The 3 Missing Items you Need for your Classroom This Year (Not What You Think!)

You might think you have all the classroom supplies you need for next year. You have new and shiny books, pencils, pens, paper for the new students that will be joining you shortly – only you are forgetting one major important person – YOU!

What classroom supplies are you missing to have your BEST YEAR YET! Keep reading to find out!

1. Cute Stationery Set

Just like this one – SWOON. Now this might not be first on your list of classroom supplies but let me tell you why it should be.

Relationships are the key for any classroom with students and with parents. The handwritten letter seems like a lost art sometimes but how integral it can be in communication with others. It takes a village to run a classroom – any help you have in set up (janitors, significant others, parents/family), the parents of students who partner in education, anyone you bring or interact with in community, fellow educators who save you time and again….you’re getting to see why you need these. Gratitude is ESSENTIAL in surviving. You might not feel like it at first but lifting up those that lift you up is important! like super big IMPORTANT!

A note shows extra thought and effort on your part and shows a level of care not normally extended. No school notecards for you – find some cute or super functional ones (I love blank colored ones!) that you can store in an easy to reach spot because you need them (often!)

2. Easy Emergency Sub Plans

Whether this is your first or your 20th year of teaching sub plans are a necessity. Take the guess work out of them! Your run of the mill times of the building or when you know your sub are not what I’m talking about.

These are the grab and go emergency plans that do not need tech (NO TECH) because we all know that logins and and wifi are always in question with a sub – it’s just the case

There are so many sub plans out there. Invest a little in some that can carry you through! We always had to have at least one day’s worth in our front office and hands down this is what I used every year.

I loved that it was a fun topic – covered all subject areas and made me a little stressed if they had to be used.

If you don’t take my word for it – Michelle noted, “These are a great “go to” resource when you get up at 4:00am and realize you are too sick to make it to school. They saved my bacon on more than one occasion.” – exactly what they can be used for. Again this is all about teacher saving sanity here!

Spoiler alert: I even researched the Ben and Jerry’s graveyard of flavors for some of the content – if that is not fun to read about I don’t know what is!

3. Grab and Go Water Bottle

How long did it take me to figure out a cute water vessel (bottle/tumbler/cup/mug) can make all the difference? forever! That’s how long but now that I know – much easier to get in hydration during the day.

I mean you have options – fun and motivations (left) , cute and sparkly (right)

At this ping I can hear your thoughts – who has time to drink more water? (really who has time for bathroom breaks?!) – YOU! You teach students everyday and you are a person first. Before you come to work you are a person, you have to (in the words of Rachel Hollis) show up for yourself! Make it a priority and watch what happens.

Make a schedule with another teacher for breaks or prioritize bathroom during lunch/planning it takes more time and organization on the front end but a small change over time leads to lasting impacts. Here are a few other ideas to transform your classroom this year – that definitely impact the teacher as well!

If you agree with these – check out my whole Classroom Must Haves page to see what else you might be missing! I think it also goes without saying that every educator needs new pens ever year. Check out the best Pens for Educators to see which ones you need!

What is your MUST HAVE classroom supply that other teachers need?