for my building, I lost my classroom. ...

Since I am a music teacher, when space got to be an issue for my building, I lost my classroom. All of my instruments, textbooks, and other supplies were put in to a storage closet and I am now forced to go from classroom to classroom with a cart to teach. I have gotten used to the cart but finding the materials I need for each class in a timely manner is, quite obviously, a challenge. I need a sure fire way to organize my “classroom” so that I can see what I need, grab it, and be in and out of the closet quickly!

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Janice Bausley says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:04 pm

I have been teaching for 15 years at E. Ray Elementary. I currently teach 2nd grade. I have 15 years ...

I have been teaching for 15 years at E. Ray
Elementary. I currently teach 2nd grade. I have 15 years worth of supplies ,worksheets and manipulatives. I need help getting organized and the Container Store has everything I would love to have to get my classroom organized. An orgganized classroom gives the students a sense of stucture in their learning environment. I would love to win the $1,000
to help my students feel that someone cares enough to take time to prepare the perfect setting for them.

Ms. Bausley

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TJ Thornton says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:55 pm

Since entering the teaching profession in September, 2010, I have been a long term 2nd grade teacher, a 5th ...

Since entering the teaching profession in September, 2010, I have been a long term 2nd grade teacher, a 5th grade teacher and starting this fall, a middle school science teacher. With each change in grade level comes new organizational challenges, along with new supplies and materials. I work in a high poverty, low income rural school district, one with very limited funds. I love my community and my students and now an orgainized classroom is important for their learning success.
In addition to all the typical and normal challenges facing teachers and their organized classrooms (limited space, limited funds and limited time) I have a few challenges that make organization more challenging and more vital. Since childhood I have dealt with severe ADHD and depression. I know I need to be more organized, and at times I am almost incapable of knowing what I need to do or where to start. My hope is with this makeover will help provide me with the tools neccesary to become the most organized and effective teacher I am capable of being and that my students need and deserve.

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Margie Navas says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:28 pm

When I moved into my new classroom last year, three days before the start of the year, I had a ...

When I moved into my new classroom last year, three days before the start of the year, I had a mini panic attack. There was so much cleaning and organizing to do, and the teachers that were in my class before me had just thrown things in their cabinets before they left! Needless to say, I’ve struggled to get things organized at the beginning of the year and keep them that way. Now that I’ve completed my very first year of teaching, I can predict what my kids will need next year. I want to make their materials accessible to them, and to keep the neat freak inside of me in check! Thanks!

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Missy Trippe says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:22 pm

As a 4th grade Math teacher, organization is a key to my classroom success. Unfortunately, with the economic challenges ...

As a 4th grade Math teacher, organization is a key to my classroom success. Unfortunately, with the economic challenges our area is faced with the allowance for classroom supplies has been drastically reduced. I only have enough to purchase basic supplies for my class. I have to personally supplement this for all of my students to have what they need. With four children of my own I have no budget left to buy organizational items after buying their school supplies. I love the Container Store and appreciate the support as a teacher!

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Natalie Wallace says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:02 pm

I am in need of a classroom makeover because I am a brand new teacher struggling to purchase all the ...

I am in need of a classroom makeover because I am a brand new teacher struggling to purchase all the things I need to get organized in my classroom.

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Anna Rivera says:
June 9, 2012 at 6:57 pm

I've inherited equiptment from 5 science teachers from over the years.Now I'm left to sort & discard those things I ...

I’ve inherited equiptment from 5 science teachers from over the years.Now I’m left to sort & discard those things I don’t need & keep the important things. But that’s the problem!!! How do I organize these materials? I’m really in a stand still. I’ve tried to organize, but I don’t think I have the right equiptment for the equiptment. I could really appreciate some help & guidance. I serve (115) 7th graders in 4 different class periods. Things are always getting misplaced & shuffled to the side awaiting to be put away. Would be nice to have a method of arranging things better. Can you help? Thanks for the opportunity to enter the contest. Best wishes.

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Megan says:
June 9, 2012 at 6:28 pm

I have been collecting tools and supplies to support my students with special needs including noise reducing ear muffs, wiggle ...

I have been collecting tools and supplies to support my students with special needs including noise reducing ear muffs, wiggle seats, and desk corrals. Because of the size and shape of these items, I’ve struggled to keep them organized and accessible to my students. I would love to get help finding the right organizing system to make sure all of my students can access and use these wonderful materials. A classroom makeover would help me bring more learning to my students with better access to these vital tools.

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Pat Noble says:
June 9, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Our early childhood program for the hearing impaired, just moved this week to another school. Unfortunately, the new classroom is ...

Our early childhood program for the hearing impaired, just moved this week to another school. Unfortunately, the new classroom is half the size of my previous room. I will maintain the same number of students. Is there a way to get my 131 boxes and miscellaneous furniture into my new half-sized room? I can get rid of some of the stuff, but not all of it. The students of this age need lots of manipulatives.

I would like to maintain an open area for my students (ages 3 to 5 yrs) so they can safely move around and be visible at all times.

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Elizabeth N. says:
June 9, 2012 at 5:27 pm

I would love this classroom makeover for myself, but I already love and use all the versatile, well made, and ...

I would love this classroom makeover for myself, but I already love and use all the versatile, well made, and beautiful things in the store. My partner teacher Nancy is the one that really NEEDS you! She wants and tries to get organized year after year and needs help. Unorganized teachers waste precious time and energy looking for things. An organized teacher sets a model for her students. I think a whole classroom makeover would be the trick to get her and her deserving students on the right track!

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Doreen Weiss says:
June 9, 2012 at 5:20 pm

I am a second grade teacher in a public school in Chicago. My classroom is in need of help! ...

I am a second grade teacher in a public school in Chicago. My classroom is in need of help! Over the years, I have acquired a combination of storage and display items that provide a useful, but not cohesive design for my students. Orange crates from the grocery store, a discarded bookcase left in a hallway, a table from the garbage, all make for a wonderful learning environment, but, are lacking in overall design. Of course, there is definitely evidence of Container Store purchases, but this makeover would go a long way towards improving my classroom space.

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Lynn Klinger says:
June 9, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Balancing a full time teaching career and two young children has shown me how important it is to stay ...

Balancing a full time teaching career and two young children has shown me how important it is to stay organized in my classroom so that my day runs smoothly. This year was a struggle for me and I would love to start the next school year with a system that will help keep me organized throughout the school year.

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Lori Scherer says:
June 9, 2012 at 3:18 pm

Nine years ago, when I was transfered to my new classroom, I was given an art classroom the size of ...

Nine years ago, when I was transfered to my new classroom, I was given an art classroom the size of a peanut. I know I should be grateful that I’m not on a cart, but it’s hard to see the custodian with a larger room than the one for my students. My challenge is the storage room that I share with another art teacher and the space available for the art classroom. I guess going verticle is the solution, but I’m not exactly sure how to do it. Please Help Me,
Mrs. Mona Lisa

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Kara Collins says:
June 9, 2012 at 2:48 pm

I would love to have a organized room makeover. I teach in a Title 1 school and I use a ...

I would love to have a organized room makeover. I teach in a Title 1 school and I use a large amount of learning centers and manipulatives. I have virtually no storage and would love to be able to create an inviting classroom where my students can find everything they need at a moments notice. I love my students and would love to be able to not only provide them with an organized classroom, but to also show them how keeping things organized helps make their job as students easier. Thank you.

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Cathy Laker says:
June 9, 2012 at 2:26 pm

I am nominating myself...only because organization is always one of my downfalls. Since beginning teaching eleven years ago, it's ...

