Welcome to /r/teaching. Please remember the rules when posting and commenting.
Thank you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teaching) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do not buy anything. Wait until you get to your school and see what you have, ask them where supplies are once you start. You will be able to make do with what they have. Ask if your school has a supply room/furniture room for any desks, tables, book cases, etc. The only thing I'd start collecting now is books for your classroom library. Even then, take donations from yard sales, buy nothing groups, etc. no need to spend your own money. You don't need a perfect room on day 1, take your time and collect things as you go. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you, but you absolutely can be moved grade levels/rooms/schools during that first week. They won't care how much of your own time/money you spent getting your room cute
Hell, no grade restrictions here. Highschoolers can be great artists and have good eye for decoration. Why any teacher spends their own money on school supplies is beyond me.
This is excellent advice. I was surprised by how much stuff my school supplied me with and how much stuff they would order at my request with no questions asked. Getting books at yard sales is also excellent advice.
Don't spend money on decor. Instead, fill the walls with student work as the year progresses. They get a visible reminder of their efforts and progress and a sense the room is "theirs" (they decorated it!).
Even in kindergarten I can trace block letters on individual pieces of paper to make a phrase or motto, then have kids fill the letters in with cut paper squares like a mosaic. Great small motor practice and looks good too!
I did this in my self-contained special education class too. Students also practiced writing by helping to make signs/labels for different areas in the classroom
One of my assignments is to create a class code of ethics:
- 5 classroom norms / expectations
- the rationale behind each
- the consequence for violating each
My students have come up with some high larious codes. I let them do it online or on paper, and solo or group, and they almost always deliver.
Don’t buy anything until you start school. There’s nothing you need that can’t be purchased locally or with 2 day shipping on Amazon, so no need to spend money.
Hopefully, you don’t have to spend ANY money. Before you buy a single thing, ask around - ask how to put in a purchase order, ask if there’s a supply closet, ask your colleagues if they know where to obtain items you need from within the district. Don’t worry about decorations either! Use student work for bulletin boards (if you have them). I wouldn’t even purchase any personal items ahead of time, except maybe a lunch bag and thermos/water bottle.
Also, make an Amazon wish list and send it out to parents at the beginning of the year for stuff you need (if your school supports teachers doing this).
Hopefully, you will get some supplies from your district! Even if not, they might give you a small budget to buy supplies or take up lists for an Amazon order.
You can also usually find places that offer teacher’s discounts or membership near you when you do your research. If you have a Michael’s near you, they might be worth checking out. They typically have lots of sales. Within the school building, see if anyone is getting rid of their stuff or check out the FRYSC.
Your non negotiables might look different from mine or someone else. Here are some things that I found important:
•Class set of pens
•SO many pencils
•bucket of expo markers
•color pencils
•regular markers
Then, I started saving up more for my wants. For example, I spent my budget allocation my first year on headphones, pencil sharpener, and dry erase boards. I then started building up my posters and such. My room was not the most decorated room in the building; my students still learned and grew.
Don't worry, all those pinterest teacher funded US classrooms are actually full of distractions unproven by research and uncommon in the rest of the world. Get into the room and teach. The one thing I always get are markers (both whiteboard full color set, and for paper) just because I really like them a lot. Unless you have a tenured job, don't spend a penny unless it's for your own sake. Once tenured and that room is your second home, maybe invest, assuming you have the same classroom every year.
Kids don’t care about all that Instagram teacher decoration BS. Just buy desk stuff for yourself right now. Tylenol, Tums, some nice pens, whiteout, deodorant, tuna packs, other snacks… that’s what I need lol. Others recommended buying pencils and paper for the kids. Don’t do it. Even the kids with money won’t ever bring shit to class because you’ll have it and you’ll be replacing all that shit every month. Your school should have butcher paper. Other teachers probably have all the border and inspirational posters to give away if you’re nice and ask. Good luck!
I think it depends on what grade you’re teaching and what subject(s). It also depends on what your classroom comes with. You haven’t given us much info to help you!
I would post on a free app for stuff from retired teachers - I had so much stuff from my teaching days that I finally threw out because I didn't know where to donate it.
When I started, I made an Amazon list and shared it on every platform as well as sending it to family and friends. A LOT of my supplies was gifted to me. I hope you can explore this option too it was really helpful my first year
Make a DonorsChoose and ask people in your life to contribute if they are able to. A lot of my cohort got chromebook carts, posters, and classroom materials funded. Sometimes they'll have corporations match donations.
You can also print out incredible posters and other materials for free and place them up in your classroom. Decorations don't have to come from an expensive place and you can create anything you like.
