How to ensure I don't spend every waking moment of my life doing schoolprep!

Today's post is about something very close to my heart, and something that I struggle with almost every day: HOW to be a great teacher without sacrificing family time. I'll be honest, it's a fine line between getting it right and getting it horribly wrong. I am no expert... But since cutting down my working week to just two days and job sharing, I've picked up a few tricks and I thought I'd share them with you!

1. Keep marking to a minimum 

It's really important to mark work and some schools can be particularly strict on how often work is marked. But there are ways to get it done without taking tubs of books home every afternoon. First of all, marking work together as a class is a great way for students to be accountable to their own learning as well as cutting down your workload. However, marking as a class isn't alway feasible, and so that's why I created these amazing stamps with Vistaprint. I created a stack of different stamps so that I'm not always writing the same thing over and over. If you wait for a sale, you can get the stamps for a bargain.

2. Use your release time efficiently

I have always wasted my release time by prioritising my work badly. I've spent the time "catching up" rather than getting ahead. I only have one hour of release now, so I have to use my time wisely. Instead of going down to the staff room and potentially getting caught in a conversation with a colleague, I spend my first half hour marking and my second half hour photocopying and borrowing resources ready for the next week. So that when I come in on a Monday morning, I can ease my way back into work.

3. Have split up booklets organised for sick days so that students are still on task

Split Up days happen. It's unfortunately the way life is for teachers nowadays. Because I job share, there's a higher chance that my colleague or I have to take a day off. So we created 'Split Up Booklets' that are stored in an easily found tote tray for those days when one of us can't make it in and the school can't get a casual teacher in time. The booklet contains work that can be completed independently, however, is still keeping the class on task. STEM activities are great ideas for Split Up Booklets. Blank templates for planning and writing as well as spelling activities that cater towards different spelling lists are also great activities. I've put a couple of images below of our current Split Up Booklet below.

4. Use your diary well

This one is pretty self explanatory and links in with my second point. Write important details down and then remember to check your diary. I like to plan out what I need to do before and after school so that I make the most of my time. I also try to do jobs as soon as possible so that I don't forget to do them. Rip it off like a bandaid. 

I created a couple of different planning templates for you to download and use. I like to print them off in advance and bound it ready for the term. Click on the images to download the templates.

5. Keep parents up to date with what's happening regularly so that you don't have to spend your whole lunch break chasing them up

I've mentioned this point in a previous blog post… I highly recommend using ClassDojo! It has an amazing messenger tool where you can directly message parents. It's a great way to keep constant dialogue open between school and home. A quick message here and there is far easier than a long phone call.

6. Look after your own wellbeing… 

Make sure you make an appearance in the staff room. Don't always diet. Have a laugh. Say thank you to others. Ask people about their weekends. A happy workplace is a productive workplace.

7. Give yourself a pat on the back sometimes…

And ask yourself what went well rather than what went wrong.

8. Keep things digital and back up your USB regularly. 

I think every teacher has had a moment where they've had to search for a resource that they've put in a "safe place" and then they couldn't find it when they've needed it. Times have changed... There's no need for hard copies of every worksheet... It's time to get digital! Then you can access documents from home or school. 

My colleague and I have gone digital with our program too. We're using 'One Drive' but there's so many sharing platforms out nowadays. Google Docs is a great tool for working documents and there's lots of programming apps out there too. Check out iDoceo! 

Make sure your USB is organised. Label files and documents appropriately so that you can easily find them when you need them. I can't tell you how many times I've had to recreate a worksheet or PowerPoint presentation because I couldn't find the original one I made. We do not have time to reinvent the wheel let alone recreate things because they're lost! 

And remember to BACK EVERYTHING UP!

9. Have students assess their own work and teach them to be accountable for their own learning.

I've been using these little checklists for a while now. They're great for seeing which students understand and which students could have worked harder.

I also like to get my students to mark their own work where possible. By doing this, you're not only saving your own personal time but you're teaching them to be accountable to their own learning. I think it's important for them to be apart of the process. So mark homework as a class. Mark pre and post tests together. Get them to calculate their score and figure out whether they've improved. 

10. Stop being a Perfectionist!

There's just no time and perfectionism isn't always attainable. Just do your best!!

Returning to Teaching from Maternity Leave

I haven't been writing much lately and that's because in October 2014, I found out that I was pregnant after two years of "trying". Earlier that year I was diagnosed with PCOS and so through diet, exercise and metformin, I was able to successfully fall pregnant.

