10 Must Have New Teacher Essentials

Hey new teacher! Are you getting ready for an epic first year? Then sit down, get cozy, and read all about my 10 must have new teacher essentials. Trust me, once you read these new teacher essentials you will see how they were total lifesavers for me, and honestly still are. Are you ready? Read more to learn my top 10 must have new teacher essentials.

New Teacher Essential #1 Comfortable Shoes:

I know some teachers can rock it in heels and crush the whole professional diva chic thing, but trust me you do not want to go down that road. As a teacher you will be moving and grooving with your kiddos all day. You need shoes that will support you with every class line you stroll down the hallway and recess duty you walk around for. I have discovered that I am a much better teacher when I have happy feet. Now, just because you need comfort, doesn’t mean your teacher shoes can't be super cute. Check out some of my cute and comfy teacher shoe picks below.

New Teacher Essential #2 A Good Thermos:

This one is of the most important items. In case no one told you, as a teacher you will never again drink all of your coffee while it is still hot. Honestly there are some days I only take a few sips of my coffee at all. Days when the classroom runs on full screech, it is common to put your coffee down for a second, and return an hour later when its ice cold. So you need a good thermos to keep that coffee warm (or cold if you’re an iced coffee fan) all morning. Check out some of my favorite thermoses below.

New Teacher Essential #3 A Support System:

One of the most crucial things a new teacher can acquire is a tribe. You are embarking on a challenging new journey and you need the right people by your side. Find your support system and don’t be afraid to lean on them. If that means you call you mom on the drive home to share the joys in the classroom that day, or you stay after to chat with a colleague and vent your frustrations out. All are great options, just make sure you find people you can trust.

New Teacher Essential #4 Your Own Pens:

Get your own pens! My students are welcome to use just about anything in our classroom, except my ink joys and flair pens. Having colorful pens is definitely a teacher must have. From correcting papers to writing notes you want to have something that makes you happy to write with, and trust me keep them off limits!

New Teacher Essential #5 Emergency Sub Plans:

Can I get an amen! Oh my stars you need a sub tub, emergency sub plan pack, or sub bin. Whatever your system is, you NEED to set up emergency sub plans ahead of time. Trust me on this one friend; you just never know what is going to come your way. Having three days’ worth of sub plans done at the beginning of the year is one of the best decisions you can make. This way if you wake up violently ill or have an unexpected emergency come up you don’t have to spend hours writing and sending sub plans that morning. You simply notify the correct person where they can locate your already made sub plans in your classroom. It’s as easy as that. If you want to check out the sub plan templates I use, CLICK HERE.

New Teacher Essential #6 Water Bottle:

This may seem silly, like what does a water bottle have to do with teaching? It has everything to do with your health. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to enjoy all this year will have to offer. So why is a water bottle a new teacher essential? You need to get a water bottle and keep it in sight so you remember to stay hydrated. It is so easy to fall into a pattern of not staying hydrated at school, because you don’t remember to take care of yourself, or know you won’t have time to use the restroom if you drink too much. Either way, do not fall into this pattern. Get a cute water bottle you want to see staring you down every day and stay hydrated!

New Teacher Essential #7 A Sturdy Teacher Bag:

You are about to start carting piles of paperwork, curriculum, and random coffee mugs back and forth to school each day. Find a bag that has sturdy straps and a lot of pockets/ compartments to help keep you organized. I have gone through a variety of teacher bags over the years, no matter what bag I chose for the year they all have one thing in common, they are easy and comfortable to carry. Check out some of my favorite teacher bags below.

New Teacher Essential #8 an “Everything I Forgot Box”:

LIFESAVER ALERT! You must have an “everything I forgot box.” What on earth is that you might ask? It is a small box you keep in your classroom that has any basic necessity you could forget on a crazy morning. My box has everything from deodorant and dry shampoo, to eyeliner and Advil. You can’t leave work for an hour long lunch and stop at a store to pick up possibly forgotten items mid-day. Nope, as a teacher once you get to school, you’re there for the day. So, find a cute box and fill it with all of your favorite daily essentials. You can thank me later.

New Teacher Essential #9 All the Snacks:

Good teachers need good snacks. This is my personal opinion, but honestly you need to keep snacks in your classroom. Some days you will be starving right after lunch and sometimes a student might need a little extra something to eat. Whatever the reason you should always keep some snacks on hand, especially chocolate. Keep a secret stash of that hidden. Trust me good sweets can get you through even the toughest of days in the classroom. I keep chocolate caramel squares hidden in my room at all times.

New Teacher Essential #10 Self Care:

This is one of the most important new teacher must haves on this list. Self-care is so important. You are entering into a career where you will look after others all day and night, yes at night your teacher brain will struggle to turn off. Start the year with a self-care routine. This way it will be easier to keep up that routine when the craziness of the school year unfolds. My self-care routine is as follows; Monday is my night for smut TV shows, Wednesday is my “bring nothing home” night, and Friday is date night. These few things keep me charged and ready to tackle what the week has to bring. Be sure to take care of yourself and your needs so you can be the amazing teacher you were born to be. If you want to read more about teacher self-care check out my blog post all about it, click HERE.

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