I am nominating myself…only because organization is always one of my downfalls. Since beginning teaching eleven years ago, it’s the one comment always made by my principal to work on my organization and clutter of my classroom. I have been working every year to become more organized and to make my classroom student and learning centered. I have been slowly buying new products at The Container Store to help create the classroom that focuses on students.

A teacher’s salary isn’t a large one by any means and teaching in a rural community, I am given $130 to buy supplies for my classroom yearly. That doesn’t go too far. I spend quite a bit of my own money on them because I love what I do. Our community has been changing rapidly over the past few years and the recession truly hurt us. Almost half of our school is now on free or reduced lunch and receives assistance.

I would love to provide my second graders a classroom that is organized, neat, and clutter free so we can focus on learning. I guess when it comes down to it, I’m not asking for myself, I’m asking for my class. They deserve a great classroom that The Container Store can provide.

Thanks for taking my classroom into consideration for a makeover.

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BELINDA ZEPEDA says:
June 9, 2012 at 2:03 pm

My art classroom deserves to win a $1000 makeover. Although it is a relatively newly remodeled room, (about 6-7 years ...

My art classroom deserves to win a $1000 makeover. Although it is a relatively newly remodeled room, (about 6-7 years ago), it was not designed by an artist. Artists are visual and this room is anything but visually inspiring. While there is enough space, I have to go through 2 filing cabinets, two closets, under and over counter cabinets, and two standing metal storage cabinets to find materials. Supplies and tools can easily get lost. Every year, our budget gets cut a little bit more. I’m hoping to repaint the room myself, this year, because of our district is under financial constraints. I would love it if this classroom worked more like an art studio. Winning this makeover would definitely help move in that direction.

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Angelique Dennis says:
June 9, 2012 at 1:55 pm

I teach PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities) at a school with limited funds. While I have the children's ...

I teach PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities) at a school with limited funds. While I have the children’s play areas very organized, I struggle so much with my own organization! So many papers and forms…arg! I got rid of my desk because it was just a junk collector but the piles have just moved to my work table. I’m overwhelmed by all the files I need to keep, the paperwork I need to have a space for, and all the little things. Paper clips, rubber bands, glue bottles, markers, scissors, stickers, where does it all go?! And don’t even get me started on my closets. At the end of year, everything is just crammed in there. I would like a way to keep materials, toys, and books organized in bins and maybe even by theme. I need a classroom makeover!!
Sincerely,
The special ed teacher with an especially unorganized classroom(-:

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Kristie Hernandez says:
June 9, 2012 at 1:50 pm

The best way for me to keep everything running smoothly for both my students and myself is to keep my ...

The best way for me to keep everything running smoothly for both my students and myself is to keep my self organized. From where they pick up/turn in their assignments to keeping all my supplies (scissors, glue sticks, color pencils, manipulatives) easily organized and assessable. Container Store has been a big part of keeping me organized over the years in my teaching career. Thanks Container Store!!!

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Kerry says:
June 9, 2012 at 1:48 pm

As a Reading Recovery Teacher in a small office, I generate LOADS of paperwork and select different books each day ...

As a Reading Recovery Teacher in a small office, I generate LOADS of paperwork and select different books each day from my extensive collection, for each student I teach. I strive to create a reading culture for all students and find that 95% of my funds go toward new books for my kiddos. It would be such a bonus if my office was better organized in a fun way; of course stocked with more efficient, attractive items from the Container Store!!
Thanks so much for the chance to win.
Now, go enjoy a good book today!

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Ginger Akason says:
June 9, 2012 at 12:12 pm

As a teacher, my primary job is to work with kids--and that's how I want to spend my time--with kids! ...

As a teacher, my primary job is to work with kids–and that’s how I want to spend my time–with kids! In my classroom, I need systems for kids that make materials easily accessible and manageable. For myself, I want to be able to find things quickly and efficiently, and put them away with the same ease. Then I can focus on what’s really important–kids!

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Martha Coleman says:
June 9, 2012 at 11:15 am

There are two main reasons why I need and deserve to win the contest: • My students need a well-organized teacher! • My students ...

There are two main reasons why I need and deserve to win the contest:
• My students need a well-organized teacher!
• My students deserve a well-organized teacher!

I teach middle school science in a school with an extremely diverse student body, including many students who cannot afford basic supplies. Every day some of my students ask for pencils, pens, or binders. Even students whose parents provide them with supplies often don’t have them because they lose them. They need to learn organization, and the best way I can teach that is by setting a good example.

On other reason why I should win the contest is that I am not a naturally well-organized person. I find that I need that extra nudge that comes from having well-designed products to help me keep order in my classroom. Out of the many stores I’ve checked out, the Container Store offers the best selection of top quality organizational “tools for teachers”.

Finally, as a “second career” teacher on a limited budget, I don’t have much money to spend on items for my classroom. I’d be very thankful to be selected as a winner! My students would be thankful, too!

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Kathleen Weaver says:
June 9, 2012 at 10:42 am

I need a classroom makeover SO badly! In addition to teaching Computer Science, I am the robotics mentor. Keeping track ...

I need a classroom makeover SO badly!

In addition to teaching Computer Science, I am the robotics mentor. Keeping track of the robotics pieces is a full time job. We desperately need a way to keep the parts organized so they can be easily used.

I also need ways to keep the few required paperwork organized. I swear I lose every piece of paper that is ever handed to me.

Help!

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Erin K. says:
June 9, 2012 at 10:02 am

I am a first grade teacher in a Virginia Title 1 school. My 16 students come from more than ...

I am a first grade teacher in a Virginia Title 1 school. My 16 students come from more than 10 different countries, speak more than 5 different languages at home, and most receive free/reduced lunch. I recently moved up from teaching Pre-K to first grade, and came into a very neglected, disorganized classroom in need of much love. I have done what I can with my limited teacher budget this year, but would really like to do more for the upcoming school year. I aim to provide a calm, organized, and yet bright, stimulating classroom for them to grow and learn. I believe that the Container Store could greatly assist me in this quest to make my space the best for my students. I see clear containers filled with math manipulatives, colorful bins full of books, and a wide variety of organizational tools to ease the paperwork each day. I thank you for your consideration of my classroom!

Sincerely,
Erin K.

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Debbie McIntosh says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:47 am

Help! I have been teaching elementary school for over thirty years. I have collected math manipulatives, student work ...

Help! I have been teaching elementary school for over thirty years. I have collected math manipulatives, student work samples, art supplies, bulletin board materials, and hundreds of books over the years that my classroom has become one gigantic, unorganized mess! Often I cannot locate the materials that I need to teach. This only adds to the chaos. My building is over 70 years old. There is limited storage space. The storage containers and organizers that your store sells would solve my problem and allow me to devote more of my time to my students.

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Katina Miller says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:41 am

Wow!! What I could do with $1000 worth of storage solutions! I try very hard to have a ...

Wow!! What I could do with $1000 worth of storage solutions! I try very hard to have a cute yet functional kindergarten classroom, however it seems every year I fall short. The funds simply aren’t there to do everything I would like.
My books are nicely organized in book baskets, however my manipulatives and games are not easily accessible to the students. I would love to use the white Elfa kids workstation as a beautiful writing center on the bottom while the shelving above would provide for plenty of storage, which I’m lacking.
I would use the remaining funds to purchase clear shoe boxes to store manipulatives and games on the shelves- providing a cute and functional display.
I hope to hear from the WONDERFUL AWESOME PEOPLE of The Container Store real SOON
Have a wonderful day!
Katina

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Lynn Klunder says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:34 am

I am a teacher who has been teaching for 15 years and am returning to a Middle school math classroom. ...