I took an entire year off from work once I had my bub, but I have now returned in a part-time capacity. I'm only working two days… and I've come to realise that two days is really tricky. Two days away from my little boy seems like FOREVER, and yet when I'm at work, two days is far too short to get everything done. It's also hard because while you're part-time, you're sometimes expected to program and do work like that of someone working a full load.

Anyway, my first day back was horrendous. I had to firstly find something that fit my new, squishy body. I then had to find my handbag, a USB and a pen to write with. On my way to work I had to fight back the tears because I knew once I got started, I'd never stop. When I finally arrived it was a Staff Development Day… WHICH WAS AWESOME because I thought I could acclimatise to everything. But then I was hit with "pedagogy" and "theories" and "PDPs" and all of these new acronyms I had never heard of before.

Image taken from BuzzFeed.com

I felt out of my depth.

I've been back to work for seven weeks now and I'm happy to say that my brain is starting to work again. Terms are coming back to me and so is my confidence (although it's still got a little while to go). Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to update my THRASS and spelling resources. I will share my ideas here with you all -- so watch this space.

I will also be sharing a stack of ATSI websites/ resources and interactives that I have found whilst on Mat Leave just in time for NAIDOC week.

And finally I will be sharing my TOP EIGHT TIPS for heading back to teaching from Maternity Leave.

So keep an eye out for my new posts and feel free to comment below with you 'back to work from maternity leave' story. Surely I'm not the only one who found it difficult???

What should I actually spend my money on?

I ask myself this question every year! 

Some years the answer is simple as I have more money in my pocket and less reservations about spending. But lately, I've found it harder and harder to part with cash. It was ok at first… kind of a novelty. However now it feels like I'm constantly spending my money on things, and it's not always worth it. So I've compiled a list of things I BELIEVE that you should spend your money on. Anything outside of this list I would have to seriously question whether or not I'd actually need it. Let's face it… we've all splurged on resources thinking that they will change teaching for us, only for them to be put on a shelf and forgotten about.

The back to school shopping list:

1. A Diary (doesn't matter what type… this is a necessity)
2. Pens/Pencils/Erasers/Rulers/Sharpeners, etc (ONLY if your school does not provide these items). I usually buy a stash for those "just in case" moments and I like to have new stationery for myself… it's kind of therapeutic.
3. A USB (if you don't already have one)
4. A new folder for your program
5. Laminating pouches (we all use them!!)
6. Velcro/Blu-Tac/Thumb Tacs (again only if your school does not provide these items)
7. Soap/Paper Towel/Tissues (I usually get my students to bring in these, but it's nice to have one lot ready to go for the new year)
8. WHITEBOARD markers (my school provides these but they're always hard to get your hands on!!)

Other than these eight things… everything else you spend your money on MUST REQUIRE a lot more thought before handing over the credit card.

Remember that your school does supply you with stationery (obviously each school is slightly different), you can borrow books and other resources from your school library and even your local library. I'm fortunate enough to live close the the Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre which has stacks of resources that teachers can borrow.

What to eat?

The question most of us ask ourselves each morning is 'what will I take for lunch today?' 

I absolutely hate planning meals. I hate organising them of a morning but I especially hate eating garbage because I didn't make the time to organise my lunch. There's nothing worse than sitting down in the staff room to eat your packet food to then smell the beautiful aroma of someone else's lunch. Try adding being pregnant to that you've got yourself one crazy teacher.

Now I'm no expert at this… but I hoped that by doing a bit of research for someone else, that I would be able to find the motivation to get my butt into gear.

I've found a couple of great blogs/ posts from ladies across the world who have come up with inspiring lunch options. Not all of these ladies are teachers, or even pregnant, but their ideas are so usable… anyone can do it!

The first blog is titled Pregnant Girl Diet and it's written by a lady named Kari Burghardt. I particularly like how she pushed the need to drink water and introduced the idea of a 'Snack Pack' (see left). I'm going to give the water bottle idea a go… I like how she chopped up strawberries, limes and pears and put them in her water bottle. I only wonder how long the fruit will last?

The second is a post titled 50 Pregnancy Meal Ideas from the Fit to be Pregnant blog. This blog post gives numerous meal ideas and has a section dedicated to snacks. However, most of these meals require a significant amount of prepping. I may take a recipe or two from this blog… but not all.

