I want to be clear. I think it's awful that teachers are expected to supply so much for our classrooms. The top of my Classroom Wishlist is better funding for education; the fact that Dollar Tree has a teacher section may be one of the saddest commentaries on education in the U.S. However since we spend so much time in our classrooms, its nice to have them set up the way we want them to be.
If you are on a budget, and aren't we all, check out thrift stores, garage sales, and even better, your local community's Facebook "Buy Nothing" group for as much as you can. Also, don't be shy when at a store about asking for a teacher discount. Most book stores, office supply stores, and even some clothing stores offer a 10-20% discount for teachers. If you're fortunate to have a community to help you stock your classroom, here are some of my favorites from Amazon to put on your wishlist.*
Organization
I raided every thrift store I could find for sterilite drawers my first few years teaching, but a couple of things just couldn't be thrifted.
1) A magnetic file holder to attach to my white board. This makes it so easy for students to know where to find extra copies when they missed things and it's convenient for me to put the extras in after I pass the papers out.
2) Magnetic clips for the white board. These have held up for years and I use them to hold up anchor charts, no-name papers, bell schedules, frequent reminders, you name it. They are even sturdy enough to hold up a Dollar Tree pocket chart filled with stickers. (see below)
Your own Joy & Well-Being
This job is hard, we need the little things that make it a bit easier.
1) Of course, Flair Pens. They really do glide more easily on paper, and grading in color is just more joyful. And yes, the Papermate ones are better, but the Amazon ones work almost as well.
2) An anti-fatigue mat. These are also available at Target, etc and you will want to customize to your style, but I am so grateful to stand on this while I'm at the board and give my body some extra support.
3) An electric tea kettle. You may prefer a coffee maker, but I also use my electric tea kettle for oatmeal, making students hot chocolate sometimes, getting hot water to clean things with, making soup for lunch from my emergency stash, and a variety of other needs. Also, making coffee in my French press means there's some for my teacher neighbor.
Please, especially if you are a new teacher, do not buy any student consumables until you get into your classroom and see what is there and then talk to someone in your building to confirm what supplies will be provided or can be ordered. I understand the temptation to get it all now, but you have a career of spending your own money ahead of you, no need to start any sooner than necessary.
Setting Up Centers
Having some key materials on hand will make all of your differentiation easier.
1) A Headphone Splitter. Whether you are giving students the option to read along with an audiobook, watch a review video, or do online research together, having a couple of these on hand has saved me many times in our boisterous room.
2) Colored Highlighters- We color code lots when working with mentor texts or our own work. This can be done with colored pencils too, but kids get so excited to use the colored highlighters that they magically stay much more on task.
3) Gel Pens- You may be noticing a theme, color brings joy. I reserve the gel pens for editing and editing ONLY in our room. This makes editing a special time and choosing a color gives students just enough ownership that they are less resistant to the process.
4) Ten Minute Sand Timer- I use this to have students work independently for a period of time at the teacher table while I circulate, or to motivate struggling students to try for "just ten minutes" throughout the day.
5) Mini White-Boards- Hopefully these are in your classroom already. If not, they are worth investing in at least a small set.
Books Books Books
Again, it's best to see your classroom library before you start building one. However, building one, especially on a budget, takes time. If you won't be able to see the library until right before the school year starts, consider the following options to get books on a budget, in order of increasing expense:
1) Check if there is a local nonprofit that gives free books to teachers, or if your public library has books that have been pulled from circulation available. I have gotten literally a few hundred free books this way.
2) Garage sales are a great place to grab books on the cheap and if you tell them you're getting books for your classroom as a teacher there is a high chance they will just give them to you.
3) Library book sales. The best bargain is when the library has the last day of their sale and you can generally fill a bag of books for a set price- go wild!
4) Thrift stores are a treasure trove. I have noticed that some charge more than others, find the store with the paperbacks for a $1 or less- make sure you check about kids book pricing as it is generally lower.
5) First Book is a fabulous organization for Title 1 schools- you will need to have the books sent directly to your school.
6) ThriftBooks has reasonable prices for specific high interest books when you've exhausted other options.
*These links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a tiny percent of any purchases back to me to fuel my own flair-pen addiction.
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