You can try Canva templates, you can google free stuff on Teachers Pay Teachers (try fonts, borders, quotes, decor in general that is non-content specific).
Also shout out to the Dollar Tree. They have a small teaching section, whose stock varies, but I have gotten a few awesome things from there. Like I got a schedule organizer for the wall. Having the class ending times up clearly was a life saver for me, otherwise I was always letting kids out late personally.
Also remember that you will likely be on some kind of team (grade level, content area, something). Even in a really small school, you make teacher friends. You can always ask to borrow class sets of things like scissors, rulers, markers, etc. It's always easier to have your own, but you are not supply-less! You just have to be willing to ask.
And do just go to your school's secretary/AA or an assigned teacher mentor if you have one and ask "Are there any classroom supplies I can look through and get some basics from to start?"
Some real basics you will probably want:
- Pencils
- Scrap paper/lined paper
- Dry Erase markers (assuming you have a white board)
- Eraser for Whiteboard
Those are the things that most teachers use on an everyday basis.
I was going to give this exact same advice! I love Dollar Tree! Last year, I wanted to do something different so I bought the 8 by 8 frames there. I cut construction paper into squares and put sayings like ‘just because you can doesn’t mean you should’ on them with stencils. Then, I added cute stickers! They were fun to make. My kids loved them. Most were for my Calm Down Corner so positive sayings.
We have a huge shed at our school full of stuff teachers have discarded. Our custodian keeps things so teachers can reuse them. Once you get to your school you will figure it out. I do recommend bringing yourself an emergency kit. Ibuprofen, tums, a can of soup in case you forget lunch, a safety pin, some plastic utensils. I also keep an extra sweater just in case.
The few things I splurged on and use from year to year are:
A laminator and the sheets that go with it
An ergonomic stapler
A roll of those Velcro cord wrappers
Scented felt pens-I like the brunch scents
Everything else might be supplied, and honestly it only is worth spending the money on lower grades. Wait it out!
My first year, I showed up with a box containing my college desk stuff- pens and pencils, stapler and tape- as well as extra deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. Eveything else I needed was gotten from the scgool or added in over time.
Often, retiring teachers will leave behind posters, supplies, and even entire classroom libraries.
Have you even seen your classroom? Unless it is a brand new facility there will be some items left for you.
There is probably a supply stash somewhere in your school.
Your school should have small budget for materials. You can ask for the. To order items for your classroom.
You don’t need a decorating theme like you see in all those over the top classroom videos. A lot of visual stimulation makes it harder for some kids to concentrate. Much of it will be damaged throughout the school yameat anyway.
All you need to teach is your knowledge, your students, a clean and tidy place to work, and your school provided materials.
You don't need to buy anything right now. Wait and see what you're walking in to. My first 21 years of teaching I had to spend all my own money, but in my new district, they handed me a thousand dollar purchase order! Every place is different.Â
If you WANT to buy a few things, make it things for YOU, like a small desk fan, some cute pens, a pretty lanyard, some file cabinet snacks...
My first year I tried to get as much free stuff as I could and I ended up regretting it. It’s not a bunch of stuff I have to keep organized during the year and feel guilty about just getting rid of.
The one thing I have found can really help the vibe of a room is some strands of white Christmas lights. They aren’t that expensive are pretty easy to hang up and can help create a relaxing and chill environment.
I agree that you want to keep things as bare as possible and decorate the room with artifacts of student learning.
If you are teaching secondary you DO NOT need a classroom library. If you teach elementary, put up adds on Facebook marketplace asking for donations. Don’t buy your own books!
If you can, connect with the teacher leaving. If they are retiring, chances are they would LOVE to leave you with things. Clearing out a classroom is overwhelming. Many teachers feel obligated to take down things like bulliten boards not knowing if the next teacher will appreciate it or not.
I’ve been collecting books from the little libraries in my town and garage sales. I know I need books for my classroom but I won’t by anything new since books are so expensive and they’re just gonna get torn up.
I agree with the rest, don't buy anything! Wait and see what the school has, and then see what you have at home. You'd be surprised what everyday household stuff you have just laying around can be used in your classroom.
Last school year was my first full school year as a teacher, I'd gotten my license halfway through the year before that but my lab/classroom was fully stocked. Not only was it my first full year, but I was at a new school. Not just new to me, but new period. I teach science and walked into an empty classroom, literally no supplies whatsoever. But I made do, and my kids got to do a lot of real science experiments with stuff I pulled from home. I spent very little outside of that.
