Back-to-School Necessities
Posted by Diane Badden on 28 May 2010 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Organization and Supplies
I’m so sorry for mentioning the “B” phrase so close to the end of the school year. It’s hardly fair, is it? But I do have a reason!
I’m wondering what items are already on your shopping list for fall. For example, do you buy new nametags each year? New markers? New letter cutouts? New bulletin board border? New shoes? You know me, I’m a curious bird! And who knows, maybe I’m contemplating summer giveaways for my teaching buddies!
All ears,
Diane
PS: I thought about it, so you will too—no new cars, please! 
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65 Responses to “Back-to-School Necessities”
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More Comments Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 » Show All Comments
I’ve been teaching for the last 5 years and I LOVE IT! I will be teaching 2nd grade this year after teaching a 3/4 split the last two. I have lots of things planned for this year and with the common “tight budget” theme in place, I look for things to reuse all the time. One thing I’ve used over and over since I began teaching is a LARGE piece of neutral colored fabric for at least one of my bulletin boards. I found it at Hobby Lobby and bought a large amount so I could cut it down as necessary. It typically serves its place under my calendar and math board which stays up all year long. Large vinyl table cloths also work for bboard covers. Throughout the year you can find them for seasonal occasions like Halloween/Thanksgiving/Fall, Christmas/Winter, Valentine’s Day/Easter/Spring. You can also cut fabric into strips, laminate, and reuse. I love using fabric because it is easy to take down and wash at the end of the year and doesn’t always fade as quickly as paper. I also reuse the large fruit/veggie cans from the school kitchen for Valentine buckets that the children can paint and decorate. Small cans from my own kitchen get covered with patterned contact paper and can be used for pens, pencils, markers and such for my desk or a center station. Some of my favorite things are contact paper, clear sheet protectors, 3-ring binders in lots of colors, my Brother label maker, printable address labels (return address size, regular size, and shipping labels). They come in super handy for labeling pencil boxes, folders, journals, report card envelopes…anything you want! I could go on and on about this wonderful stuff!
I’ve started preparing for the new school year this week. I teach K4 at a center thats open year round, so Im know knee deep in an extremely busy summer camp Im trying to get my ducks in a row for “back to school” in Aug. This year is the first year in a while that the first day every student will be knew.. only 3 returning students due to late birthdays. so I’m excited I get to start with a whole knew bunch of kids. So Im going over what has worked and what needs to worked on. I’m hitting the teacher supply store replacing a few items I use a lot that have been totally worn out, and drooling over 100’s of items I wish I could buy up but like most it all come out of my pocket. I’m keeping an eye out at Dollar Tree for new items, as well as office supply stores, walmart and Target to start putting back to school stuff out. Ive got my desktags, new calendar, and smaller nametags for cubbies job chart in/ out chart and work folders, lesson plan book, and stickers (cant get through a yr w/o a plenty of them) and few other odds and ends. Will be stocking up on crayons, markers, paper, and things of that nature that get used up and broke. But also folders and notebooks.
Reading all of these comments has gotten me even more excited than I was at the prospect of a new school year. I absolutely love planning for it and I keep a journal the whole year long in which I record ideas and make sketches of new bulletin board ideas as well as lists of materials necessary for myself and my students. As a teacher in the public school system of The Bahamas I have never gotten a stipend for classroom preparation. It is always out of pocket and I never feel that the sacrafice is too great. I love my career. I find a wealth of ideas online and I am always “begging” business places for items.
For the rest of my teacherholics… Happy Planning!!!!
I start watching for sale things at stores like Walmart and Staples. Staples has a really great sale each week starting in June and if your a teacher you can get 25 of each instead of the normal 5 limit. I get pencils and paper for a penny and boxes of crayons for a quarter. This really helps out parents because I don’t put them on my supply list. I can get most of what they need for about 2 dollars a child. By doing this it helps those parents who cant afford it and those who can will buy more off of the wish list. Which helps me and them in the end.
I love the first of a new year…sharp crayons, new stuff and most of all new faces. I teach Preschool special education and most of my students are 3 or almost 3 when school starts so lots of super soft tissues are necessary.
I also, love to do a family project for the child to introduce themselves. Because we are a TITLE 1 district I provide ALL the supplies necessary to make a basic one; crayons, black marker, paper, glue and pencil. Families can add anything they want to decorate their piece. Last year I used a train car this year…haven’t decided. The families are instructed to tell about the child:who lives with them, pets, favorite foods, books, movies etc. We share these at school the following week and then hang them up. the students are often seen going to their pics and pointing to things with another child.
Because I provide all materials for this activity it can get expensive so I watch for all materials to go on sale just before school starts.
I will have my own classroom this year (not a new teacher however) so I am buying nametags, borders, decorations…I love Dollar Tree Dollar stores. I want my classroom to bright and inviting. I teach preschool and this could be some children’s first experience to school. I LOVE my summer, but I’m getting excited to get started!!
Lisa…I read your comment about the shoe holder that hangs over the door. I also use it but I use mine to hold bulletin board borders. Each pocket can hold several different rolled up borders. I have 2 of those shoe holders hanging up behind the door of my closet. They are great!
I buy all new items at the end of the school year to be ready for the next school year. I do it early so that I am able to get all of the items I need. In the past, I bought in August and teacher planners, nametags, borders, etc. had been so picked over that I couldn’t get what I needed. So, now I plan early. It also gives me time to go through my planner to set up the dates, mark holidays, etc. I like having this done so that when it is time to plan, I can concentrate solely on doing that with my team.
I thought I left a response to this one already but I guess not. I wanted a change so I bought everything from new name tags to posters- all Dr. Seuss- back in April so that I could beat the laminating rush. Now I have a summer project other than organizing of cutting out lamination. Now I am on the hunt for new pocket charts and storage carts for the classroom.
I teach kindergarten at a Title I school, so I am always looking for ways I can help my parents. I buy markers, crayons and folders to start the year. Throughout the year I buy things to go with the themes I am teaching. This year our school theme is “growing” so I will be looking for anything I can use with that theme. I appreciate all the ideas you publish throughout the year. They really help my students be successful.
We always have a school-wide open house the day before school begins. Most of the classes have treat bags for the children. I’ll be shopping for cool things to put in the treat bags. Our school has had a school-wide theme for the past few years, so we try to let the decoration of the treat bags reflect this.
I teach Kindergarten,and I buy markers,pencils,folders,notebooks,science journals and special stickers for the first day of school.I tech at a low income school and I also buy school supplies for my students.