When the beginning of the school year approaches, I always prepare a list of which supplies should I get for my high school classroom. Practically, I always get necessary items that I still don’t have.
To magnify learning, I consider which must-haves I should get for my high school classroom to make day-to-day interactions and endeavors easier and more productive. I find this imperative and critical to the overall learning experience of my students.
Seasoned or not, you always need classroom supplies for these are the things that will make your classroom productive! Having them in your classroom will make your day. Equally, lacking them in your classroom will ruin your day. It’s a day being wasted. And that’s it.
I just remember when I was a child that I got too excited every time my parents bought me new sets of school supplies. I was delighted and motivated to go to school and to perform different tasks. Now, I also imagine how my students would feel when the classroom is also ready with classroom must-haves.
Well, first of all, they should be essential and should impact the meaningful learning experiences for my students. So, be it!
In a broader sense, classroom preparations should not only spell out bulletins, classroom walls, and instructional materials. It should also presuppose high-quality classroom supplies.
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<<Looking for more high school supplies? Check out our list of the top 10 essentials for all secondary school teachers.
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“I realized if you can change a classroom, you can change a community, and if you change enough communities you can change the world.” -Erin Gruwell
On a personal thread, classroom supplies will change the classroom into a more interactive space for learning. Have you felt this perspective? Having been a teacher for years, I am confident to teach and transfer learning if my classroom contains supplies that highly impact and intensify students’ learning. For me, I should not go around the campus and look for the things I need. It should be intact.
My classroom is my second home and that of my students. It should be a place where my students feel comfortable and safe. Hence, at the beginning of every school year, I always see to it that my classroom is set to complement my desire to give my students amazing learning experiences.
Students are more likely to participate in the class activities and discussions if they see that the classroom is well-prepared. Needless to say, they are more inspired if their learning place accommodates their needs.
What Supplies Should I Get for My High School Classroom?
Whether you are a newbie or a pro, you might find yourself asking this question. Well, you have to make a careful assessment of your teaching needs and check your classroom first before you rush to the store. Otherwise, you will be tempted to buy just about anything and spend hundreds of dollars.
For easy tracking and access to your classroom needs, I have here a list of supplies that you should get for your high school classroom. I have rounded up the choices with what’s essential and basic.
With even more ways to make your classroom interesting, your classroom supplies shouldn’t be at the bottom of your list. Here’s an opportunity to review your options just in case you need to restock or outfit your new classroom arrangements. I really find them useful based on my first-hand experience.
Which Supplies Should I Get for My High School Classroom? Top 10 Must-Haves for Your Classroom
From organizational tools to classroom materials, we’ve compiled a list of must-haves for your high school classroom. These products will certainly help you get ready for the new school year.
1. File Folder Organizers
Important files, student documents, class outputs, and all creations come daily. Without the proper nook for them, they spread all over your working table which can be a nightmare for your organizational and management skills.
What’s the perfect complement to your best management practices? Organizing your files can mean a fantastic chore if you are certain where to keep them. Keeping your files neat in the folder organizers will help you save time and effort. Also, the proper labeling of your folders will ensure that you can easily find what you’re looking for.
Basically, you should know where to keep them or else you will consume so much time looking for them in the future. Hence, I do adore the file folder organizers in my classroom. Their presence helps me do away with further complications in keeping and locating documents and outputs of my students.
2. Desk Organizers
I don’t like to scramble around my room just to look for my pen! Even worse, I hate the scene of finding my things in bins because they mistakenly go with trash just because they are misplaced. Going forward, I hate being disorganized!
I want a spacious desk because it’s my workspace too! So, I chose a desk organizer that will accommodate my essentials like a pen, scissors, paper clip, sticky notes, highlighters, important files, and many other supplies!
Just imagine how frustrating it is when I can’t find them easily on my desk. This will add up to my day and will eventually become very exhausting because I’ve been spending my time locating my important files over the towering pile!
Furthermore, choosing desk organizers with smooth pulling drawers will give me enough space for my essentials. As you can see, these desk organizers play an important role in my workspace. Having a reliable one will make my desk so organized and neat.
