Sandy | 2010/08/19

Diaper pins! Yes, they still make them and they are great for hanging LARGE items. I use them to attach items to the "stage curtain" in gym for presentations, etc. - saves fingers/fingertips

michele | 2010/08/15

Nail clippers! I can't tell you how many times I've had students need this and myself included!

N.Franco | 2010/08/15

I like to have extra clothes pins which I use to hang up any student work when one breaks. I also like to have a fresh supply of markers and a roll of velcro to make my own posters and hang things up.

N.Franco | 2010/08/15

I like to have extra clothes pins which I use to hang up any student work when one breaks. I also like to have a fresh supply of markers and a roll of velcro to make my own posters and hang things up.

MrsV in Room 123 | 2010/08/15

A mini sewing kit has come in handy for reattaching buttons on my clothes & my students'. They think I'm magical b/c I can sew!

Meg | 2010/08/12

Noisemakers are a great, fun idea to quickly get the attention of your students. They are inexpensive too! Take an empty tic tac container and put rice in it - you can shake it! Also, take an empty plastic bottle and put popcorn kernels in it - this is called "Stop and Pop!" When you shake it, kids stop what they are doing and pop their heads towards you!

Kajsa Nicholas | 2010/08/09

Having had braces as an adult and having that in common with many of my students I get extra rubber bands and wax from my orthodontist to have on hand when my students need them. They all look so surprised when I tell them I have some wax or a rubberband BUT they greatly appreciate it.

CR | 2010/08/04

The film canister made me remember that those are definitely one of the items I couldn't live without. You can get them for free when you simply ask at the film development counter. I use them for storing all sorts of items in my science labs. I also love the disposable containers with snap on lids which I can label with a perm marker or a sticker. This helps with organizaion and allows me to build lab kits that I can easily pull out and set out the day of the lab. Once we are finished with the lab I check the containers and purchase any necessary refills before putting them away.

CR | 2010/08/04

Blank index cards and binder type rings. I use these for everything from a quick way to randomly call on students, to building vocabulary cards when my students harvest their words. The rings help keep these cards together and handy. Forget the plastic box that takes up too much room! I probably use 100 cards a week for all of the things I use them for!

Priscilla | 2010/08/03

Send home those pencils needing to be sharpened with a parent volunteer weekly. Put them in a ziploc with a sharpener, I send 25 pencils.

Tim | 2010/08/03

Blankets. The heater is seldom sufficient in the winter and when the AC works (rarely) it chills the scantily clad faster than others, so a few small fleece blankets ($3 sometimes on sale) are appreciated.

Gwen | 2010/08/02

Band-aids and tampons. Band-aids cut down on trips to the nurse as well as the tampons. I'm a high school student and the teenage girls really appreciate see and even more importantly see you as a normal person!

Isa | 2010/08/02

#1 - a small spray bottle with clean water for quick cleaning of chalk board or refreshing teacher (I even let my students use it, but ONLY on themself!) #2 - a small bottle of lavender oil - rub a drop on your temples to relieve a headache, or use it to refresh a "stale" room or pair of shoes! #3 - a small scrapbooking tote . I use mine to carry highlighters, sharpies, scissors, tape, stapler, etc - especially handy when you have to travel between rooms or for a study hall.

Isa | 2010/08/02

?

Tammy | 2010/08/02

There is a small drive-through espresso stand near our school. Keeping money on my coffee card so that I can get an extra coffee on the way to school allows me a treat before my day begins. I don't have to worry about having cash when I really want to get coffee.

Lisa Lawwill | 2010/08/02

Love the hot glue gun idea for hanging posters. Can't wait to try it. I can't live without my accordian files, one for homework and one for classwork. Students put their completed papers in their 'pocket' in alphabetical order. I know immediately who hasn't turned in work by simply glancing for empty pockets. When I pull them to grade they are already alphabetized thus easier to record. They are also easier to hand back since my mailboxes are also in ABC order. Such a time saver.

Karen | 2010/08/01

I tape up a shopping list (in a cupboard) that I list things I need to order at the end of the year. I add anything I use up or posters etc that need to be replaced so that I am do not waste my classroom budget. All of your ideas are great, I found several I will use and this is year 21 for me! Thanks

Tanya-Maine | 2010/07/31

Mailboxes for papers going home. This saves class time and you know they got the information.

Myisha | 2010/07/29

The two most important things that I have in my classroom: #1 Music. I love playing a different types of music depending on the lesson. Also it sets the mood of the class. #2 A pair of houseshoes. After a long day of being on my feet, I slip my houseshoes on and finish the rest of my workday.

Viv | 2010/07/27

I use a small apron similar to the one use by the staff on the amusement park and I carry white out pen pencil small scissor and at least two erasers and some money. It is also handy to keep paper. I was a K teacher for some years and now I doing first for both group the apron really come in handy.

