It’s that time again…. back to school! If you’re like me, you’ve already started; however, I know many don’t go back until the end of August or beginning of September. Either way…it’s coming! That being said, I thought I would share 10 of my absolute Back to School MUST HAVES for teachers… I genuinely cannot begin my year without them!
Since I’ve discovered these a few years ago, there has been no other pen that I can use to grade papers, fill out forms… even sign checks! I now buy them in bulk through Amazon, and they last forever! The ones I ordered at the beginning of last year are still working great! I typically buy the combo pack so that I can have a variety of colors.
1. Pilot Precise V5 Retractable Roller Ball Pens
These pens are my #1 back to school teacher must have! With 16 years of teaching under my belt, I’ve used them all. After I discovered the Pilot V7, there was no turning back. Nothing else compares, and I buy a multi-colored pack every year. Whether it’s the beginning of the year or summertime, I’m always using these pens.
3. Bean Bag Chair w/ Storage Pockets
I’ve begun gradually moving towards more flexible seating in my classroom. I started with 4-5 bean bags which students could sit on during reading time. Then I discovered that there was also an actual bean bag pillow chair with pockets on the side!!! It also has a hook on the back that so that it can be hung up using a 3M hook when not being used. Students love it, and I LOVE using this as an incentive for good behavior, for the student that wins our weekly warm-up review game, etc.
4. StikkiWorks Grid Ceiling Hangers
I don’t know about everyone else’s schools, but teachers at my school are required to hang certain posters, graphic organizers, etc. up on our walls. By the time I’ve posted all of the required “wallpaper,” there isn’t any room to put up my students’ work or other items that I would like to display. That’s where the ceiling hangers come in! Now I can easily hang my students’ work, and I also hang a poster with numbers above each table. This makes life MUCH easier when I put students into groups. Now I can say, “Group 1 go to table 1, group 2-table 2,” without kids repeatedly asking where I said for group 2 to go a hundred times.
5. Magnetic Curtain Rod
I can’t tell you how many years I fought with velcro, command hooks, you name it just trying to keep kids from knocking my curtain that covers my classroom door down. Not to mention it’s perfect for doors with windows, particularly when you’re having a lockdown (hopefully just a drill). 
6. Post-It Sticky Chart Paper
Every teacher has to have the poster-size sticky chart paper! I use this almost daily for anchor charts, to post classroom expectations, for word walls…so many opportunities for use. Most recently we used this when students were doing gallery walks to respond to various questions about the book we’re currently reading.
7. X-Acto Electric Pencil Sharpener
There are 2 brands of pencil sharpeners that have been my go-to for years. The electric sharpener that I can’t live without is the X-ACTO. I got it at the beginning of the year It quite possibly is close to 10 years old and is still going strong! It has clearly been more than durable and has a plastic bottom that suctions to the table. This keeps it from wobbling when kids are sharpening their pencils. What I like best is that it sharpens pencils in a matter of seconds and isn’t loud like other electric sharpeners. Students can sharpen their pencils quickly with minimal disruption.
8. Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener
The non-electric sharpener that I now have in hot pink and purple (one I had to keep for home for my own kids to use) is the Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener. A few of my favorite things about it are: it’s extremely quiet, has an auto-stop, AND it’s portable! That means you can take it with you any time you’re moved to another classroom or school, take it home over summer break, and students can even pass it around to those that need to use it!!! It does come with mounting hardware, but I prefer to be able to transfer it as needed. Even more exciting, you don’t hear the annoying, stop you in the middle of teaching pencil sharpening that is bound to take place at the worst possible time… just when you get to the most important part of the lesson that everyone needs to hear! I loved it so much that I did a whole blog post on it here.
9. White Card Stock Paper
For years, I would always ask parents to send in multi-colored card stock paper. Then one day it hit me… every time I use the colored printer to print posters to put on the wall with anything other than white, it doesn’t look good. With white, all the words and images that are usually in various colors are crisper and easier to read.
10. A Pair of Clarks Shoes
I was a little late to the party of discovering Clarks’ Brand Shoes, but once I did, that’s the only shoes I wear to school! They are the most comfortable, and for someone who can’t walk in heels, I’m even able to wear them with Clarks. I have the pair below in black and brown! These are not only back to school must haves for teachers, but Clarks are needed all year long!
If you’re looking for more back to school tips, check out this post on Proven Back to School Strategies that Work. What is your back to school must haves? Tell me all about it in the comments below!
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