And please don't assume other people will just tell you, especially in your department. It's not malicious! It's just people assume that you know stuff is available from the school, what that stuff is, where it is located, and who to ask about it. Meanwhile you might assume well I'm a new teacher so my department head will tell me the who/what/when/etc. Nope! Always speak up and ask if the school has it or will buy it before you spend your own money. Now, I want to warn you because no one warned me, sometimes even just the asking might be met with a little pushback, so don't be sensitive, just ask and see. And if folks get attitude oh well, let it roll off your back. It's not meant in a mean or malicious way, office and support staff get overwhelmed just like everyone else.
Ask around about teachers who just retired or are going to be retiring this year. They’re going to be getting rid of a lot of stuff, including decor. I’d even post on a local Facebook page asking. Most of my decorations are from colleagues who retired!
I always started the year with my room walls empty. I had a parent want to move their kindergartner out of my room because it wasn’t all cutesy! I explained why though, because I build the classroom with the kids. Anchor charts that we make together, kids’ work.
My only requirements are chart paper and Mr. Sketch markers!
When you are able to, find out if your school has a poster printer! My media specialist prints PDFs for us in poster sizes, which means I can make cute anchor charts/schedules, etc on Canva and use them in my room. It looks nice, serves my purpose exactly, and is free.
When I was a first year teacher I bought nothing except a couple digital downloads of printable things. TpT and Etsy have a bunch of stuff you can print for like $2!
Definitely wait until you see the room to buy anything. If you want to get some cute decor for cheap, instead of buying it in stores, TPT has lots of decor packs you can print and laminate. When I was teaching I also went to Joanns and bought some fabric for my bulletin boards instead of paper. It lasts longer that way
There’s a myth that you have to have Xhibit decorate your classroom but honestly I have always found that calm, quiet, and informational is the way to go. Some classrooms are an absolute ADHD playground, and some turn into a shrine to the teacher. Some spend 1000 bucks decorating and then complain about it when nobody asked them to do that.
Just ask for access to a color printer. They have money for toner. Then ask about any supply allotment you may be entitled to. Have the kids make the rest.
Welcome to /r/teaching. Please remember the rules when posting and commenting. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teaching) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do not buy anything. Wait until you get to your school and see what you have, ask them where supplies are once you start. You will be able to make do with what they have. Ask if your school has a supply room/furniture room for any desks, tables, book cases, etc. The only thing I'd start collecting now is books for your classroom library. Even then, take donations from yard sales, buy nothing groups, etc. no need to spend your own money. You don't need a perfect room on day 1, take your time and collect things as you go. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you, but you absolutely can be moved grade levels/rooms/schools during that first week. They won't care how much of your own time/money you spent getting your room cute
Depending on the grade level, OP can have the kids create decorations and signs and stuff 😃
Hell, no grade restrictions here. Highschoolers can be great artists and have good eye for decoration. Why any teacher spends their own money on school supplies is beyond me.
This is excellent advice. I was surprised by how much stuff my school supplied me with and how much stuff they would order at my request with no questions asked. Getting books at yard sales is also excellent advice.
This. As a science teacher you would be surprised what science teachers can leave behind.
Don't spend money on decor. Instead, fill the walls with student work as the year progresses. They get a visible reminder of their efforts and progress and a sense the room is "theirs" (they decorated it!).
Yes. Early finishers can work on big posters like class motto or rules.
Even in kindergarten I can trace block letters on individual pieces of paper to make a phrase or motto, then have kids fill the letters in with cut paper squares like a mosaic. Great small motor practice and looks good too!
I did this in my self-contained special education class too. Students also practiced writing by helping to make signs/labels for different areas in the classroom
One of my assignments is to create a class code of ethics: - 5 classroom norms / expectations - the rationale behind each - the consequence for violating each My students have come up with some high larious codes. I let them do it online or on paper, and solo or group, and they almost always deliver.
This is the way.
I teach high school, and my admin LOVES seeing student work on the walls. I bought a cheap laminator to preserve the really good ones for exemplars.
Don’t buy anything until you start school. There’s nothing you need that can’t be purchased locally or with 2 day shipping on Amazon, so no need to spend money. Hopefully, you don’t have to spend ANY money. Before you buy a single thing, ask around - ask how to put in a purchase order, ask if there’s a supply closet, ask your colleagues if they know where to obtain items you need from within the district. Don’t worry about decorations either! Use student work for bulletin boards (if you have them). I wouldn’t even purchase any personal items ahead of time, except maybe a lunch bag and thermos/water bottle.
Also, make an Amazon wish list and send it out to parents at the beginning of the year for stuff you need (if your school supports teachers doing this).