I am a teacher who has been teaching for 15 years and am returning to a Middle school math classroom. I am taking this change as a way to have a fresh start. I have not always been an organized person but I want this to be a chance for me to find a way to be as organized as possible. I love to teach and will use this money wisely if I am blessed enough to win! Each year I invite my students to join my family and with organization help I will be able to focus on the students instead of worrying how to find my necessary things.

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Erin Zinke says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:14 am

I have worked very hard this past year to purge old items. A combination of paperwork, older ideas and concepts ...

I have worked very hard this past year to purge old items. A combination of paperwork, older ideas and concepts I no longer use as well as toys and other items. My constant problem is that with kindergarten I need many items for different units and they take up a lot of room. I also have no time to dig for what I might need at a moments notice. Now that I have started the great purge I will continue next year. The new national standards are now here and many other items will need to go and many new items will need to be developed. I have open shelves in my classroom and my dream is to purchase eye pleasing containers to house it all in. I realize that an eye pleasing organizing system will be more calming to the students than a big mess of items. Organization once completed will also help me to be more focused on curriculum than clutter.

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Ashley says:
June 9, 2012 at 9:04 am

I spent the last three years as a reading specialist in Harrisburg, PA. I am about to embark on a ...

I spent the last three years as a reading specialist in Harrisburg, PA. I am about to embark on a new chapter in my life. I will be taking on a classroom for the first time in 5 years! Not only will I be a classroom teacher, but a new school 2 hours away. I am looking forward to this new and exciting adventure, but the idea of reorganizing and decorating a classroom is just frightening. Winning this contest would make this challenge just a little bit easier.

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Mary D'Emic says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:48 am

I am a NYC kindergarten teacher who loves to work with young children. I spend hours before and after school ...

I am a NYC kindergarten teacher who loves to work with young children. I spend hours before and after school putting together my lessons and “attempting” to organize my supplies to make it easier for the children to find what they need to do their lessons. I have a library that has books that need to be organized by title and reading level. I have center work and math manipulatives that have to be available for daily lessons. Added to this is the new paperwork that requires all teachers to align lessons to the Common Core Standards by 2014. My attempts at putting things into systems have left me feeling unsatisfied and my principal and other teachers have said that things in my room look cluttered and overwhelming. I need and want to get my room to be a model that coincides with my desire to be an effective teacher. I believe that if things are organized then I could do even more creative lessons with my kindergarten students. I am willing to put the time into making this happen. I just desperately need the help. Winning this contest would be a dream come true. Thank you for everything your store does to help teachers like me!

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Laura Orr says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:38 am

Good Morning, I am an Art teacher in Grand Prairie ISD. Our school Travis Elementary is a Title 1 school-meaning ...

Good Morning, I am an Art teacher in Grand Prairie ISD. Our school Travis Elementary is a Title 1 school-meaning that our students come from low economic situations. Money is very tight at our school and have been told that the funds for next year is going to be even tighter!!Fine Arts has not been on the priority list when it comes to allotment of funds.My art room was converted from a teacher’s lounge. There are no built-in storage units for my art supplies. I have a few cabinets around a sink that was left from the lounge. I have had to be very creative on how to store the art supplies for the whole school. I service all the students in the school,my class size is 35 students per class level everyday.I see 180 elementary students a day/875 students a week! I scrounge for containers from recycled items to hold art supplies.Cans from can goods hold my brushes. I have bought zip-lock storage containers for water containers for the students.You learn to be creative when there is no $$ for your art students.My lunch containers become holders for art materials. I wish I had better storage for the art supplies. In art you are dealing with so many different art supplies to keep up with and become readily available at any moment. I’m digging through brown cardboard boxes to get to items. I would love to have the funds for some clear/colored box containers and shelves to put them in! Up till last year, we never knew if we were getting any $$ for art supplies funds or not. Some years I did not receive any $$ for art supplies, so any $$ that had been allotted to art goes to the art materials and not for storage because I never knew what the next year would bring or not bring.I’m hoping that will change.
I am excited at even the thought of an opportunity of getting some organization in the art room for supplies!!! I love my students because they don’t complain that we are using can goods for brush holders, but it would be nice to have the opportunity to change that, and to have better storage for supplies. I service the whole school and would love to give my students an art room that serves them well from a storage point of view! Thank you for giving me a chance to be considered for this great opportunity and thank you for doing this for the schools!! It is not the children’s fault they are in this time of hardship for all ISD schools,but they are the ones that suffer. So “Thank You” for your involvement and for this great opportunity to have a chance to improve the classroom!! This will make a difference in the classroom for whoever you pick!!May God Bless you for your efforts in making a better future for our students!! Whoever you pick, those students will be blessed by your involvement and generosity!!!!You are making a difference !!!! Thank you, Laura Orr- Art Teacher GPISD

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Michelle Bowditch says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:29 am

I have just finished my first year as a new teacher at the age of 40! After having two ...

I have just finished my first year as a new teacher at the age of 40! After having two kids of my own, and spendng a lot of time volunteering in their classrooms, I discovered a love for education and returned to school to earn a Masters degree in Teaching and my certification to teach. Last June, I was hired by a Title One School, whose student population includes over 65 perscent of families qualifying for free and reduced lunch. The families our school serves are often struggling financially, and many students come from single parent households, or are being raised by a family member other than their parents. Our school building was built in the 1970′s and is in very bad repair. We have a lot of technology, but the bricks and mortar are tired and worn. That being said, I have a bright and large classroom which is a wonderful space for my kindergarten students. However, I inherited years of dust, clutter, and materials with a severe lack of storage containers that are not broken, rusted, or a combination of the two. I dream of a classroom where everything is neatly organized and labled in clean, colorful containers. My dream classroom would have materials in clear containers so my students have access to everything and materials are organized for easy cleanup. Many of my students do not have toys like blocks, board games and puzzles at home, so they need to learn how to handle and care for all of these items. Having an organized classroom would go a long way to helping my students learn these life skills. As a new teacher, I am still paying off graduate school loans and do not have the money to dedicate to purchasing new storage containers and shelving for my classroom. Please consider my classroom for the makeover contest. Thank you!

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Melissa Battle says:
June 9, 2012 at 8:18 am

2012-2013 begins my 30th year in public education. On my first day of teaching I was handed supplies for the ...

2012-2013 begins my 30th year in public education. On my first day of teaching I was handed supplies for the year, a box each of paper clips, chalk, and staples. The expectation was you purchasesd or scavenged the rest. On a beginning teacher’s salary, I scavenged. I covered box lids with paper to make in trays, shoe boxes became storage, bent paper clips hung student’s work and halved paper plates trimmed bulletin boards. I no longer make a beginning salary and my district provides a few more necessities but, oh, what I could do with $1000!

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Jennifer Fung says:
June 9, 2012 at 7:57 am

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I would LOVE to win the $1000 for a classroom makeover!! My ...

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I would LOVE to win the $1000 for a classroom makeover!! My classroom needs a makeover for because I am a fairly new teacher (entering my 4th year this fall) and do not have a lot of money to decorate or organize my classroom. My classroom has space and storage, but it does not have functionality! I teach in a lab classroom that has hundreds of little drawers that cannot hold anything! I have spent a lot, a lot of money on my own classroom supplies but I have not been able to organize it in a way that is useful and functional to me. I am often scrambling to find the item or having to buy new ones due to my inability to find it! And even though I teach a science class, I have so many crafts and knick knacks that do not have a place in my classroom! A $1000 classroom make over is mind blowing! I hope that I will be one of the lucky recipients, and if I am not, thank you for supporting teachers!!

