Good Supplies for a First Year Teacher to Buy?

Question

I am taking a workshop this summer and part of the incentive is that we receive a $250.00 gift certificate to spend at an education supply store. I have not yet been placed in a specific grade to teach and I'm wondering if any of you have good ideas as to what kind of supplies I could buy that would work with any kindergarten through third grade classroom.

Answer 1

Two things that came to my mind first were pocket charts and large writing tablets. The most expensive part for me is always decorating bulletin boards and the room, so things like borders and letters would be great. Also, you can never go wrong with books, lots and lots of books!
I am so jealous that you are getting $250! I wish I was lucky enough to get that. Good Luck next year!

Answer 2

WOW!!! Enjoy that money, a district will never give you money like that!

If you can find out what you will receive from the district or school it will help you decide what to buy. Some districts have math, reading and science programs that have a lot of supplemental materials in the program so you won't need a lot of additional worksheet or blackline books. You might need manipulatives for math and science.

Most districts now do not allow you much time to use art supplies. With NCLB you will most likely be expected to focus on academics so I wouldn't spend much on non-academic things.

You might start collecting books for a classroom library.

If you don't have a teacher store nearby, try these sites:

callowayhouse.com
carsondellosa.com
learningmagazine.com
thelearningworks.com
reallygoodstuff.com
orientaltrading.com


Don't assume you will get the supplies you need. If you will be in a district that is financially strapped or an urban district, you probably won't get the supplies you need from the district or the students. I buy my supplies in the summer at places like Wal-Mart, KMart, Target. I start watching the sale ads in Sunday's paper in July. I spend about $800-$1,000 a year of my own money.

Answer 3

Definitely 'classroom management' book - in Australia, there was a book called (if I remember correctly) 'How to get those buggers to behave' - silly title but it is such a useful book. In australia, if you are a permanent teacher, usually the school will give you allowance to spend on teaching materials, where you may want to use for stickers/rewards. Otherwise, if you are a casual teacher, you'll need to pay out of your own pocket. Not sure where you are so it's hard to advise. I find also observing other teachers before the actual teaching helps (ie become volunteer) you to ltearn how to manage a class. Classroom management is by far one ot eh most important technique you'll need to learn to handle well in teaching. Without good teachnique, no matter how much knowledge you would like to pass onto the kids, if you can't handle/manage the class well, the kids will not listen and there will be too many disruptions! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, remember to be FIRM and CONSISTANT. DON"T GIVE IN TO THE STUDENTS. Happy teaching!

Answer 4

Name tags for your students desks. Extra pencils. Borders for buletin boards. Some good quality markers.

Here are some tips I learned. Well, from what I saw, students love to use the pencil sharpener. I finally thought it best provide each student with three pencils that I have already sharpened before they begin class. That way they are not all getting up to use the pencil sharpener.

I also had restroom problems. This would probably only work with upper grades, such as second, third, maybe first. I would put up a list with each student's name beside the restroom. They would checkmark by their name if the resroom was clean, an x if not. That way, the person before them would have to take responsibility if they had caused the mess.

If you send some sort of weekly folder with information to their parents, try to get these ready during planning time or the day before they go out.

Oh and if I knew I might forget something important, such as a meeting, or making copies for something, then I would write it on a sticky note twice and post it on both sides of my classroom door. I also used to leave myself messages on my cell phone of what I needed to get ready for the next day, or the next week, because I would sometimes get a little scatterbrained with all the million things they expect teachers to remember.

Last, you might need some kind of a box big enough to contain each students' information such as their folders that have their records.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Check out Lakeshore teachers store. www.lakeshorelearning.com

I think the kids will bring in the basic supply list like glue and crayons. You should concentrate on the borders bulletin boards and teaching supplies like games and learning toys. They have posters and maps and a place to laminate things. They also carry awards and wall charts. They also carry books that you can copy worksheets from. I see a lot of our teachers in my daughters school just copying out of the books they bought. They carry CDs and a whole lot of really nice things. It won't take you very long to blow 300 bucks. So get a cata log and price out what you like before you shop. Planning ahead is better or else you will be there a while and way over spend! Mary

Answer 6

My brother got the same kind of deal when he became a teacher. He was doing high school though, so I'm sure it's a lot different, but he had to wait about a week in until he spent any money, he said he had to read the students before he could get an idea of what he needed. Maybe the same is true for the younger kids?

Answer 7

Where I taught all our classroom consumable materials were supplied so I will assume you have the same situation.

I recommend you get some puppets. You can put them to work in any aspect of your program and they are student-centred.

Buy yourself an excellent picture book that you can use as a theme for many of your activities and that will withstand a lot of handling by your students.

Get some organizer materials such as baskets and tubs so that you can set up your classroom in a way that you and your students can maintain and so that you can manage your "found" materials and classroom supplies.

Have a great year!

Answer 8

* You'll first want to ask your principal or other teachers in your school what is provided for you. Some schools have a general supply of borders, tag board, butcher paper, and classroom necessities (pencil sharpeners, scissors, glue, etc.). Also, see if there's a list of items for students to bring (my school sends home a "wish list" for students to bring in - baby wipes, kleenex, blank CDs, index cards, etc.)
* Getting a teacher book for each month is good. Usually Mailbox or some other company has a cute workbook for primary grades. It has a workbook for each month that gives bulletin board ideas, clip art, fun activities, etc.
* I would also suggest waiting until you know more specifically what grade you're teaching.
* It's always nice to get extra workbooks for extra resources. A Daily Oral Language workbook is great for grammar practice.
* posters and fun things to hang in the classroom.
* desk name tags
* books to start a classroom library
* a fuzzy rug and pillows for kids to lay around and read in a cozy reading area
* cloth from a material store (Michael's, Wal-Mart) is GREAT for bulletin board backgrounds. It doesn't fade, can be seasonal, and can be reused following years.

Answer 9

Supplies like paint and pencils are a kids job or a school's usually.

At this point, posters and bullitin board things - like bullitin board picutres for different seasons and holidays. No matter what grade you teach, there will be Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Winter, and Spring that need to be put up on the calendar. Maps, posters of famous people you admire.

Good luck.

Answer 10

i do no longer comprehend. Are you asserting which you purchase adequate high priced folders and binders for the entire type, deliver your baby to college with them, between many different issues meant to be shared, and then experience envious while the instructor makes a decision to share the binders too? Why no longer in user-friendly terms purchase 2 folders and one binder on your daughter. that they had in user-friendly terms be waiting to share it if that they had a sturdy pair of scissors. the only opposite direction i will answer this question is: No. instructors should not be allowed to confiscate your student's college components and supply them to different persons. What happens while your daughter is sufficiently previous tocontinual! O_o