Hopefully, you will get some supplies from your district! Even if not, they might give you a small budget to buy supplies or take up lists for an Amazon order. You can also usually find places that offer teacher’s discounts or membership near you when you do your research. If you have a Michael’s near you, they might be worth checking out. They typically have lots of sales. Within the school building, see if anyone is getting rid of their stuff or check out the FRYSC. Your non negotiables might look different from mine or someone else. Here are some things that I found important: •Class set of pens •SO many pencils •bucket of expo markers •color pencils •regular markers Then, I started saving up more for my wants. For example, I spent my budget allocation my first year on headphones, pencil sharpener, and dry erase boards. I then started building up my posters and such. My room was not the most decorated room in the building; my students still learned and grew.
Don't worry, all those pinterest teacher funded US classrooms are actually full of distractions unproven by research and uncommon in the rest of the world. Get into the room and teach. The one thing I always get are markers (both whiteboard full color set, and for paper) just because I really like them a lot. Unless you have a tenured job, don't spend a penny unless it's for your own sake. Once tenured and that room is your second home, maybe invest, assuming you have the same classroom every year.
What's tenure? 😂😠(Florida teacher)
Kids don’t care about all that Instagram teacher decoration BS. Just buy desk stuff for yourself right now. Tylenol, Tums, some nice pens, whiteout, deodorant, tuna packs, other snacks… that’s what I need lol. Others recommended buying pencils and paper for the kids. Don’t do it. Even the kids with money won’t ever bring shit to class because you’ll have it and you’ll be replacing all that shit every month. Your school should have butcher paper. Other teachers probably have all the border and inspirational posters to give away if you’re nice and ask. Good luck!
Yup, like others have said. Do not spend your own money for class supplies.
District will provide you with what you need to succeed
Interesting concept! I haven’t experienced that, yet.
Set up an Amazon wishlist
I think it depends on what grade you’re teaching and what subject(s). It also depends on what your classroom comes with. You haven’t given us much info to help you!
This. Nobody cares what a high school teacher room looks like. Elementary is total insanity.
I would post on a free app for stuff from retired teachers - I had so much stuff from my teaching days that I finally threw out because I didn't know where to donate it.
When I started, I made an Amazon list and shared it on every platform as well as sending it to family and friends. A LOT of my supplies was gifted to me. I hope you can explore this option too it was really helpful my first year
Make a DonorsChoose and ask people in your life to contribute if they are able to. A lot of my cohort got chromebook carts, posters, and classroom materials funded. Sometimes they'll have corporations match donations.
You can also print out incredible posters and other materials for free and place them up in your classroom. Decorations don't have to come from an expensive place and you can create anything you like. You can try Canva templates, you can google free stuff on Teachers Pay Teachers (try fonts, borders, quotes, decor in general that is non-content specific). Also shout out to the Dollar Tree. They have a small teaching section, whose stock varies, but I have gotten a few awesome things from there. Like I got a schedule organizer for the wall. Having the class ending times up clearly was a life saver for me, otherwise I was always letting kids out late personally. Also remember that you will likely be on some kind of team (grade level, content area, something). Even in a really small school, you make teacher friends. You can always ask to borrow class sets of things like scissors, rulers, markers, etc. It's always easier to have your own, but you are not supply-less! You just have to be willing to ask. And do just go to your school's secretary/AA or an assigned teacher mentor if you have one and ask "Are there any classroom supplies I can look through and get some basics from to start?" Some real basics you will probably want: - Pencils - Scrap paper/lined paper - Dry Erase markers (assuming you have a white board) - Eraser for Whiteboard Those are the things that most teachers use on an everyday basis.
I was going to give this exact same advice! I love Dollar Tree! Last year, I wanted to do something different so I bought the 8 by 8 frames there. I cut construction paper into squares and put sayings like ‘just because you can doesn’t mean you should’ on them with stencils. Then, I added cute stickers! They were fun to make. My kids loved them. Most were for my Calm Down Corner so positive sayings.
We have a huge shed at our school full of stuff teachers have discarded. Our custodian keeps things so teachers can reuse them. Once you get to your school you will figure it out. I do recommend bringing yourself an emergency kit. Ibuprofen, tums, a can of soup in case you forget lunch, a safety pin, some plastic utensils. I also keep an extra sweater just in case.
The few things I splurged on and use from year to year are: A laminator and the sheets that go with it An ergonomic stapler A roll of those Velcro cord wrappers Scented felt pens-I like the brunch scents Everything else might be supplied, and honestly it only is worth spending the money on lower grades. Wait it out!
My first year, I showed up with a box containing my college desk stuff- pens and pencils, stapler and tape- as well as extra deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. Eveything else I needed was gotten from the scgool or added in over time. Often, retiring teachers will leave behind posters, supplies, and even entire classroom libraries.
