What's In The OG Instructor's Bag?

 

 

Hi everyone! I'm here today to talk about what I carry in my ENORMOUS bag when I travel to service students for Orton Gillingham instruction. Last Fall, I posted a picture of this amazing tote I purchased from a dear teacher friend of mine. I filled it with all my travel supplies for tutoring and snapped a picture. Then I posted the pic on my Facebook page. Well, it took off like wildfire! Tons of people were itching to find out what was inside. I had no idea there would be such an interest. Personally, I was just showing off my pretty new tote! So, I decided to write a blog post about it and I'm finally sharing it with all of you.

First of all, traveling to homes I've learned one thing: BE ORGANIZED! You must have an organizational system in place for your supplies or you'll waste precious time searching for something while you should be teaching. I work with several students on Wednesdays back to back at three different homes. Time is of the essence here!

Secondly, this bag has gotten to be quite heavy. I may convert to something on wheels, because I can't downsize the supplies inside. But for now, I do love this bag.

Thirdly, what I'm about to share for my bag's contents are the essentials. Everyone has a personal preference when they teach OG for specific supplies they like to use. This is what works for me. If I had a classroom specifically for OG instruction, believe me, I'd have A LOT more! (all organized, of course :))

1. Magnetic letters and an alphabetic storage container: I like a specific kind of magnetic letter. They're the foam magnetic letters from Really Good Stuff. But you NEED the alphabetized tray or else you're constantly searching for letters.

2. A sand tray that closes well: I've been through several, and have had a few accidents. I finally found one I like from a Montessori catalog. It's wooden with a lid and came with sparkly black sand, which my students LOVE. It sort of gives a chalkboard effect, but with a much nicer contrast. You need different multi-sensory tools for OG lessons, and this one is must.

3. A two or three-inch binder with multi-colored folders. I keep one for each child with general sheets  for lessons, their individualized lessons plans, two magnetic white boards, game boards, stickers, blank sorting sheets, my SOS multisensory spelling cards, and stories for fluency and comprehension practice. I've used stories from The ABC's of OG, Bonnie Kline, and SPIRE. That way I can reproduce them. My students each keep a binder with a collection of stories to practice.

4. Several pencil boxes: one for twistable colored pencils (no need to sharpen ever), one for dry erase markers, scissors, and glue sticks, pencils and a pencil sharpener.
5. A large coffee can container that I covered with decorative paper for easy access to pencils, markers, and highlighters, and sharpies.
6. A 3 hole punch (sometimes)
7. A wooden stand for a magnetic dry erase board

8. A clear plastic bin containing different sized sticky notes and flags, my OG phonogram cards (in its own little plastic container, a baggie of game board pieces, dice, a travel tic-tac-toe game, highlighted place markers, plenty of index cards, a box of colored tongue depressors, (These can be used for numerous games, or even a quick place marker when reading.)

9. A large Ziploc bag will filled finger paint for multisensory writing. Students trace on the bag with their finger. I don't take the paint out. :)
10. A small lined wipe-off travel board for manuscript or cursive practice
11. My iPad mini (I have a few apps on there that I use from time to time such as: Doodle Buddy, Sight Word Flip It, and OG Cards.) There really isn't a lot of time to use these apps when you're doing all 7 parts of the lesson plan, but they're great to have for review or just building in a little excitement. I tend to stick to every aspect of the lesson plan very closely.

That's just about it! You'll see everything I pack has to have its own space and really have frequent use. If you have any questions about things I take along, please feel free to comment. Thank you for visiting Literacy Land today! :))