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Debbie Winner-Scott says:
June 9, 2012 at 7:31 am

I teach Kindergarten and when I have to take time to find manipulates, I lose valuable teaching time. I ...

I teach Kindergarten and when I have to take time to find manipulates, I lose valuable teaching time. I need things right there,easy to find. There are times when I am teaching I might have to change things and I need to be able to get the materials needed. When you teach Kindergarten there is no dead time.
Thank you for the chance to get help with my organized.

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Cheryl Burkett says:
June 9, 2012 at 7:28 am

A thirty-seven year "veteran" teacher in an Ancient school is NOT a good combination...... With the economy depressed and schools ...

A thirty-seven year “veteran” teacher in an Ancient school is NOT a good combination…… With the economy depressed and schools overcrowded, this becomes a challenge for even the BEST and creative teacher. Many teachers “float”, move classroom to classroom, for up to seven classes a day which takes its toll on the old muscles and bones, haha. My challenge is remaining creative, enthusiastic AND organized while lugging computer equipment, books, materials for hands on activities AND getting from class to class in five minutes! I am but ONE of many teachers in Baltimore County Public Schools (and I would guess everywhere)who has these issues. I would appreciate MY FAVORITE company addressing my challenge as I hope to be teaching your future employees, bankers, leaders, neighbors for many more years!

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Jennifer Massey says:
June 9, 2012 at 12:06 am

I am a special education teacher and share a room with 2 other teachers and an aide. At times ...

I am a special education teacher and share a room with 2 other teachers and an aide. At times we can have up to 3 small groups at one time so space is a commodity. Due to the immense amount of paperwork each of us (teachers) need to be highly organized to keep up. Also, we have materials for math, reading, and writing for grade levels 2nd through 5th (with some lower grades). We are in desperate need of a organizational makeover!

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Nanci says:
June 8, 2012 at 11:21 pm

I need $1000 to organize my classroom. The school opened the classroom in December. I am not sure ...

I need $1000 to organize my classroom. The school opened the classroom in December. I am not sure who ordered the materials, but whoever did didn’t bother to order any trays or containers! As a result, I’ve had to use cardboard boxes to put things in for them. I’ve just moved to a new place and I honestly don’t have any money to buy these things myself because we are having a house built. Being in public school — after a private school that bought us everything we needed — I am learning that there is no budget to buy anything. It doesn’t take long before cardboard wears and tears since 4 year olds are handing it, no matter how careful they are. I really want to create a beautiful and organized environment that these kids deserve, so please, Container Store, help me, please!

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Diane Falk says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:56 pm

I have taught for 36 yrs.--almost all of them in older buildings with even older classroom furnishings! My students ...

I have taught for 36 yrs.–almost all of them in older buildings with even older classroom furnishings! My students and I would enjoy having new desks or tables to work on, and new chairs to sit on.

My classroom is one of the smallest in the building, and when the sun is out, it gets very hot with the southern exposure of the windows and the concrete sidewalk just outside our room–not to mention the 33 bodies!

The air quality is poor–the fumes from gas-powered mowers and leaf blowers, and the strong smell of cut grass, waft into the room–even with the windows closed, and there is an odor of soil that leaches from the 30 year-old carpet, in spite of its once a year shampooing.

A water leak through the ceiling and down one wall has left its mark, as well, and the flourescent overhead lights are placed in such a way that portions of the room are not well lit, and other spots are lit with a harsh glare.

And, yes, as a high school English teacher with 150 students and the attendant paperwork of essays, journals and reading logs for those 150 students, I could really use an efficient organization system and accessible storage.

I plan to teach for another 5 years before I retire, and it would be lovely to have a more comfortable, inviting environment for my students and me to enjoy.

Thank you for the opportunity to enter the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest.”

DF

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Diane Falk says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:55 pm

I have taught for 36 yrs.--almost all of them in older buildings with even older classroom furnishings! My students ...

I have taught for 36 yrs.–almost all of them in older buildings with even older classroom furnishings! My students and I would enjoy having new desks or tables to work on, and new chairs to sit on.

My classroom is one of the smallest in the building, and when the sun is out, it gets very hot with the southern exposure of the windows and the concrete sidewalk just outside our room–not to mention the 33 bodies!

The air quality is poor–the fumes from gas-powered mowers and leaf blowers, and the strong smell of cut grass, waft into the room–even with the windows closed, and there is an odor of soil that leaches from the 30 year-old carpet, in spite of its once a year shampooing.

A water leak through the ceiling and down one wall has left its mark, as well, and the flourescent overhead lights are placed in such a way that portions of the room are not well lit, and other spots are lit with a harsh glare.

And, yes, as a high school English teacher with 150 students and the attendant paperwork of essays, journals and reading logs for those 150 students, I could really use an efficient organization system and accessible storage.

I plan to teach for another 5 years before I retire, and it would be lovely to have a more comfortable, inviting environment for my students and me to enjoy.

Thank you for the opportunity to enter the “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest.”

Diane Falk

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Ria Galanos says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:49 pm

I'm moving to a new school in the fall after 11 years of being in my current classroom. While ...

I’m moving to a new school in the fall after 11 years of being in my current classroom. While I’m excited about my new school and the opportunities it will provide, I will be in a smaller classroom and most likely will have to float between two rooms. I’d love to be able to create an environment that looks put together and is nicely decorated. I will have to fun a way to easily transport my teaching materials and supplies between two classrooms. My students, their parents, and the entire school community would appreciate a classroom that is free of clutter, organized, colorful, and downright cool! Container Store – you are just the place to help me reach my goal!

A feeble attempt at a haiku,

Clutter, piles, be gone
Colors, magnets, bins, oh my!
Organization!

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Vickie Wong says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:42 pm

Reasons why I should be your "makeover" poster teacher: #1 I am organizationally challenged :P #2 After getting moved around ...

Reasons why I should be your “makeover” poster teacher:
#1 I am organizationally challenged
#2 After getting moved around different grade levels that last 4 years, I need a break from re-inventing myself and my classroom
#3 An organized classroom = organized mind =student achievement!
#4 Did I mention I am organizationally challenged?
#5 I am a hardworking teacher who will make your investment in my classroom count!!!

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Sarah Dalisky says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:38 pm

This summer we have to pack up our entire school so that our 105 year old building can get fresh ...

This summer we have to pack up our entire school so that our 105 year old building can get fresh paint, carpet, new plumbing, etc… It’s a lot of work to pack but even more to organize everything in the fall. I would love a classroom makeover so that my things look as good as the rest of the school in the fall. My hardest task during the year is staying organized once school is in full swing. Without easy ways to put things away, I tend to pile things up. I don’t want that in my newly remodeled room. Beautiful bins and other organizational systems would motivate me to put everything in it’s place.

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Laura Clarey says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:30 pm

I totally need a classroom makeover! I have purchased hundreds of books, supplies, and games for my classroom, and absolutely ...

I totally need a classroom makeover! I have purchased hundreds of books, supplies, and games for my classroom, and absolutely every single item is a different size and shape. It is nearly impossible to organize everything in a way that keeps items in “zones,” to fit things in the few cupboards and bookshelves provided, and create a cohesive, organized environment that is not visually distracting. I’ve attempted multiple times to organize, but I can’t afford to reorganize everything all at the same time and have a mishmash of different totes, bins, and drawers to show for my attempts. I would love so much to have a room makeover not only for my benefit, but for the benefit of my students. Clutter and random organization are so visually distracting for students, and can interfere with learning (especially for students who are easily distracted or have attention problems). My class next year already struggles with attention, organization, and making sufficient academic growth. Having a well-organized, cohesive classroom would not only make my job easier this fall, but it would also produce better learning success for my students. Thanks for considering my classroom!!!

