Cupcakes ‘N Crayons

School is either back in session or going back for you very shortly- we go back next week in this district of North Carolina. Being a teacher for going on five years, I’ve had my share of creating and distributing supply lists, and heard the complaints of parents. Why exactly 24 glue sticks? Why do they have to be Crayola crayons?

Well, all of your questions are about to be answered. There is a very valid reason we suggest specific things, and no, Rose Art won’t cut it. It’s not that we enjoy being brand snobs, just some supplies are better than others, as you will see explained below! Here are the top 10 school supplies teachers really want…buy these and your child’s teacher will love you all year. Teachers, let me know what you think about my list in the comments!

10. Durable, Plastic Folders in a Variety of Colors

I teach third grade, and these folders are important. For anything from homework, to parent communication, to science or social studies, having a few good folders (durable, plastic ones with two-pockets and prongs) are useful for everything. Think about this- rather than asking my students to get out their homework folder, and then spend 20 minutes helping them find the cute kitten print or puppy folder they used for homework, it would be easier to say “Get out your orange folder”. They all know what orange is and it makes finding what they need much faster and easier. In a perfect world, I would color-code all the folders for each specific subject or purpose. Please, help a sister out and buy these. It’s also important that they’re plastic as the paper ones fall apart very fast.

9. Ear Buds/Headphones

For once, these are not a brand specific item. In my classroom, my students use Chromebooks and computers or iPads regularly- and they need headphones or earbuds to hear them. With 20 Chromebooks or iPads all making noise at once makes it hard for them to hear and hard for me to keep my sanity. Earbuds or headphones solve this problem, and I would like each kid to have their own pair to use as needed. No, you don’t have to go out and buy Beats by Dr. Dre, they can be cheap, Dollar Tree earbuds. If your child doesn’t like the in-ear buds, a simple pair of headphones will work as well. As long as they work, we don’t care. We are grateful when computer time comes and they don’t have to ask us to scrounge up a pair of headphones.

8. Composition Notebooks

I really prefer these notebooks to the classic spiral-bound…for good reasons. The pages don’t rip as easily, and they wiry metal spirals don’t eventually come undone and stab a kid through their skin. (It’s happened, and it wasn’t pretty. Kids make prison shanks out of that stuff!)

Also, notebooks are really useful in the classroom. I personally use at least three…one for English to record anchor charts and information I want them to remember and review later, one for Math facts and formulas, then another for journaling. Y’all, journaling is so great. I have my students journal in the morning with a thought-provoking prompt, such as the age-old question…”Do you prefer pizza or tacos?” It’s fun, they love it, and they’re well on their way to composing a strong opinion paper, which is a third-grade writing standard. I also use journal prompts throughout the day and for social-emotional support, such as, allow students to write down how they feel to help relieve the stress. Buy notebooks for your teachers and encourage them to use journaling in the classroom if they don’t.

7. Pencil Pouch

Another cheap, simple item you can get at your local Dollar Tree, the pencil pouch. I so much prefer these to the plastic pencil boxes, they’re less bulky, take up less room in desks, and don’t explode when they fall, spilling the contents and making a disrupting “thud”.

I love organization and these keep all of the kid’s stuff in one simple container that is soft, easy to put in desks (or attach inside binders if you use them) and have a quiet zipper for easy removal of needed supplies. My co-teacher bought each of the student’s one this year, and I love them! When considering what to get your child for school, I suggest the pouch rather than the box. Think of the teachers!

6. Sanitizing Wipes

These don’t have to necessarily be Clorox like the photo, but consider buying some for your dear child’s teacher. It’s no secret that children are germ-ridden little critters, and these help all of us stay healthy. At least once a week (once a day during flu season) I wipe off all the desks with these to keep the diseases at bay (and the doorknobs, the computer keyboards, and every other surface they touch). I’m very susceptible to catching every cold that goes around so these give me peace of mind. Often, parents skip these as they don’t think they’re a needed school supply. THEY ARE. Think of our health, and the health of your children when they sit at their desk each day.

5. Hand Sanitizer

On the same thought as the disinfecting wipes, we also appreciate hand saniziter, or as the children lovingly call it, “hanitizer”. Working together with the wipes and also regular hand-washing with soap and water, we CAN stop the spread of disease! I usually set the bottle next to the tissues (another hot commodity in the classroom, so kids can get a squirt after they are done using the tissue and return to their seat without incident. This way, no need to interrupt class to go wash their hands. Also, if a kid coughs into their hands they can also go get a squirt, and each child gets one before lunch. I know some schools ban the use of this as well as the wipes, but our school does not and I use them religiously.

4. Crayola Crayons or Colored Pencils

I love a good set of crayons! Crayola really are the best, because they last longer, have better color, and don’t break as easily. Most other crayons are too waxy, break instantly, or don’t have “true” colors. We aren’t being picky, we know what works best. For older kids, colored pencils are great too. However, they won’t be able to be sharpened in a regular sharpener, it ruins them- so invest in a hand-held sharpener or make your teacher’s year and buy a sharpener for colored pencils. Yes, they make those!

3. Elmer’s Glue Sticks

In my dream world, a beautiful glue stick tree grows right outside my classroom window. These are a necessary supply, and there never seems to be enough. Kids use this stuff like it’s going out of style, and even in third grade, they apply it heavily when they don’t really need to. Or, they lose the cap and it dries up. This is why we ask for 24 glue sticks. Also, we like the purple kind so kids can actually see where they apply it to, this is especially important in younger grades.

2. Tichonderoga Pencils (Pre-sharpened if you love me)

These are really the best pencils. They last forever and are worth the investment. Plus, if they are pre-sharpened, I don’t have to waste time the first day sharpening a hundred pencils. Please, for the love of all that is good, don’t buy those cheap pencils with the plastic “pretty” coating, they end up twisting up in the sharpener and can burn up the motor, plus the lead seems to constantly break. Don’t skimp on quality and buy the good kind. We want these for a reason.

And at number one…Tissues

The number one supply I am always happy to get are tissues. The kids go through these like crazy, sometimes a box a day. Especially during cold, flu and allergy season. I always run out of these early on. Do that teacher in your life a favor and buy an extra box when shopping for school supplies.

Those are my top ten supplies for a good school year! Although, based on what grade and the individual preferences, your supply list may vary. Just know, the teacher has a very good reason for requesting what they do. What else would you add? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, peace, love and cupcakes! ❤

AwestruckSquid