Jamelle | 2010/07/23

SNACKS! As a debate/forensics coach, I have a lot of kids in my classroom after school - usually until 6:00 PM. They are less productive with an empty stomach! Granola bars, pretzels, fruit, crackers, shortbread cookies--are great healthy & inexpensive options. And by the way, teenagers really don't care if the snacks are name brand or not.

Kathy | 2010/07/22

#1 Asprin! Learn to swallow asprin secretly without water and keep yourself off the migrain train. #2 Stickers! There is no child too old or sophisticated for stickers. #3 Jolly Ranchers! Children love them, people enjoying them become totally silent, they contain no peanuts, and they cure sore throats for adults. #4 sewing kit #5 first aid supplies! Neosporin is your friend. So are bandaids, alchohol wipes, and lotion for chapped lips. #6 tissues, paper towels, and an etra roll of toilet paper. No learning takes place if basic needs are postponed.

Mr. B. | 2009/08/31

Do not wake a sleeping student. If a student wants to leave the room for any reason, let him. never question why a kid is late. Never confront a student. Never try to mske a student do what he chooses not to. A teacher cannot make anyone especially a teenager do anything. Remember, if a student continues to do poorly, it's not your fault. If a student gets better, it's also not your fault.

Brian | 2009/08/31

Scotch makes me a good teacher. More scotch makes me a better teacher.

Brian | 2009/08/31

kleist Al

Boris | 2009/08/30

safety pins come in handy!! you never know when a child may need a quick fix of their clothing...or you will for that matter!!

michelle | 2009/08/28

1) Middle school students LOVE to hear the loud sound of the electric sharpener. Like one of the previous commenters, I have little manual sharpeners handy. They're quieter and don't destroy the pencils like some of the electric sharpeners. 2] static guard--for those days when skirts/dresses seem stuck to stockings! 3] Febreeze and/or room air freshener.

Ann | 2009/08/21

Hand sanitizer and paper towels are a MUST.

Brenda | 2009/08/18

I always make sure to have alcohol pads in my desk......they help with the paper cuts that students often get. And, don't forget the decorated band-aids!

Nathan | 2009/08/18

Instead of the safety pins (because sometimes they leave holes) I print stickers or labels that says "I Have Important Papers" I then put the stickers on the students.

Shelly | 2009/08/17

I keep a box of baby wipes in my desk. It cuts down on those trips to the restroom to wash hands, ( or use a cell phone, or see the boyfriend in the hall).

n/a | 2009/08/17

no comment

Glen Cleveland | 2009/08/16

I retired after 32 yrs in the middle grades, and I certainly could have used some of these "tools", especially in the first few years. Heck, even inthe last few years. I found I could remember names unless a child came up to me after a time had gone by and asked, "Hi, remember me?". Immediately, the name was out of reach.

Janet Nordfors | 2009/08/16

Empty film canisters for lost teeth. Plastic shopping bags, because what was brought to school in a back-pack seems to have grown during the day and won't fit back in the pack. Anti-diarrheal medication!

Lorrie Maxen | 2009/08/16

I use a hot glue gun to put up posters. It keeps them up all year, and peels off when I am ready to replace them.

Shirley, Math teacher Kissimmee, Fl | 2009/08/16

I keep a pencil box stocked with white-out, scissors, a small stapler, pencil, marker, post-it notes, small roll of scotch tape, highlighter and change for the vending machine. I leave this in my box in the teacher workroom to use when I have to make copies, cut and paste worksheets or tests. It is handy and saves me steps back to the classroom.

Josie | 2009/08/16

A set of inexpensive tools--hammer, screw driver, pliers, tweezers and duct tape. A flashlight is a must!

Diana | 2009/08/15

I keep a small jar of Carmax and a supplly of Q-tips in my desk draw for students with chapped lips. Not only is the nurse (& our secretary when nurse is not there) happy, but so are the kids for the instant relief...and it is very sanitary. Our school nurse does this same thing rather than giving them a tube of chapstick which they will use or "eat" by constant reapplying!!

Cindi | 2009/08/15

Your sense of humor. Our students are funny, creative, and imaginative. Enjoy them. Often, we are the only adults who do.

Marie Herman | 2009/08/15

I can't stand to look at anything crooked on the walls. I borrowed by husbands laser level and he hasn't seen it since. It sticks to the wall and the laser allows papers, borders, posters to be placed vertically or horizontall.

Ronda Reed | 2009/08/15

All are great ideas. Sometimes, I also find excellent lesson plan books in the Dollar Store. I use them as templates to duplicate a quarterly supply of them to keep in a 3 ring binder. I usually tab them by quarters/grading periods, etc. This way I get the most for my money, and can archive plans for at least 3 to 4 years in a binder. This works for ready referencing my lessons. Another thing I keep on hand is the firstaid kit, and also pencils and markers. I don't like the manual sharpeners for primary kids because they tend to grind at the job of sharpening pencils. My rule is to keep the used pencils in a basket that kids deposit for sharpening, and then keep the sharp ones in separate container. I don't allow them to sharpen pencils. This plan works well. :P Another thing I cannot be without is Ziplock baggies in the gallon and sandwich sizes. I use them to store manipulatives, and any student work for classroom record, and to send home information that would otherwise be conveniently "forgotten".

