One thing that I must have are colorful pens. I don't grade with red pens, so I alternate between using blue, pink, purple, green, orange, etc. And colorful pens make writing notes to yourself that much more fun. So do yourself a favor and get you some colorful pens. More specifically...get you these pens!
I know that most schools/districts have the ability to have items laminated in house. And that's nice, super convenient, and cost effective for the teacher. However, even though I have this option, and it's an option I often take advantage of, I still prefer to use my own laminating machine from time to time. This is mainly for two reasons: one being that I can laminate when I want and I don't need to wait (you know, that instant gratification kind of thing, haha). The second reason is that the quality of the laminating with these machines is usually a little better. I have found that the laminating sheets you can purchase for these personal machines is typically thicker than the laminating film that is available for the larger school owned machines. And when I'm getting task cards and other resources laminated that will get a lot of use and will be in the hands of all my children, I prefer the thicker, more durable lamination!
Some of you may have the older model of the Scotch Laminator that was pretty popular, and used to be sold at stores like Target and Walmart. It was an okay machine, but it had its issues. I owned the older model and it finally got to the point where it stopped working...maybe that was because I used it too much?! When I went to buy a replacement, I was so excited to see that Scotch had a new model out that was smaller, more streamlined, and all the 'issues' I had with the machine were fixed! And at around $30, it's a steal! Seriously! I love this machine!
I think we can probably all agree on one thing. Those pencil sharpeners that are attached to the classroom walls? Yeah, they don't work. When the kids use them, they take the cover off to dump the shavings, and then there's a mess all over the floor! Sometimes, they are too close to the wall, and you hit your hand on the wall every single time you turn the handle. I just totally despise those pencil sharpeners. But this electric sharpener is one of my favorites! I've had it for three years, and it's still going strong.
If you are still using those school provided, hand powered pencil sharpeners that is attached to your wall, do yourself a favor and upgrade to one of these bad boys. It will seriously save you a lot of headaches. I promise! The only pencils that I've seen it not work well with are those really bad pencils with the thick, plastic coatings. You know the ones...the pencils that never work with ANY sharpeners. Ever! Yeah, there is absolutely no hope for those sorry things.
Every teacher needs herself (or himself) a good teacher planner. You can pick up small, cheap planners at target, walmart, etc. However, I prefer to invest in a good quality planner that will last me all year and will be my lifesaver when I need it.
Personally, I prefer the Erin Condren planners to any other planners out there. Yes, they are not the cheapest. But this thing is amazing! In this one book, I have my calendar, my lesson plans, my grade book, notes pages, and even a plastic sleeve to keep pages safe throughout the year. This planner truly is one of my must-have items for teachers! Trust me, it's worth the investment! And, if you decide you want to try out Erin Condren for yourself, click this link and create an account on her website. When you do this, you'll receive a $10 coupon for your first purchase, and I'll receive a $10 coupon on my next purchase! It's definitely a win, win!
These are the four "must have" items that I would tell any teacher they need to have in their classroom! I don't know how I would survive without any of these items! What are some of your "must have" items? Do you use any of these supplies?
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