The third and final post I'd like to mention is 5 Tips for Safe, Healthy Lunches while Pregnant which is from the Fox in Flats blog. This blog post does exactly what it says… it gives you great tips for safe, healthy lunches. The five tips are:

1. Make your own
2. Invest in some good quality lunch containers
3. Keep it chilled
4. Serve hot things HOT
5. Try and focus on what you CAN eat

Simple tips, however, absolutely necessary!

This term, I'm going to make my own lunches. Healthy, yet tasty meals that very rarely include sandwiches. I will post some of my favourite lunches over the next couple of weeks.

Oh and remember… good quality doesn't always mean expensive! 

Sometimes you'll just need to look around and maybe do some research before you buy. I was able to pick up these cheap BPA FREE containers and this 1.6L BPA FREE drink bottle from ALDI the other day. They were on special and I cannot wait to use them when I go back to work!

Simple ideas to make my job easier!

I am a massive fan of VISTA Print. Particularly when they're having a huge sale. Two years ago I decided to make some business cards which simply said 'A note from Mrs Sellen'. Simple idea right? Well I have used them almost every day of the past two years. On these cards I can send home simple reminders about notes that are due in to school, and I can also send home little notes to parents about how well their child has been doing in class. The kids love them. The parents love them. And they're so simple.

I originally got this idea off PINTEREST (where all good ideas come from) and I've modified it slightly to better suit my classroom.

Here is the original idea (click on the image to head straight to Pinterest):

Here is what my modified version looks like:

If you are lucky enough to get a really great deal from VISTA Print, you might get 250 of these for free. This time round I paid $9.99 for them. As I mentioned before, they've lasted me two years so it is definitely worth the investment.

This year as I'm going on Maternity Leave I decided to make a bunch of labels (in the same design) to stick to the things that belong to me that I will most probably leave behind. Teaching can be quite expensive and I don't really want to buy a lot of these resources again. So for $9.99 I bought 140 labels with my name on it, so that I can mark my belongings (I will be taking a lot of things home too). 

Here's what my labels look like:

It should take about 7 days for them to arrive as I just got standard shipping… but I can't wait! I want this transition into Maternity Leave to be as smooth as possible!

WOW where did the year go?

It seems to be that time of year again where I find myself freaking out about the year ahead and my list of "things to do" keeps growing. 

It has been almost a year since my last post. As you can imagine, the year fills up and you find yourself drowning in various commitments. 2014 was a HUGE year for me. I had a great time teaching Year 5 and I also had a great year personally. I found out in September that I will be expecting a bundle of joy in May 2015 and so my priorities around work and life have shifted dramatically.

I will be going back to work for 2015, however, this time I will only be working for one term. Over the next couple of weeks I will share how I've set up my classroom spending the least amount of money as possible and how I will hand-over my class to someone I haven't even met yet. I want to be kind to this next teacher, but I also don't want to do their whole job for them. It will be a balancing act. BUT I already have a plan and *fingers crossed* it works :)

Like any year it's important to start the year off with a diary. For me, this choice was far harder than usual as I will only be working for one term. I needed a diary that would suit me in my professional and personal life. So this year I decided to go with a kikki.K A4 Weekly Leather Diary. It's a weekly diary (which I love) and it has plenty of space to write down notes and anecdotal comments from the teaching day. There is also a significant amount of space for the weekends (the most important days of the week) and it has monthly planners. Click on the image of the diary to be redirected for the kikki.K website. If you buy from the store, they also throw in a free pen. I LOVE BARGAINS! 

That's it for now… I will be back shortly with MORE amazing Back to School ideas! 

10 Tips to Help You Survive a Year of Teaching.

I have been teaching for almost four years, and while I do not claim to have all of the answers, I have complied a list of all of the things I wish someone told me. That first year in particular, can be a doozie with germs, flus, bad eating habits and poor fitness. Actually, until a positive change happens, these bad habits can go on for years. I don't claim to be perfect... in actual fact I still struggle with a lot of these areas myself. But hopefully we can all work at it together to make better versions of ourselves.

Unfortunately for those International Readers, a lot of these suggestions include products that can only be found on Australian shelves. Hopefully you can find some substitutions.

1. Drink Plenty of Water!

It's really important to drink plenty of water. According to Better Health, women should be drinking 2.1 litres of water A DAY. I don't know about you, but I think thats is A LOT of water. 

So it's important to be prepared. You can buy drink bottles almost anywhere... it doesn't really matter which one you buy so long as it is BPA free. I prefer the alloy water bottles. A good one can cost you anywhere between $10-$15. However, it's worth the investment!