Thus, my classroom never runs smoothly without my sleek and versatile caddy! It should have the appropriate dimensions though! Otherwise, it won’t match the size of your work desk!
It will be a nice feeling if you always know where you’ll find your pens, markers, ‘post its’, and paper clips!
For more comprehensive storage ideas, check here.
3. Plastic Storage Boxes
Having multi-purpose storage bins in my classroom also meets my storage needs. I have them on the shelves in my cabinet so it would be easy to pull them out when I need them. Of course, I label them properly for easy identification.
Keeping my instructional materials, students’ projects, and many other things in stackable storage boxes helps me make the most of the space in my classroom.
Part of the purpose of getting organized is to give my students enough space for their activities and I don’t want my teaching materials to get in their way.
I choose plastic boxes or bins with a built-in handle so it is easy to pull them out from the shelves or carry them to other locations. Furthermore, boxes with buckle-up latches are my best preference to make sure that contents are kept secure and safe.
4. Pencil Sharpener
I love to scribble with my pencil, hence I need a great pencil sharpener. It’s one of my best-loved classroom supplies. My students can use it too! Hence, I do love it on my desk! I always add this to my back-to-school list. But if my old one still works then that’s even better!
Hence, I have my pencil sharpener in my must-have supplies for the classroom. I find it essential even though I am with my Junior High School learners. As we know, it’s a common thing for elementary pupils but I find this important to my high school students as well.
I understand that a pencil sharpener is not only something for me but it’s for my students as well.
#5 High-quality Stapler
Aiming to have my documents and my students’ activity sheets intact and organized, well they should go together through my stapler. Thus, I consider my durable stapler an essential classroom supply.
To some, it can be an insignificant thing, but for me, it’s quite valuable especially when I’m into creating booklets for my students. Moreover, my students need it too when they are to submit their bunch of activity sheets. Literally, a desktop stapler is a staple for us.
To make the most of your stapler, you should consider checking its capacity, portability, and durability. For more productive use of staplers, choose one that is high-performing to securely fasten your docs and sheets securely. I always have a separate durable stapler on my students’ shelves for easy access.
6. Label Markers and Pentel Pens
We, teachers, are artists everywhere! Thus, with our versatility, we need label markers and pentel pens!
These are the items that teachers should have. I presume and I firmly believe. My pentel pens are among my best-loved classroom supplies. So, I always have them on my shopping list!
These lovely items add the perfect eye-catching ingredients to my bulletin boards, instructional cards, and interactive walls!
As I mentioned organizers in this post, I always indicate the label markers. With this, I consider them truly indispensable.
Personally, label markers and pentel pens are must-haves for teachers especially in the creation of interactive instructional materials. It’s one of the productive tasks of being a teacher.
Ingeniously, markers of any kind are important to teachers. I just can’t imagine my desk without those colorful markers. Their different shades just make my instructional presentations engaging. These supplies mark not only organizational strategies but also my instructional delight!
7. Colored Paper
I ought to expect that every learning space should have reams of colored paper for varied purposes. Well, colored paper is one of the things teachers love!
For me, our classroom needs colors and we need to make innovative presentations by making instructional materials especially in translating complex concepts to our students. Although we are living through the advent of technology which is gracefully incorporated in the classroom, there are instances that we need to translate the lesson creatively. Yes, our techy presentations don’t eradicate our hand-made visual aids to signify and amplify student learning.
Most of the time, I am requiring my students to collaborate and work in groups especially in making outputs and their presentations. In doing so, they need materials such as colored paper to add artistic touch and appeal to their work. That is why I always have a stock of colored paper in my classroom.
For classroom interaction and output making, colored paper always serves its value in education. I always believe in the power of colors at all educational levels for they ignite interest and increase student engagement. That is why I always have a mega-collection of colored paper in my classroom because they are always helpful in different classroom scenarios.
What about you? How do you value assorted colors? Do you realize the brilliance of colored paper in your classroom activities? Personally, I love using colorful sheets in my visual aids and in preparing my bulletin boards. They do magic in my student’s performance. Why? Because the colored papers used in the graphic organizers such as tables and charts not only pique attention but also help in simplifying lessons.
