Google Classroom is a fantastic platform for disseminating information as well as for pushing out assignments and receiving submissions. However, if not organized, it can be very overwhelming for both teachers and students. Here are some tips for managing and organizing those assignments and submissions.

1. Understand and use Drive folders
   First, let’s take a second to clarify how Classroom Drive folders work. When a class is created in Classroom, a Drive folder for that class is simultaneously created. Only the teacher has access to this folder, so anything added to the folder will not be seen by the students. Similarly, when students are added to the class, a personal drive folder is created for each of them. The teacher does not have access to the student folder, only to the documents turned in. When a student submits an assignment digitally, Classroom automatically creates a subfolder in the teacher’s class drive folder, pre-labeled with the name of the assignment. All student submissions will be stored in this folder, labeled with the student name. This is great for organization!  From there, you can choose to leave it and have the folder organized by assignment, or move the submission to a folder shared with your student.
2. Create naming conventions
   Creating a naming convention helps you and your students to easily identify what the document is, and makes it easily searchable. I recommend using the following: Unit or Period number – Name of Unit – Type of Document.  A document using this naming convention might look something like this:  “2nd Period ELA – Poetry – e.e.cummings Reading”. Of course, it is always best for you to create something you can remember and your students will understand, so feel free to use any naming convention that works best for you, just remember to keep it consistent. 
3. Number assignmentsBy numbering assignments, you are now giving students a quick reference. Instead of typing out or saying the whole title, you can just say, “please see and turn in assignment #5.”  This will also help you keep track of what has been turned in.  You can choose to number just the assignments that will be turned in, or all assignments.  
4. Create topics Creating topics in Google Classroom is like creating folders in Google Drive. By creating a “Week” topic, students can easily see what is expected of them for the week. Another suggestion is to create a “Day” topic. In the “Day” topic, you can put things like attendance forms, Do Nows, exit tickets, and anything else the student will need that day. Other suggestions are creating unit topics, assignment type topics, or subject topics. 
5. Disable stream assignment alerts
   Another great tip is to disable the assignment alerts in the stream. You can do this by going to the settings gear and selecting “Classwork On The Stream” and “Hide Notifications”.  This will keep the stream clear and you can use it just for class announcements. Of course, make sure to remind your students to check the “Classwork” tab, or pin that as an announcement on the top of the stream.
6. Use due dates
   The last tip is to create due dates. If you set a due date, after that date has passed, students will no longer be able to edit or submit the assignment. This prevents you from receiving late assignments or constant edits. This is also a great way to set clear expectations and accountability.

By keeping assignments and submissions organized, you will be saving you and your students’ time and it will help keep expectations clear.  Be sure to check out our accompanying OTIS course, Managing submissions and Assignments in Google Classroom for resources and tips to get you started.

For more tips, tricks, and tools for teaching in and out of the classroom, check out more articles on the Teq Talk blog.

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