Now I try to drink my full bottle of water before lunch... this gives me something to aim for... a time limit to stick to. Then I fill my bottle up at lunch and try to finish that before I get home. If I can do that, I know that I am drinking close to two litres.

2. Eat Clean!

Eating healthy isn't hard... it just requires preparation. I find that if I put in the time and prepare my lunch, I tend to eat well and stick to my routine. But the week that we do the shopping late and I don't prioritise preparing our lunches... that's when I eat garbage.

I need to eat lots of fresh food so I weekly shop is necessary. I find it easier to prepare all of my lunches in advanced. I buy loaves of banana break, slice it, wrap it and put it in the freezer ready for lunches. I fill containers with grapes, so that I can quickly grab one and run out the door. Oats in the morning is a MUST however I don't always have the time to eat them... so I pack them with me and take it to work to eat. Green smoothies are also a great way to start the day. There are some very easy and TASTY recipes out there! My favourite is green apple, kale, pear, baby spinach and cucumber :) mmm

I try to steer clear of bread (because I love it) and instead make wraps using Mountain Bread. 

Sistema have a great range of BPA free, plastic storage containers, which suit almost any food/meal. I go a little crazy buying them... but it leaves me with no excuse for having a healthy lunch.

3. Take Multi Vitamins!

There are so many germs out there and you will come into contact with them all. Since being a teacher, I think I've had every flu and stomach bug that been around. Therefore it is super important to eat well (plenty of fresh fruit and veggies) and to take vitamins! I take a Swisse Multivitamin for women. 

Vitamins are one of those things you can't skimp on... Cheap can be very nasty. Check out Swisse to see their great range!

4. Keep Active!

URGH this is one I struggle with! I'm one of those people who have a gym membership but never go. I make a million and one excuses for not going (some of them valid), but I never make it a priority. It's something I'm working on... But it's tricky. At the moment I am going to a Body Balance class (Yoga, Thai Chi and Pilates all rolled into one class) twice a week. I go with a friend who is also a teacher. We don't talk work... We just encourage one another to go! I find the class really relaxing whilst working out and feeling like I'm doing something. I will slowly creep my way up to three classes a week and so forth.

Exercise is great for releasing all that built up tension. If you can't afford a gym membership, then try some Pilates at home or go for a walk/swim. Your physical health is just as important as your mental and emotional health.

5. Get Plenty of Rest and Relaxation!

According to the National Sleep Foundation, we need anywhere between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night.

Think about it... If you wake up at 6am, you should be in bed at 9pm! I don't know about you... But I'm usually in bed two or more hours after that. By not having enough sleep, your stopping your body from completely recovering. Lack of sleep affects your concentration and ability to take in new information.

As teachers, we need to be on the game at all times!

6. Use Your Time Productively... Be Organised!

I find I waste A LOT of time doing stupid things... Like flicking through Pinterest! 

If there are 24 hours in a day... 9 hours should be spent on sleeping, 7-8 is taken up with work (and meetings, etc)... That gives us 7 more hours. If you take out the time it takes to exercise, cook dinner and do chores... You're not left with a lot of time. And you haven't even taken into consideration FAMILY TIME. I don't have a family... Yet... But I do have a husband and I'm sure that he'd like to spend time with me every now and then. 

But how do we do this? We need to be more time efficient. We need to make the most of our time! I have made a time table of things to do... chores AND family time. Work should come second, with family first! 

For some of us, this is a radical change so we need a structure to keep us on track. I have made a timetable which I am happy to send out as a freebie. Unfortunately I can't upload it here (can't figure it out), but comment below and I'd be more than happy to share it with you!

>>Comment for Weekly Timetable Freebie!<<

7. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

Regardless of whether you have feet-related issues or not, shoes are so important. As a teacher, you're on your feet ALL day and if you're wearing uncomfortable shoes you're in for a shocker. Blisters, sore ankles, poor circulation, sore knees and hips, aching arches... All due to poor choice in shoes. And ballet shoes are the worst!

Aim to buy comfortable shoes with a proper arch. This is another thing you can't go cheap on. Cheap shoes never last long. Shop around... It's worth the time!

8. Be Prepared with a Survival Kit!

As a teacher you can never be caught out! Rainy day, playground duty and no umbrella... Uh oh! Paint spilt down the front of a white shirt... Uh oh! Killer headache and no pain killers... Uh oh!

You need to be prepared for everything and the best way to do that is to have a survival kit! 

