Must Have Teaching Supplies: Prepare for the Upcoming School Year

What School Supplies do Teachers Need?

Summer may be well underway, but the next school year is coming up quickly as well. Figuring out what school supplies students need to buy is the topic that usually dominates back-to-school discussions. However, there is one question that is often ignored: what do the teachers need to prepare for the upcoming school year? 

To be ready for incoming students, teachers need their own set of supplies in order to offer students the best learning experience possible. Be prepared for your new students by shopping for these teaching supplies early. 

Academic School Year Wall Calendar

Calendar Set

Deadlines are an important part of the school year, no matter the grade you are teaching. It can be easy to lose track of deadlines and other important dates when there so many assignments to complete each week. To remind students about project deadlines and other school events, you can put up a calendar in the front of the class room that you can make notes on.  

This gives you an easy opportunity to remind students about project deadlines and class trips, among other things. The Year Around Calendar Bulletin Board Set can be especially useful if you are teaching younger kids, since you can use it to teach them about the seasons and weather. 

 Hole Punch

Hole Punch

Folders are great for organizing papers and assignments, but some students like to store papers inside their binders so they can place them right with their notes. If the paper does not already have holes in it, storing it inside a binder can be a bothersome experience. To get around this, purchase a hole punch for your students to use during the school year. 

The 10-Sheet Precision 2-to-3 Hole Punch from Swingline is an ideal device to use in classrooms. Its punch head can be adjusted to print two or three holes, allowing it to complement different types of binders. Keep one of these on hand so you students can store papers right inside their binders.  

Pencil Sharpener

Pencil Sharpener

Pencils are not as reliable as we would like them to be. Sometimes students press down on them too hard and break the points, and this can be a problem if they do not have any spares. This is why you should always have a pencil sharpener on standby, whether it be manual or electric. 

One of the best models available from CMF is the TeacherPro Classroom Electric Pencil Sharpener. Designed specifically for classrooms, this device complements different pencil sizes, and will switch off once the pencil is sharp enough. It also has quiet motors, so it will not disrupt other students while it is in use. 

Storage Solutions

Portable Organizer

Storage solutions are essential for any classroom. Having an easy way to store and organize extra paper, art supplies, and other items will make your job a lot easier, so build yourself a classroom storage solution before classes start. One way you can do this is by picking up some plastic stackable organizers, since students can quickly see what is stored inside. 

If you are looking an alternate solution, you should consider a portable drawer organizer for your classroom. The Advantus Portable Drawer Organizer is an easy to assemble storage solution with plenty of drawers, and with its wheels you can easily move it around the classroom when necessary. Just label each drawer with the supplies you want to store so students can quickly find what they need. 

Spare Calculators

Graphing Calculator

Calculators are vital tools if you are teaching a math class. Teachers recommend that students bring their own calculators to class, but occasionally students forget to bring one, regardless of the reminders you give them. It would be a smart idea to pick up a few extra calculators for those students so they can still participate in the day’s lesson. 

The calculators you need to purchase ultimately depend on the lessons you plan to teach over the course of the school year. With younger kids, standard handheld calculators will get the job done. If your students are older, and you are teaching more complex lessons, scientific calculators may be necessary. 

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