Erica | 2009/08/15

Dove chocolate. Just a square or two can turn a bad, or even so-so, day around in no time!

Jennie Victor-Burns | 2009/08/15

I can't tell the new teachers how important these items are. I have stocked them for the last 14 years and found that my colleagues that that I was out of my mind, especially to have a flash light. One more item you might want to add, a small first aid kit. It's just easier to take care of the minor things in the classroom and free up the nurse for the bigger health concerns.

Fran Soltan | 2009/08/15

Hand lotion (scented and unscented)

Willa Jackson | 2009/08/15

You all are the pros, so my idea may not amount to much, but I enjoy having a list of edifying things to say/write to the children on their papers, to them, etc. So much better than "Good Job" or drawing a smiley face.

Margie, Business teacher Greenville, OH | 2009/08/15

Wow what great ideas, I have been teaching for 23 years and never thought of a tool belt, but how great is that! I also love my Writ Out, a tape dispenser with Write Out, how did we do without this all those years?

Maren San Francisco | 2009/08/15

I don't know what mavalus tape is, but I use the blue painters tape. It keeps things up all year and then comes down without leaving a mark. (this year I will be in my 3rd room in 4 years of teaching)

Rae | 2009/08/14

Mavalus tape is tape that sticks to the classroom walls...and it really does stay up all year long... so your papers/letters/decorations/student work etc. doesn't fall off! You can get it at the Parent-Teacher store or most teacher supply stores!

bessie | 2009/08/14

my children loves keeping clean with hand-sanitizer

shirley | 2009/08/14

my children are happy that i have bottles and bottles of hand-sanitizer to help keep away the swine flu.

Mary Vipperman | 2009/08/14

The grading scale can also be found at Dollar Tree.

Linda Wood | 2009/08/14

I can't live without my timer. I bought a little kitchen timer that has a magnet -- I stick it on the chalkboard, and set it for the end of class (it reminds me when it's 10 and 5 minutes 'til) or the end of a time-out. Now I watch the kids and not the clock!

8/14/09 Brenda Yarber | 2009/08/14

I agree A good massage therapist! Great suggestions from everyone

Holly | 2009/08/14

Hand sanitizer--just keep some out and the kids will automatically use it, especially high school kids who are germ-concious and don't want to catch the crud before prom!

Mary Masters | 2009/08/14

Goo-gone

chris | 2009/08/14

Those are really great ideas

Tricia | 2009/08/14

What is Mavalus tape that was suggested in the second part of What's in your bag? Where can you purchase it?

Tricia | 2009/08/14

What is Mavalus tape and where can you buy it?

Renee | 2009/08/14

I like to start the year with fun binders and (if the budget allows) a cool briefcase/bag. I also stock up on cheap scissors and fun colored staples.

Wendy Power | 2009/08/14

The sliding scale is available at Targets in their dollar section - HURRY!

Maria | 2009/08/14

My Kindergardeners have a hard time keeping track of important notes and papers that need to be signed and brought back. The safety pins I use to pin on their notes are a sure way of knowing they will make to their parents.

Judy Dotson | 2009/08/14

Where does one get the sliding grading scale mentioned above?

Pam | 2009/08/14

Hand held pencil sharpeners! Electrics get killed by multiple students use and the wall mounted one always seems to break when it is needed most. I keep a few of the shaving catching hand held sharpeners on hand for those needful times.

8/14/09 - Judy Ransom, Chichester Middle School, Boothwyn, PA 19061 jransom@chichestersd.org | 2009/08/14

For my middle schoolers... bandaids - stops kids in their tracks who just want to "stroll" to the nurse to get out of class due to a "microscopic" cut. sanitary pads - because the nurse charges $ for them, and the girls sometimes just don't have the money. I mean what are you going to do?! A sure sign is when they show up at my classroom door with their purse. Middle schoolers never carry purses... on purpose. antibacterial gel - When I see a student cough on his or her hand, I just point to the bottle. Then I teach them about coughing into their elbow! My own pencil - I have gotten way less colds from carrying my own pencil, instead of showing a student what they did wrong on a math problem with their "just coughed on" pencil. I pull out my own! :)

Marta Calhoun ELL Nebraska City NE | 2009/08/14

A collage photo frame for all those pictures you take throughout the year. Even the most shy student who claims to not want their picture taken can't wait to see their picture in the frame! They look them over all year!

Karla | 2009/08/14

My elementary girls apprieciate that I have a stash of small barrettes or pony holders in my desk to keep the hair out of their eyes.