In your kit/bag pack: an umbrella, a hat, spare shirt, sunblock, panadol, soothers, aquium, breath mints, bottle of water, feminine hygiene products, deodorant etc.

Be prepared!

9. Why Not Have a Work-Free Wednesday?

The name says it all. WORK FREE WEDNESDAYS. That means you need to leave work straight away (no talking, photocopying, marking...) and come home. Who cares if you just sit on the lounge watching TV all night... Wednesday nights are yours to just chill and be with the people you love.

Once you've mastered Work Free Wednesdays... why not move on to Work Free Fridays. Yes we have busy lives... but it's only as busy as we make it! You cannot live a life where you're thinking and breathing school 24/7. You will drive yourself insane. Yes your career will be with you for a long time... but your family will be with you longer. They should ALWAYS be your number one priority.

Remember to call your Mum and ask her how she is. She'll love that!

10. Dinner Dates!

If you don't have a partner... grab a friend and go out on a Dinner Date. It is so important to have that time with family/friends... it's also really nice to have a break from your house from time to time. Getting out is a great way to keep your mind off work. It's also a great excuse to catch up with the people you love and share quality time with them laughing. Make time for this one. I hear of so many people who feel friend-less and/or have issues in their relationships... so many marriages breaking down. Relationships are so important but they go two ways. Make sure you're holding up your side of the relationship!

Well that's my 10 tips... I haven't got them all under control yet... it's a work in progress! I would love to know what works for you (and maybe what doesn't work as well). Have a lovely year and remember DON'T WORK TOO HARD!

XX

Visual Art

Over the past year, I have been instagramming some of my classroom ideas. I particularly love art so I thought I'd share some of the artworks I have taught to Stage 3. Sometimes it's hard to come up with the ideas... so hopefully this provides you with some inspiration!

Self-Portraits

My class created this artwork this year. It was an artwork that I got them to work on during the first week of school. Firstly they sketched out their portrait, then they transferred their ideas onto canvas and painted. The hardest part was mixing skin colour but as you can see below, they got the hang of it!

Operation Art - Tree

Last year my class created an artwork for the Operation Art competition. For those who don't know about this competition, students can enter an artwork into the competition and if their artwork is chosen, it is displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW. The competition supports Westmead Children's Hospital.

To create this artwork, students sketched a tree onto watercolour paper. Students then painted the background with watercolours. Once the painting was dry, students then painted the tree black and used a permanent marker to neaten up the edges.

One of my students' artwork was chosen to be shown at the Art Gallery.

Vincent Van Gogh

Last year, students in my class were studying Vincent Van Gogh. We then created this fabulous artwork using oil pastels and watered-down paint on art paper. The art lesson was very simple and very effective. Every student was proud of what they had achieved.

ANZAC/ Remembrance Day Cinquains 

In the lead up to ANZAC Day, students wrote cinquains about war. Cinquains are beautiful, short poems. They're simple to write and are very effective. We then published our poems onto a background of poppies. Students then stuck a poppy onto the front, made out of red paper. They made an absolutely stunning display.

Rainforest Animals

Last year we were studying the Rainforest for a HSIE unit. Students created this artwork by researching animals that live in the rainforest. They then printed off their favourite pictures, which were no bigger than a standard photograph (actually most were smaller). Students then sketched out their animal on black paper and once they were happy with it, they coloured it in using chalk pastels. 

Operation Art - Sunset

This was the Operation Art competition artwork that I made in 2012. This year I also had a students' artwork from my class chosen to be shown at the Art Gallery.

To make this artwork we used watercolour paints on watercolour paper. It's a very simple art lesson with a brilliant result.

Operation Art - Australian Landscape

This is yet another Operation Art competition submission. This was from 2011. We were reading 'Home to Mother' (the children's version of Rabbit Proof Fence) and tried to replicate the rabbit proof fence. For this artwork we used chalk pastels and chalk pastel pencils on pastel paper. It's a bit of a costly artwork but it is so beautiful!

This was the first year that I had my class work on an artwork for the Operation Art competition. In 2011 not only did I have a students' artwork shown at the Art Gallery of NSW, we were both invited to the launch and her artwork then went on tour with the other 20 odd artworks around NSW. I was very, very proud!

Gustav Klimt

We were studying Gustav Klimt and so we made our own interpretation of the Tree of Knowledge. Don't they look fantastic? We sketched out the trees on black paper, and then painted the tree using gold paint. Students then touched up their tree and added simple designs using metallic gel pens. It was a little bit fiddly when painting, but students quickly got the hang of it.

