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🍎 Every First-Year Teacher Needs These 🍎
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items Walking into your first classroom can be overwhelming. These are the classroom supplies, organization tools, technology, and teacher favorites I actually use in my own elementary classroom. I’ve included the items that have made teaching easier and h...
Sections
6
📝 Planning & Organization
🏫 Classroom Setup
⏰ Classroom Management
💻 Technology
🎒 Teacher Essentials
📚 Professional Growth
📝 Planning & Organization
I use Erin Condren planners because they help me keep everything in one place. Between lesson planning, meetings, grad school, and content creation, this planner keeps me organized without feeling overwhelming.
Prismatic Pencils Teacher Lesson Planner | Erin Condren
I use this as my classroom hydration station! My students place their water bottles here every morning, which keeps desks clutter-free and prevents water bottles from rolling all over the classroom.
💧 Hydration Station
I use this storage cart for all of my classroom extras like birthday supplies, colored paper, copy paper, and seasonal materials. It keeps everything organized and easy to grab when I need it.
🎂 Birthday Station
This is my teacher toolbox! I keep all of my everyday classroom essentials like batteries, paper clips, binder clips, sticky notes, push pins, and other small supplies organized and easy to find. I use it every single day!
📦 Teacher Toolbox
This is how I organize my entire week! I keep Monday through Friday copies in separate drawers, plus extra copies and important papers. It saves me so much time and keeps my classroom running smoothly.
📅 My Monday-Friday Teacher Organization System
🏫 Classroom Setup
I love using a large digital timer/clock in my classroom because my students can easily see how much time is left during independent work, centers, and transitions. It keeps everyone on track and has helped make classroom routines run much more smoot...
⏰ The Classroom Clock Every Teacher Needs ⭐
⏰ Classroom Management
This book completely changed the way I think about classroom management. It offers practical strategies for building routines, setting expectations, and creating a positive classroom environment from day one.
THE Classroom Management Book
This is a must-read for every new teacher. It emphasizes the importance of routines, procedures, and classroom expectations, and it's one of the most recommended books for building a successful classroom from day one.
The First Six Weeks of School
These visual hand signals have been such a simple classroom management tool. Students can silently ask to use the restroom, get water, ask a question, or request help without interrupting instruction.
🤫 The Classroom Hand Signals I Use Every Day ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
💻 Technology
This rolling standing desk has been perfect for teaching. I use it to move around my classroom while keeping my laptop with me, and the adjustable height makes it comfortable whether I'm standing or sitting.
⭐ My Mobile Teacher Standing Desk
I absolutely love this chair! It was super easy to put together, rolls smoothly around my classroom, and is comfortable enough to sit in all day while planning or working with small groups.
⭐ The Teacher Chair I Actually Love
This case keeps my MacBook protected while adding a little personality. I love that it matches the rest of my purple classroom setup.
Purple MacBook Case 💜
🎒 Teacher Essentials
Don't skip these! I use dry erase markers every single day for lessons, modeling, small groups, and morning messages. A quality set is worth the investment.
✨ Dry Erase Markers Every Teacher Needs
These have become one of my classroom essentials. They write clearly, erase easily, and hold up well with everyday use on my whiteboard.
Teacher-Tested Dry Erase Markers
I use dry erase markers every single day for modeling, small groups, anchor charts, and my morning message. These write smoothly, erase cleanly, and are always stocked in my classroom.
My Go-To Dry Erase Markers ⭐
From morning meetings to math lessons, I rely on these markers every day. They're easy to read from across the room and make teaching on the whiteboard effortless.
My Favorite Whiteboard Markers
📚 Professional Growth
This book is full of practical lesson planning and instructional strategies that you can apply right away. I love that it focuses on keeping students engaged while making teaching more effective.
THE Classroom Instruction Book: Creating Lessons
This is a great resource if you're feeling overwhelmed as a new teacher. It offers practical advice, encouragement, and realistic strategies that help make the transition into your own classroom much easier.
Teach: A Survival Guide for New Educators
The first few weeks set the tone for the entire school year. This book shares practical ideas for building classroom routines, relationships, and a positive classroom culture from the very beginning.
The First Six Weeks of School
Kagan strategies completely changed the way I structure partner and group work in my classroom. The cooperative learning structures keep every student engaged and make lessons much more interactive. It's one of my favorite professional development re...
Kagan Cooperative Learning