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Rhonda Henderson says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:26 pm

I should win because I'm moving back to first grade after teaching 5th & 6th grade social studies. I ...

I should win because I’m moving back to first grade after teaching 5th & 6th grade social studies. I need all the organizing help I can get! Thanks!

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Denise McPeak says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:24 pm

I deserve to win a $1,000 Organized Teacher Makeover because I am a hard working teacher in a high school ...

I deserve to win a $1,000 Organized Teacher Makeover because I am a hard working teacher in a high school turned elementary school. Our school is not made for elementary students and teachers so it is hard to organize and contain all the stuff that is needed for an elementary classroom. I start the year with things pretty organized but as the year goes on it just fall apart.

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Anne Caputo says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:23 pm

I would love to have a classroom makeover for my kindergarten grade level. Kindergarten is so academic now but ...

I would love to have a classroom makeover for my kindergarten grade level. Kindergarten is so academic now but the kids still need time to use blocks, easel paint, and just play. Our 4 kindergarten classrooms are too small to hold the “fun stuff” so we are trying to set up a room at for all four classrooms to use during the week for this purpose. We teach full day kindergarten from 7:51-2:05. After 1:00 they need another outlet. We no longer have music, art, or any other out of classroom activities for the students. We as classroom teachers are it–every day, all day. We’re not complaining but we could use this resource.There is much research to support the brain development that occurs when young children participate in these types of activities. It’s also hard to teach 24 kids with too much stuff in the room. Students need a bright uncluttered environment in which to learn. This would give us the best of both worlds.

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Amy Ricca says:
June 8, 2012 at 10:03 pm

I am a first year teacher in Tucson, AZ and as much as I would LOVE $1,000 for a classroom ...

I am a first year teacher in Tucson, AZ and as much as I would LOVE $1,000 for a classroom organization makeover, I think my mom, Leslie, deserves it even more.
My mom has been teaching Kindergarten and First grade for over 20 years now. She was my inspiration in becoming a teacher myself. She, like most moms, has always been there for me and given me so much, love, support, advise, and encouragement.
However, needless to say, after 20 years of teaching she has accumulated A LOT of stuff. Her classroom is amazing and she comes up with the coolest ideas for the most simple objects. But while we are being honest, her classroom could use some help.
As I was helping her pack up her room at the end of this school year, we were moving all her construction paper and in the middle of it discovered a large supply of tissue paper. She smiled and said, “I knew I had tissue paper here somewhere!” I just laughed and thought to myself, “She has so much, and is so unorganized she doesn’t even know what she has anymore!”
I think she would EXTREMELY benefit from this makeover and she would be BEYOND excited to get her school life back in order. I got married a week ago and she helped me keep all that craziness in order, so I feel like, entering her in this competition is the least I can do in return.
Thanks so much for your consideration!
Amy Ricca

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Stephanie Harper says:
June 8, 2012 at 9:41 pm

I have a large classroom, but it has the STRANGEST layout. It's not a square, or a rectangle, it's ...

I have a large classroom, but it has the STRANGEST layout. It’s not a square, or a rectangle, it’s like an 8-sided polygon! Arranging furniture is always a challenge. I don’t have adequate built-in storage, and I have added my own hodge-podge of bookcases, tubs, and Sterilite containers. I just want a well-planned classroom that not only looks nice but is purposeful. Help me, please!

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Jamie Castano says:
June 8, 2012 at 9:31 pm

EDUCATION HAS TO CHANGE! and that is why we are opening Academy for Integrated Arts in the urban core of Kansas ...

EDUCATION HAS TO CHANGE!
and that is why we are opening Academy for Integrated Arts in the urban core of Kansas City! We are a new approach to education that will help challenge, inspire and encourage our youth on core subjects that are integrated with song, dance, pottery, drawing, plays etc. we are opening in August 2012. We believe we can teach students anywhere…so we are…In an old warehouse! We will create classrooms from cubbies and make shift dividers, we will share one large room with six classes of students. And no matter what “stuff” we have, I promise the teachers we have and the minds behind the charter will create a learning environment that will speak to our children and will allow them to use their minds to kearn in a way that they will be successful!
We would be honored to be apart of your giveaway. With your organization expertise and our creative minds imagine the workspace we could create for children!
Thank you in advance for your consideration!

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Dana Finne says:
June 8, 2012 at 8:54 pm

I am a middle school teacher in an urban school district. Next year I will be teaching 3 brand new ...

I am a middle school teacher in an urban school district. Next year I will be teaching 3 brand new subjects and I’m already stressed about how I will keep all the different materials organized in one classroom! I will have science lab equipment, Project Lead the Way engineering supplies and tools and social studies resources all in one classroom. I would love your help organizing all of my materials and resources so that my I am better able to present quality and valuable lessons to my students and so that my students are able to feel safe and comfortable in my classroom.

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Alycin Slezak says:
June 8, 2012 at 8:41 pm

I am an art teacher at Maple Avenue Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. I see roughly 500 students ...

I am an art teacher at Maple Avenue Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. I see roughly 500 students a week!! I also shuffle back and forth between our main building and our annex. Keeping track of my students project is quite a task. It’s so important to be organized, I only see my students for 50 minutes once a week, so if I’m wasting time looking for their projects or trying to find supplies that are needed for the current project my students are losing valuable art making time. I also have very limited room, when projects a drying from an earlier class and my next class comes in, I need to organize projects that are drying with supplies for my current class and sometimes it becomes very challenging… even a mess! An art room has A LOT of stuff… and a lot of stuff to be organized.

Teaching art takes a lot of planning, prepping, and organizing. MY ART ROOM NEEDS the container store HELP!!!

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Katy F. says:
June 8, 2012 at 8:40 pm

I am a Middle School Technology Education teacher. What is tech ed? Remember shop class from middle and ...

I am a Middle School Technology Education teacher. What is tech ed? Remember shop class from middle and high school? I have THAT room. I have a classroom, a woods lab (that is now just used as a place to build crazy contraptions), a small office, and THREE storage rooms. I just finished my first year of teaching and am STILL attempting to clean up and organize “my lair” as we call it. Actually…I am still finding random stuff in my storage rooms that I had no idea was even back there and sometimes, I don’t even know what it is. Middle schoolers are not particularly known for being neat creatures, especially when a majority of those middlers are boys.

On top of just finishing my first year (as of June 7th), I am getting married on June 23rd to the man of my dreams (who just so happened to go to the school that I work at!). As much as I want to stay in my classrooms all summer long making it even more perfect for my kiddos, that won’t be happening any time soon. Please help! I am absolutely in LOVE with this store…designed, bought & installed a custom master closet for the future-hubby & I plus I am registered at the Container Store. The Container Store is my weakness!!

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Susan Lambert says:
June 8, 2012 at 8:39 pm

Being a public school teacher I save everything. I might just need it , a student might need ...