I've since taught this artwork again and again.

Back to school BLISS!

The first week of school has come and gone. The students in my class have begun to settle in and routines are being set. 

I began the year with a letter writing activity (which I highly recommend!!). I wrote a letter to the students in my class, introducing myself and telling them about my holidays. I placed each letter into an envelope and had it waiting on their desks for them. Next to the letter was a piece of paper and an envelope. We read through the letter that I wrote together, and then students had to write a letter back to me. Some of them were beautiful. It was a great way to get to know my students more whilst also assess their writing.

The chair pockets have been an absolute hit! The students in my class love them and they've already been put to good use.

It's always important to have a stash of paper towel, tissues and soap handy. I have been storing away all of the bits and pieces that students bring in so that it lasts!

2014... the year of organisation and being reasonably stress-free!

I hope you had an excellent start back to the new year. Would love to know how it all went and what great ideas you came up with. Feel free to share below in the comment section.

Some of my 2014 Classroom Set-Up Ideas

Here are some of my Classroom Set-Up Ideas for 2014!

Back Corner:

1. Street Sign

My husband and I made this for an 'Out of this World' youth camp at Luntanda, Mt Victoria. I fell in love with it and I just had to bring it to school. The street sign points to places such as: Hogwarts, The Enchanted Forest, Middle Earth, Hundred Acre Wood, etc.

2. Cupboard

My cupboard is still a work in progress. I have SIX tote trays for students work books. I have another tray that I will use to collect work to be marked. The draws to the left contain coloured paper, scrap paper and bits and pieces.

Literacy Station/ Stationery Station:

1. Literacy Station

I bought these tubs last year for about $20 and they've paid for themselves (check out my Literacy Groups post for more details). I have a tub for each one of my Literacy Groups and a couple of spares... I've already begun to think of things to fill them with.

2. Stationery Station

On the top of the tubs, I have the 'Stationery Station'. I have found some cute containers that house rules, pens, pencils and scissors. I also have a large eraser that students can borrow and a sharpener.

The idea of this station is that everything is like a Boomerang... meaning that it comes straight back. I find that I usually have to replace the stationery every term (sometimes more often). However, it is nice to know there is NO EXCUSE for not doing work in my class!

On My Desk:

1. How I store my stickers

I don't know what made me thing of this... but I've had this for about a year now and it has been really helpful. 

I picked up a travel wallet from Typo for a couple of bucks and I use the wallet to store my stickers. Travel wallets usually come with dividers, so I use the dividers to sort my stickers... I sort them by way of size. I also put a pen and post-it notes in the wallet so that I have everything I need to mark books.

2. Magnetic Tape

Seriously, this stuff is amazing! It's just like a roll of sticky tape, except the tape is magnetic. This means you can tear off a strip and place on the back of a laminated card, then you can magnetically stick it to a whiteboard. Genius!!

I make sure I have some in my draw AT ALL TIMES. 

I pick my magnetic tape up from OfficeWorks and it's usually around $5. This is a must have!

I hope you have found these ideas to be useful! Remember you can always find PLENTY of ideas on Pinterest. Why not follow me?

http://www.pinterest.com/rasellen/

HOW TO MAKE Chair Pockets

I have always wanted to make these but have never had the chance... more like didn't know how to make them! However, they were super easy to make. I have included the dimensions and step by step instructions below.

Instructions:

1. Measure the dimensions of your chair (width, length and depth of pocket) - my measurements were 100cm x 50cm (the pocket was 28cm deep and the sleeve over the chair was also 28cm deep... the rest of the length was made up of seam allowances and the section that joins the pocket to the sleeve)
2. Choose your material - possibly the hardest step. I bought my material from Spotlight during a special. I got all of my material for $60... which I think it a bargain.
3. Measure twice, cut once - measure out your pattern and then cut it out.
4. Pin the hem and sew (refer to image below)
5. Pin the pocket and sleeve (refer to image below)
6. Sew down the sides of the material (which is in thirds)
7. Turn the sleeve in the right way (pocket will already be turned in the right way)
8. Hang over chair!

I'm not an expert at sewing... actually I'm not very good at all. Yet I was able to make the Chair Pockets... In fact once I got into a routine, it was only taking me about 15 minutes to make each one.

$60 and a day of sewing... well worth it I think!

More Back to School ideas to come!