I’ve been a homeschool teacher for over fifteen years, and have now added two years of private school teaching to my repertoire. Here are five of the things that make my life as a teacher so much easier! Whether you’ve been in the trenches for a good long while, or are just getting started and need some pointers, this post is for you.
A Good Backpack:
Over the years I’ve tried a lot of different bags, with many different designs and bells and whistles. A lot of the hip and trendy stuff falls apart pretty quickly, so I decided to go looking for something better in 2023. I wanted a practical and minimalist backpack that was easy on the eyes, responsibly made and ready to work overtime.
Day Owl checks all the boxes with a harmonious design that includes plenty of storage (including a padded pocket for your tablet or laptop) and a company ethos prioritizes good stewardship of the earth and respect for laborers.
A Plan for Discipline:
First things first. How can you teach if you’re in a disordered learning environment? Getting your class under control is key to success (and harmony) all year long, and it starts from the day you first greet your students.
For years, I’ve benefited from the guidance and time-tested methodology of Smart Classroom Management. Michael Linsin’s Plan for Elementary Teachers is truly the best $7.00 I’ve spent as a teacher! He’s got another guide for high school teachers as well. You can follow SCM on social media and see Micheal’s latest videos here. Check out of his helpful titles on Amazon, too!
Markerboards and Music!
From encouraging a reluctant homeschooler to practice his math facts in a different way to assessing how well my first grade classroom is versed in phonograms, I’ve found that mini markerboards really help to grease the wheels of learning; they are both essential and fun. Plus, they save a lot on paper waste and are easier to erase when it comes to mistakes.
You can buy them individually for $1.00 and up at most any dollar store, or score deals on packs of multiples.
Music is a welcome addition to any classroom, whether you’re using it to memorize multiplication tables or teach letter sounds. It’s a different way to learn besides reading and writing, and will especially assist students with strong auditory abilities. I recommend a compact and easy-to-carry bluetooth speaker that delivers a lot of sound, like the iLive Orb. For even more fun, this wireless speaker has color changing lights!
Books, Books and Did I Mention Books?
I’ll confess up front that I buy books year-round. Could be the next selection for my monthly ladies’ book club, some new storybooks for my first grade classroom, or some classic novels for my homeschooling teenagers’ book reports. Or maybe it’s because I forgot a few textbooks we needed after school started. Oops!
No worries because I can always find a great deal on used textbooks, workbooks, fiction and nonfiction at Abebooks. Many sellers even ship free.
Pretty much any kind of book you need is on this site, and that includes calendars, teacher planners, dictionaries, atlases and journals.
Performance Pens:
It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered the term “pen snob,” and shortly after that revelation I had to admit that it applied to me. Since my youngest years, I’ve always appreciated a really fine pen, so much that I had a little collection which I jealously guarded, and experienced a secret joy when coming across another writing instrument that fired correctly on all cylinders.
Besides a basic writing pen, teachers also get a lot of usage out of colored pens (for grading, decorating, color-coding). Here are my favorites:
The Pilot V5: A top notch precision pen that’s always smooth and skip-free.
The TUL Gel Pen: With it’s elegant profile and smooth look and feel, the needle-point TUL is another of my favorite “precision” pens.
The Uniball Vision Elite: My favorite colored pen – vibrant, smooth hues that don’t fade! The 0.8 mm is my choice for labeling and for grading papers because it’s more bold and easy to read.
The Pilot Acroball: When I want to write with a finer, lighter hand, the Pilot Acroball Fine Point is my pick. It feels great in your hand and the ink last a good long while. Perfect for letter-writing and journaling.
Parker Jotter: Remember how grown up you felt in school when getting to use PENS instead of pencils for the first time? I love the 1990’s vibe of these Parker pens! Smooth as butter and very comfortable to hold – you can’t go wrong with a workhorse like this.
What are some teaching essentials for YOU?
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