Being a public school teacher I save everything. I might just need it , a student might need it, a fellow teacher could use it, I could turn it into something someone needs!! It’s an occupational hazard. In my school I wear many hats. My job is to secure employment learning situations for students in their chosen vocational program. To that end there is an endless amount of paperwork that needs to be organized and filed and yet accessable on a regular basis. Having access to some creative and well designed organizational materials would make it easier for me to serve these students and their needs more efficiently. I also organize the safety training for the whole student body, run a skills club and decorate 20 bulletin boards. Keeping the related materials for these different responsibilities separated and organized will allow me to get more done for each student. Different file colors, tabs for reminders, tabs for signatures, seperate areas of my office for each major responsibility. I could use some major organizing help to do my job more efficiently. Thanks for your support for all teachers.

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Lisa Baer says:
June 8, 2012 at 8:30 pm

I am a homeschool mom of 4! I teach co-op classes from my home throughout the week! I love what ...

I am a homeschool mom of 4! I teach co-op classes from my home throughout the week! I love what I do and I LOVE organization! I do my best to lead by example and pass along the importance of organization to kids at a young age! I am blessed to share my home with kids aged 4-14. Organization is so important for my sanity! I want nothing more than for my classroom to be an amazing place for both study and calm because everything is in its place! I throw my money into excellent curricula for the many students I have coming through the classroom every week – this contest is an awesome blessing! Thanks!

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MARY JO GARDERE says:
June 8, 2012 at 7:38 pm

ARt Mommasita's aRt aSyLuM in Major Disarray! Art Mommasita has a huge problem: Where can she even begin to organize ...

ARt Mommasita’s aRt aSyLuM in Major Disarray!

Art Mommasita has a huge problem: Where can she even begin to organize and store all of the art supplies in an artroom that was built with no intention of being a Kinder-fifth grade artroom? There is NO storage at all other than one storage cabinet. She does have some Elfa shelving that her husband won in a fishing tournament and donated to the aRt aSyLuM, but this shelving is already filled up, stacked high, with no more room. Having SOME Elfa shelving only makes Art Mommasita want more Container Store help to clear all the clutter and get organized!

Art Momma is a bulk trash day, dumpster-diving, Dollar Store Diva! She has to be a courageous and crafty hoarder because when you teach six different grade levels, and 400+ students, there is never enough money, equipment, materials and/or supplies to truly teach art. Art Mommasita has spent the first weekend of the summer shopping estate sales, and has also found some really great stuff sitting curbside. All these new art materials will be added to the already disorganized and stuffed aRt aSyLuM.

Art Mommasita also spent the last day of school, plus two more days packing up 45 plastic crates of books and art stuff that will be moved to the new, (supposedly) larger aRt aSyLuM. Just because the new aRt aSyLuM is (supposedly) bigger doesn’t mean it is big enough. It’s NOT. How is Art Mommasita going to fit all the tables, stools, equipment, art supplies and 24+ art students into the already too small, cramped and cluttered new aRt aSyLuM? How will Art Mommasita organize all of the materials, have room to prep for changing classes every 45 minutes, and then store art projects for twelve different art classes?
Oh…If only The Container Store would come to Art Mommasita’s rescue and help create the most unbelievably uncluttered, outrageously organized,and awesome eye-popping aRt aSyLuM ever!

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Dana Reeves says:
June 8, 2012 at 7:20 pm

I am a military spouse who has taught for 10 years in 7 different states. Each time we move, ...

I am a military spouse who has taught for 10 years in 7 different states. Each time we move, I pack up everything and reshuffle it all to fit into whatever classroom I’m hired to teach in our new location. This past year, we were scheduled to move overseas, so I gave EVERYTHING away, down to my last dry erase marker, as opposed to having it sit in storage for a few years. Wouldn’t you know, our orders changed and we moved within the U.S.!?!?!?! Sooooo, I am having to rebuild my entire stock from the ground up. As a Container Store junkie, I would be so pleased with anything to help me, help my students.

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Vicky Tillman says:
June 8, 2012 at 7:08 pm

I would love, and desperately need, a classroom makeover. I am moving to third grade from kindergarten into a 40+ ...

I would love, and desperately need, a classroom makeover. I am moving to third grade from kindergarten into a 40+ year old building. The room hasn’t been used for a while and before school got out I was able to go through and clean out some things that were being stored. Ugh! It is so ugly! Old tan tile and cabinets and shelves that are nearly useless. What makes it more depressing is one of the buildings in my school is being completely remodeled this summer, the pre k and kindergarten building is only six years old, and the other rooms in my building were remodeled a couple of years ago. My room and the teacher’s room next to me were not remodeled then because they were not being used as classrooms then. Therefore, she and I will have the ugliest rooms in the school!

Moving from kindergarten to third means I have to re-think how I organize everything from records to teaching materials. Not only that, but ALL students deserve a clean, organized space in which to learn….

….and because the Container Store is favorite store in the world and I really wish you would open one in Chattanooga so I could shop there more often!

Thank you!
Vicky Tillman
Third Grade Teacher
Davis Elementary, Trenton, Georgia

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Alison King says:
June 8, 2012 at 7:06 pm

I am a counselor in an inner city school in Knoxville, Tn. I help coordinate donations of school supplies, food, ...

I am a counselor in an inner city school in Knoxville, Tn. I help coordinate donations of school supplies, food, clothing, you name it for over 700 students. There are some days my office looks like a bomb went off! All of those items are stored, piled up, stacked, thrown all over. A make over would help me organize all of the items I keep that my students and teachers need through out the year. Thank you for this opportunity!

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Diane Brennan says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:43 pm

I am a second year teacher, first year in a classroom this coming school year. I taught computer skills ...

I am a second year teacher, first year in a classroom this coming school year. I taught computer skills as a special class last year. I have had to take the other teachers things and hopefully put together a classroom with that. I also had to move classrooms since getting all my “belongings”, so everything is pushed against the walls until we can get back in this summer after cleaning is done. I could definitely use some help organizing my classroom to be ready for a great year!

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Kelly Hutchison says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:39 pm

I would love to be considered for the classroom makeover. After 46 years as a school, the school I ...

I would love to be considered for the classroom makeover. After 46 years as a school, the school I work at, Bryant Elementary, is now closing. We have been preparing hard to pack and move everything, along with normal end of the year activities. Forty-six years of materials is a lot to go through! I’ve found things hidden that I’ve never seen in my 5 years here as a teacher. I even discarded a game that had a date on it from 1971- ten years before even I was born! I would love the chance to start fresh with many organizational tool in the new classroom that I will be teaching in next year. I believe it is extremely important to have an organized, inviting classroom environment and want to provide that for my students next year in a new classroom. Thank you!

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Meredith White says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:18 pm

I need help staying organized! Organization does not come naturally to me, I'm a bit of a cluttered person which ...

I need help staying organized! Organization does not come naturally to me, I’m a bit of a cluttered person which would probably be okay if I wasn’t a teacher. I have over 100 students and most of them expect me to be organized enough for the both of us. I am the first to admit to colleagues and supervisors that it’s an area I need to improve on. I get tips and ideas from other teachers but I feel like I don’t have the resources to actually put the plan into action. Help!

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Robin Thompson says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:07 pm

I am a kindergarten teacher getting back into the classroom after a year of being gone. Last May my ...

I am a kindergarten teacher getting back into the classroom after a year of being gone. Last May my dear husband was deployed and I needed to stay home with our 2 year old and new baby. After a long year, my family is all back together and I am going back to work in kindergarten this coming August. I love to teach kindergarten. My room has always had a lot of centers and places for the students to play and learn. I have had the chance to see my room for next year and there really isn’t any storage for the students to use for centers games or art projects. I am ready to make a new start and have an organized classroom that is functional and pretty; a place that the students will look foward to coming to every day.