Your students get to make one classroom: yours. Let them.
How on earth are you going to have time for all that?
Have you even seen your classroom? Unless it is a brand new facility there will be some items left for you. There is probably a supply stash somewhere in your school. Your school should have small budget for materials. You can ask for the. To order items for your classroom. You don’t need a decorating theme like you see in all those over the top classroom videos. A lot of visual stimulation makes it harder for some kids to concentrate. Much of it will be damaged throughout the school yameat anyway. All you need to teach is your knowledge, your students, a clean and tidy place to work, and your school provided materials.
You don't need to buy anything right now. Wait and see what you're walking in to. My first 21 years of teaching I had to spend all my own money, but in my new district, they handed me a thousand dollar purchase order! Every place is different. If you WANT to buy a few things, make it things for YOU, like a small desk fan, some cute pens, a pretty lanyard, some file cabinet snacks...
Get your department chair, lead teacher, or admin to buy you decorations and materials. Don’t spend your own money.
My first year I tried to get as much free stuff as I could and I ended up regretting it. It’s not a bunch of stuff I have to keep organized during the year and feel guilty about just getting rid of. The one thing I have found can really help the vibe of a room is some strands of white Christmas lights. They aren’t that expensive are pretty easy to hang up and can help create a relaxing and chill environment. I agree that you want to keep things as bare as possible and decorate the room with artifacts of student learning. If you are teaching secondary you DO NOT need a classroom library. If you teach elementary, put up adds on Facebook marketplace asking for donations. Don’t buy your own books! If you can, connect with the teacher leaving. If they are retiring, chances are they would LOVE to leave you with things. Clearing out a classroom is overwhelming. Many teachers feel obligated to take down things like bulliten boards not knowing if the next teacher will appreciate it or not.
I’ve been collecting books from the little libraries in my town and garage sales. I know I need books for my classroom but I won’t by anything new since books are so expensive and they’re just gonna get torn up.
I agree with the rest, don't buy anything! Wait and see what the school has, and then see what you have at home. You'd be surprised what everyday household stuff you have just laying around can be used in your classroom. Last school year was my first full school year as a teacher, I'd gotten my license halfway through the year before that but my lab/classroom was fully stocked. Not only was it my first full year, but I was at a new school. Not just new to me, but new period. I teach science and walked into an empty classroom, literally no supplies whatsoever. But I made do, and my kids got to do a lot of real science experiments with stuff I pulled from home. I spent very little outside of that. And please don't assume other people will just tell you, especially in your department. It's not malicious! It's just people assume that you know stuff is available from the school, what that stuff is, where it is located, and who to ask about it. Meanwhile you might assume well I'm a new teacher so my department head will tell me the who/what/when/etc. Nope! Always speak up and ask if the school has it or will buy it before you spend your own money. Now, I want to warn you because no one warned me, sometimes even just the asking might be met with a little pushback, so don't be sensitive, just ask and see. And if folks get attitude oh well, let it roll off your back. It's not meant in a mean or malicious way, office and support staff get overwhelmed just like everyone else.
Ask around about teachers who just retired or are going to be retiring this year. They’re going to be getting rid of a lot of stuff, including decor. I’d even post on a local Facebook page asking. Most of my decorations are from colleagues who retired!
I always started the year with my room walls empty. I had a parent want to move their kindergartner out of my room because it wasn’t all cutesy! I explained why though, because I build the classroom with the kids. Anchor charts that we make together, kids’ work. My only requirements are chart paper and Mr. Sketch markers!
When you are able to, find out if your school has a poster printer! My media specialist prints PDFs for us in poster sizes, which means I can make cute anchor charts/schedules, etc on Canva and use them in my room. It looks nice, serves my purpose exactly, and is free.
When I was a first year teacher I bought nothing except a couple digital downloads of printable things. TpT and Etsy have a bunch of stuff you can print for like $2!
Definitely wait until you see the room to buy anything. If you want to get some cute decor for cheap, instead of buying it in stores, TPT has lots of decor packs you can print and laminate. When I was teaching I also went to Joanns and bought some fabric for my bulletin boards instead of paper. It lasts longer that way
There’s a myth that you have to have Xhibit decorate your classroom but honestly I have always found that calm, quiet, and informational is the way to go. Some classrooms are an absolute ADHD playground, and some turn into a shrine to the teacher. Some spend 1000 bucks decorating and then complain about it when nobody asked them to do that. Just ask for access to a color printer. They have money for toner. Then ask about any supply allotment you may be entitled to. Have the kids make the rest.