As August quickly approaches and teachers begin to prepare for the back-to-school season, it can be easy to get lost in all of the products and resources offered. As a new teacher, I made A LOT of mistakes when it came to my classroom. And this wasn't just as a brand new first-year teacher - I made these mistakes for YEARS! Check out the list below so you can avoid them. Learn from my mistakes!
As a new teacher, I was so excited to come up with fun teaching ideas to keep my first graders engaged while learning the content! Unfortunately, that led me to going overboard on TPT. I purchased so many products that I have never used. Don't get me wrong - these are great resources from amazing sellers, but I didn't have time to fit in these resources with my school's curriculum. Years (and numerous unused products) later, I regret spending my money on these products because they just won't be used.
Instead of impulse buying on TPT, add resources to your wishlist first! Now, I am not saying that you shouldn't buy anything on TPT. Instead, only buy things that you know will be used.
Let's look at an example:
Buying my A to Z alphabet crafts would be a great investment IF you are a kindergarten or first-grade teacher who introduces or reviews the letters of the alphabet. If you jump right into the curriculum or don't have any spare time in the morning, purchasing my August Morning Meeting Slides probably wouldn't be a good investment because they most likely won't be used.
Main Takeaway:
Don't impulse buy products just because they are cute or trendy. Only go for products that you know you can use in your classroom. If you're not sure, most sellers offer a snippet of their products for free so you can try it out in your classroom to see if it's a good fit!
Speaking of free snippets, you can try letters A through E of my A to Z alphabet crafts for free here.
2. Buying cheap pencils from the Dollar Tree and Target Dollar Spot.
DO NOT DO IT! I repeat: DO NOT DO IT! No matter how cute or affordable they are, the pencils from the Dollar Tree and Target will absolutely RUIN your sharpener, especially those pencils with the plastic-wrapped designs on them! Trust me, it happened to me mid-year (thankfully I had a backup sharpener)! It's not a bad thing to specify what kind of pencils you want students to bring at the beginning of the year. On your school supply list, add the brand name of the pencil you would like to be brought in. This doesn't make you a bad or mean teacher - quite the opposite! It shows you want the best pencils in your classroom so students aren't constantly out of their seats to sharpen them!
Main Takeaway:
Stick to the Ticonderoga pencils - they won't ruin your sharpener, they last longer, and the tip of the lead won't fall out or break like the cheap pencils.
3. Not asking for classroom donations.
The worst thing you can do in your classroom is not ask for classroom donations! In my experience, most parents WANT to donate! I have worked in a few low-income schools, so I know it is not possible for every parent to donate, but it did not stop me from asking! I made it very clear on the papers I sent home that donations were optional and no parents were expected to send anything in. During one school year, I was consistently purchasing snacks for my classroom because we kept running out - keep in mind that at this time I was NOT asking parents for donations (a big mistake!). One day we ran out of snacks and I knew I wouldn't have time that day to buy more. I let my students know this in case they wanted to bring in an extra snack from home. To my surprise, I was greeted with TONS of snacks the next day! My students went home and told their parents that we were out of snacks and they purchased them for us!
You can also ask your principal or AP about certain school supplies. Things such as pencils and tissues might be able to be provided by your school.
Main Takeaway:
Avoid spending all of your own money on school supplies. During open house and throughout the year as needed, send home a letter asking for classroom donations. Don't be afraid to ask for items other than school supplies - snacks, treasure box items, and ink are appropriate supplies to ask for!
Avoid these mistakes for a great year!
As the new school year approaches, don't make these mistakes that can cost you money out of your own pocket!
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