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Laura Kelley says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:03 pm

Our school is starting this new school year with a new name because of restructuring. Our new school, Fulton Acadamy ...

Our school is starting this new school year with a new name because of restructuring. Our new school, Fulton Acadamy of Excellence, will open with 97% children of poverty, 98% English language learners and students who are more than 4 years below grade level. Despite the challenges, the students and staff will embarque on a journey to bring experiental learning to life for 550 students.

I teach 4th grade ( all subjects) and I have challenges organizing all of the student learning centers and materials used by the students. I have taught for 11 years, and yet I still find it very difficult to make kid friendly spots and make the room neat yet a productivelace to get work done.
My students will need access to many products each minute they are in school; I need your help making my room centered around their learning.

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Penny Catanzaro says:
June 8, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Being a homeschooling parent means that my dining room is used a both an eating area, and a classroom. ...

Being a homeschooling parent means that my dining room is used a both an eating area, and a classroom. First thing in the morning, it is breakfast, then after a quick clearing wiping and sweeping, it is transformed into a classroom. Books are strewn across the table as a variety of ages are taught. Before long, the books are relegated to end tables as we prep for lunch. After we fuel our bodies with food, we resume schooling and fuel our brains with knowledge. Ending the school day we replace our books, schooling materials and anything else we’ve used in a variety of bins and containers, so that once again our dining can be used for dining. Our classroom is in a sense, a multi-purpose room, and definitely reflects that as school books and bins cover a variety of surfaces in our dining room. A classroom makeover would enable us to create an organized school materials area where everything is easily accessible and functional.

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Sheree Daily says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:57 pm

Winning this contest could be great for both teachers and students in my building. Having taught for over two decades in ...

Winning this contest could be great for both teachers and students in my building.

Having taught for over two decades in a school district which is REALLY budget conscious has made me a pack rat. But, I share my collection of gathered manipulatives and resource books with many teachers in my building who borrow supplies from my cupboards during the course of each school year. These items could use some serious organizing.

Every spring we do final locker clean outs, and I witness so many students throwing out NEW supplies! Knowing that I often give students pencils, paper, calculators and folders, I decided to do something proactive. I share with my pupils that some supplies they “borrow” during the year are donated by past studentx. I tell them that I would love for them to take supplies home to use in the fall. However, donating to my “recycle” box would be a great alternative to the trash can. I categorize all their donations on my counter and have fellow teachers gather items for their class rooms. I then found an unused set of cabinets in a teacher workroom to place all the left over supplies for use during future school days. Together we have helped many children “organize” themselves into better students utilizing these supplies.

Imagine how wonderful it would be to have The Container Store’s organized teacher help to TRULY organize these supplies for the students in my class room and potentially the students throughout my building with a $1000 makeover!

Thank you for this opportunity.

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Elaine Algarra says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:56 pm

I am a high school art teacher. I am currently expecting twins and will have a substitute teacher a few ...

I am a high school art teacher. I am currently expecting twins and will have a substitute teacher a few weeks after school starts. I really need to get organized, I teach approx. 130 students a day, five different courses and I am in need of better organization so that my students are able to succeed and find things with ease when I am away. I have previously purchased some items at The Container Store and love what they have to offer. I admit I am not the tidiest of people, maybe it is the creative artist in me and I could certainly use some help from you. Thank you for considering me.

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Barbara Doucette says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:42 pm

Teaching in a middle school science lab means that I have many items to keep organized. We use lots ...

Teaching in a middle school science lab means that I have many items to keep organized. We use lots of craft supplies to create models. There are toothpicks, bottles of food coloring and hundreds of other small items that need a place and cabinets that need labels. My storage is made up of open shelving in the prep room with cabinets and drawers in the classroom. It would be my dream to have many clear containers to organize and label so every thing would fit neatly and be easy to find. : )

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Heather Smith-Vanduan says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:29 pm

Hello, I have been a Special Education Educator for 4 years now and have always shared a classroom with several other ...

Hello,
I have been a Special Education Educator for 4 years now and have always shared a classroom with several other lovely coworkers. It has been a joy to work with so many people while serving our most special children, however logistically, it’s been a little bit of a challenge. Besides figuring out how to best reach our children we’ve got to figure out how best to merge our things…..Organization? Forget about it! I would love to be able to start fresh for not only myself, but for my coworkers as well as the children. I think this would be the best way. Please consider us for the room makeover!

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Allyson Ritger says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:23 pm

I teach creative writing online, which means that my classroom is my home office! I need an organizational system for ...

I teach creative writing online, which means that my classroom is my home office! I need an organizational system for files, books, etc. Being able to find excerpts, quotes, etc., is what helps me keep my college students inspired and informed. The virtual classroom still needs help!

Thanks for this opportunity!
Allyson

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Nicole Robertson says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:20 pm

So. Much. Paper. I am a middle school writing teacher and trying to keep students' notebooks, multiple drafts of essays, and ...

So. Much. Paper.

I am a middle school writing teacher and trying to keep students’ notebooks, multiple drafts of essays, and homework assignments for multiple classes all organized is really a challenge. here in Chicago we have very little funding for storage and the shelving units that I have are either broken, breaking, or mismatched. Keeping everything where students can find it is one of the keys to keeping easily distracted middle schoolers on track. I could really use some help!

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Camille Lechnir says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:18 pm

I am a special education teacher in a building that is very crowded and consequently we do not have enough ...

I am a special education teacher in a building that is very crowded and consequently we do not have enough rooms for “non-classrom” teachers. As a result I have been moved at least 6 times in our time in this building. This year we will have three teachers and eight adults in one classroom. Organization will be key since we have to share one space. A Container Store classroom makeover would be the best thing that could happen to me! It would really help me to stay organized in a small space and get the new school year off to a great start!

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LuAnn Garrett says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:17 pm

I am so need a classroom makeover. This fall I am moving from 5th to 3rd grade. Talk ...

I am so need a classroom makeover. This fall I am moving from 5th to 3rd grade. Talk about a cultural change. Not to mention, I am also moving classrooms. The classroom I am moving into is exactly HALF the size of the one I was currently in and has HALF of the storage that I had in my “old” room. Also, I have the honor of gaining the supplies left by the retiring 3rd grade teacher of 34 years. I have no idea where everything she left combined with everything I am bring from my 18 years of teaching is going to fit in a classroom that is half the size with half the storage. YIKES!! I am overwhelmed and worried about what to do. PLEASE consider me for this classroom makeover.

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Stephanie Miguez says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:15 pm

I am first grade teacher who is constantly struggling to stay organized so that my classroom can run more smoothly. ...

I am first grade teacher who is constantly struggling to stay organized so that my classroom can run more smoothly. I have failed in my many attempts to achieve an inviting and smooth flowing room. I have only one area in my room where I can display work. I have 3 file cabinets, one large cabinet three book cases, a center rolling cart, an easel ,a library book cart, a horseshoe table, a computer work station, a multi media cart, a writing station, a listening station, and a horseshoe shaped table for small group instruction. This does not even include the 23 students I have had every year.
I have so much “stuff,” that I often forget what I have because it is stuffed away in a cabinet. I have the additional problem of being a Bilingual classroom which requires me to have twice the number of text books, library books, leveled readers ect… that the regular teachers have. I would love to have my classroom made over so that my students would feel that our room was an enjoyable and productive room to be in every day. I want to make my room an inviting, and relaxing environment for all of us.

Thanks you for your consideration.

Stephanie Miguez

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Charlotte Ballard says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:15 pm

I am a librarian in a middle school. I teach many subjects in collaboration with teachers. I started ...