8. Conference Notebook
Yes, I do have my properly labeled notebooks. They are properly arranged by my desk organizer. I have one for the anecdotal record. Others are properly labeled as Conference Notes and Minutes of PTA Meetings.
I know that we are now in the digital age but I still believe in the power of manual work. Hence, I’d like to bridge what’s manual and what’s digitized.
At times we are downright confused about what’s going on because we fail to take note of what’s important. We may have our laptops, tablets, and other techy gadgets but I still enjoy writing important details in my notebook. The more I write things in my notebooks, the more they are retained in my memory.
We might be accustomed to using our mobile phones for notes, but I find it easier to comprehend concepts when they are manually written in my notebook. I don’t know if you still buy my idea but honestly, it’s my way of keeping track of things. Most importantly, keeping notes is essential for record-keeping.
So, what’s for the record?
9. Pens, Gel Pens, and Pencils
They are often neglected because they are pretty basic but they are the most essential! On my end, I still do manual recording of scores before transferring them to my computer. There are on-the-spot recitations that need to be graded in my class record instantaneously.
Most importantly, I still find myself comfortable writing notes, making guides, preparing to-do lists and I need my pens for these tasks! Well, the stylus of my tablet just doesn’t beat the hardworking strokes of my basic writing tools!
The above-mentioned are essential learning tools and they play a vital role in the classroom. They are the most affordable and they are always found anywhere even in the teacher’s bag. Yes, I have lots of them in my bag. For me, a pen is a teaching weapon I should always have. However, there are times that the role of these writing tools is disregarded because they are very common and they are one of the cheapest.
Teachers doodle as much as the students do. It would be awkward if we borrowed any of these writing tools from our students. How would you figure out when you say “May I borrow a red ballpen?”
10. ClipBoards
I’ve certainly seen the importance of clipboards in different classroom scenarios. Hence, I always have them on my list. Yes, I do need that rigid board in my classroom.
When I do the roll, my attendance sheet is always held by my clipboard which also allows me to go around and check if things are in place and if my students are well. Mind you, I always use a colored clipboard and it’s quite interesting to read memos on my clipboard too. It gives me the opportunity to highlight important details and mark the essentials. Of course, it’s more fun to read!
Adding clipboards to my essential items in the classroom provides me the opportunity to enrich student engagement and participation. I have clipboards in assorted colors. My students usually use them during individual or group writing and brainstorming sessions where they can move around the classroom and write most comfortably on the clipboards.
Furthermore, I also use clipboards in displaying my students’ outputs or in posting my notes and announcements on the wall. Promise! My clipboards hold multiple sheets securely and won’t drop them on the floor.
11. Scissors
Cutting with scissors is one of the ordinary activities in the classroom that students enjoy doing. When crafting their artwork, they most need scissors to cut their designs and make their work presentable.
However, you need to teach young children how to use scissors to prevent any untoward accidents. Even though we are talking about high school learners who have fully developed their scissor skills, precautions still matter.
Moreover, cutting is one of the fine motor skills that children need to develop. Therefore, it’s important to always include the mighty scissors in your shopping list of classroom supplies. Just select good scissors for your high school classroom.
12. Laminator Machine
Photos, documents, activity sheets, posters, and other learning materials need to be preserved and enhanced for longer use. This makes the laminator machine an equitable partner of the teacher in the classroom.
A laminator is indeed a wise investment because as a teacher it is expected that you have a lot of sensitive documents or materials with flat surfaces that need to be protected from dust and damage. When bulletin displays are laminated, for example, the materials can be reused and recycled which is a big advantage to your budget.
This is getting more interesting, so watch this video and get additional inputs on classroom must-haves!
It’s a Wrap-Up
Classroom essentials amp up student learning! There are hundreds to choose from. Choose what’s most fitting and useful.
Furthermore, adequate classroom supplies will not only help our underprivileged students but also will trigger their excitement about schooling. Essentially, more than anything else, our students should have better learning experiences.
What do you need in your classroom that you can’t begin each day without? Leave your must-haves in the comments, as well as any additions to the list.