I am a librarian in a middle school. I teach many subjects in collaboration with teachers. I started a library three years ago. For the first year, I did not have enough budget money to even buy file folders. I have an old building with horrendous color combinations from the 1960′s. My lower cabinets are avacado green and my upper cabinets are gold. None have dividers. I store office supplies, decorations (some large), audio-visual equipment and materials, supplies for students, budget supplies, financial records, magazines and journals, book repair supplies, CD’s and DVD’s, books, TV’s and projectors, kitchen items, and lesson materials for research, for students, for teaching, and handouts for students and pamphlets for parents. My metal cabinets are banged up, some are putty colored, some are black, and spray painted with names of former schools. It has been a challenge to put my hands on materials when a class comes because I have little time to prepare since I have to run two libraries. (The other is newer and easier to work in.) The only tools that help are ones that I bought from your store, but I cannot afford to buy any more. I want to make a work station for my students to be able to find supplies for projects also.

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Sharon stokes says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:08 pm

I nominate Corinne Welsh of Haddonfield Memorial High School. Corinne teaches English and has so many notes and files on ...

I nominate Corinne Welsh of Haddonfield Memorial High School. Corinne teaches English and has so many notes and files on the books she teaches. She is always grabbing a newspaper clipping or magazine article to illustrate a point. But she is also a yearbook advisor and local association president – 3 jobs in 1 poorly furnished classroom. Corinne has been taking hand me downs and needs organization badly!!

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Jennifer says:
June 8, 2012 at 5:00 pm

I have been teaching in public school for over 16 years. My love of literature is apparent when you enter ...

I have been teaching in public school for over 16 years. My love of literature is apparent when you enter my classroom. I have more books then iI know what to do with. Keeping track of what I have and what is boxed away is a task I struggle with every September when I return to school. I need help organizing!

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Monika Powell says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:57 pm

This has been my first year teaching health education. I spent the whole summer planning and imagining how I will ...

This has been my first year teaching health education. I spent the whole summer planning and imagining how I will teach. When I toured the school I was shown a big and bright room…well when I arrived back in August I was given a dirty, dingy portable classroom that was not even fully furnished. The walls were dirty gray with smuges, staples and fingerprints all over the room. Used desks that I was given came in multiple sizes, shapes and colors. I spent the whole year covering the ugly walls with student’s work. I’ve had 2 closets, that were mostly taken by supplies for the entire department, and my desk was piling up with stuff the whole year, with nowhere to go. Today I removed everything from the walls, and when my students entered the room they could not believe it was the same place. In August I’m bringing my own can of paint, and at least painiting the walls clean. Winning this contest would be great because I would get a chance to get help from a professional organizer and welcome the kids to a brand new “healthy” environment.

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Liz Gelotte says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:44 pm

I have been teaching for 26 years and accumulated a lot teaching materials, curriculum, artifacts, posters, math materials, science equipment, ...

I have been teaching for 26 years and accumulated a lot teaching materials, curriculum, artifacts, posters, math materials, science equipment, books, books, and more books! The list goes on and on. Now I been told that I will be moving my room downstairs to a new location. This room is smaller, and does not have a closet. Storage space does not exist. I currently have many bookshelves which will not be the case in my new location. My old space had carpeting and this room does not. I had tons of natural light in my old space and this room does not have a lot of natural light. There are three corners and one diagonal wall. It is an unusual space. I am most worried about STORAGE of my materials as well as storage materials that should be easily accessed by the students. There is not a sink in this room. I am currently teaching grade 4. Please help me with my storage concerns.

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Suzanne Ross says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:42 pm

I am the Library / Technology Specialist at Park Glen Elementary School (K-5) in Fort Worth, Texas. Our library ...

I am the Library / Technology Specialist at Park Glen Elementary School (K-5) in Fort Worth, Texas. Our library is the place that serves everyone in the school. Whole classes, individual students, teachers, adminstrators, and parents come in. I am trying to make the library into a place which encourages reading and the use of technology. I have grabbed many different containers to try to create different highlight book bins. We have recycled containers to hold papers and other resources for activities and old boxes to create library displays. Also, our library has the District’s Traveling Museums. We are expanding them but due to limited funds, I have been very creative in finding unique display holders for the many different artifacts. I have gone to the Container Store and purchased a few with my personal funds and wished I could get more. I deserve to win so I could purchase additional containers for our Traveling Museums, and create a more attractive and organized library environment for our school community.

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Gina Law says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:32 pm

With at least 28 students in a classroom at any one time, I need the students to be self sufficient ...

With at least 28 students in a classroom at any one time, I need the students to be self sufficient and to find things efficiently! With so many desks and not much room for cabinets, I really need a way to organize students in group activities and utilize the shelves and “out of the box” storage ideas. I need to be able to access items efficiently because with 30 bodies in my small room, sometimes you can not get to a cabinet quickly or easily. I would love for my clasroom to look for put together and easier for my students to access items. Especially my special education students really need ease and organization of materials.

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Susan Taylor says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:18 pm

Teaching social studies for 23 years one accumulates a lot of stuff. I have approximately 100 sets of textbooks. ...

Teaching social studies for 23 years one accumulates a lot of stuff. I have approximately 100 sets of textbooks. (each set has 5 books) I have maps, posters, globes, crayons, markers, construction paper, pencils & pens, hall passes, library passes, a rainforest, (yes, a rainforest!) games, books, cleaning supplies, chalk, etc, etc, etc……. This is a good thing, however, I have a hodge podge of boxes, bins, cans, and bookshelves keeping it all “away.” It isn’t a great system….it isn’t even a good system, really. With 97 students, it got a little crazy keeping papers coming in from papers going back. Next year my roster jumps to at least 160 students.
I fear the system will fail!
Yes, I need a classroom makeover! Thanks so much.
Susan Taylor

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Erin Fennema says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:14 pm

This year, I'm not only moving to a new grade level, but I'll be "looping" with my class. I ...

This year, I’m not only moving to a new grade level, but I’ll be “looping” with my class. I had such a wonderful year with my students in first grade and I want to make second grade just as memorable for them. It is important for my students to feel that the upcoming year is new and different…but I’m worried I will be buying a lot of new things to make that happen. A classroom makeover would help me to organize materials for the new grade level and set up exciting center options for my students. I’m already anticipating a wonderful year with them and I would love to see their reactions in a bright, newly organized classroom when we reunite again in the fall. Thank you, Container Store!

Sincerely,
Erin Fennema

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Ron C. says:
June 8, 2012 at 4:08 pm

My wife is a 5th grade teacher in Northern California and she is the most organized person I've ever met. ...

My wife is a 5th grade teacher in Northern California and she is the most organized person I’ve ever met. She makes full use of her organizational skills in her classroom, and even goes out of her way to teach her chidren how to organize their backpacks, notebooks, and study areas at home. My wife believes that being organized can help chidren learn more effectively and productively. She also believes that having a classroom that is neatly organized and free of the usual clutter common to most classrooms shows kids how to have respect for their learning environment.

At the start of every school year, my wife shows her kids how to organize their school supplies, then makes frequent spot checks throughout the year to ensure the kids are keeping their backpacks and notebooks clean and properly organized. She teaches them the value of purging what they don’t need and creating systems for quickly locating what they do need.

She has designated zones for storing the books and office supplies the kids use every day, and makes cetain her kids treat these things with respect. They are expected to put things back where they came from and to leave things neater than they found them. She also provides each child with a pencil case that contains all of the things they need throughout the

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Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!

434 responses to “Organized Teacher Makeover Contest!”