Posted on April 8, 2020
Keep it Classy in Your Video Conferences
I’m sure we’ve all experienced frustration during our frequent video conferences, both for work, and for digital meetups with friends and family. People’s videos cut out, someone starts screaming in the background, etc. It can all be pretty annoying! That being said, don’t forget that chances are, you’ve caused your own fair share of issues in the video chats too. So be kind to others, but try your best to make your video conferences as pleasant as possible by following and sharing these 5 simple ways to improve your virtual meetings.
5 Ways to Improve Your Video Chats:
- Mute yourself when you aren’t speaking. This is especially important and helpful during a work meeting. Imagine this: the mail carrier shows up and your dog is barking… now everyone can hear your dog blasting through their speakers. All the sound is picked up on everyone’s built in microphones and is amplified and distorted, causing a cacophony of unpleasant screeches and barks blaring out. It’s just not pleasant and it actually cuts off the person who was meant to be speaking. Please mute yourself until you are ready to speak.
- Please wear headphones/earbuds whenever possible. Again, this has to do with sound. The speakers project sounds and the microphone, often located by your speaker, picks up that sound, causing echoes, feedback, and other unpleasant noises to be sent to all of your colleagues and friends’ computers. (See the example from #1.) Wearing headphones eliminates that problem. Also, you will be less likely to bother your spouse, children, roommates, etc. Another huge plus to wearing headphones is that often they have built-in microphones, which makes your voice sound so much clearer than when you are just speaking into your computer/phone/tablet microphone. It’s a win-win.
- Visibility When we sit there, video chatting in a darkened room, we look like interviewees on a crime documentary. Not a cute look. Please make sure you are in a well-lit room. Even worse than the creeper sitting in the dark is the creep who doesn’t turn their camera on. You’re like one of those lurkers in a chat room who never says anything. Please turn on your camera and say hello to your colleagues.
- Try to find a quiet spot in your house. I know that this one is hard. Everyone is at home together right now and privacy can really feel like a luxury at times, but when you are video chatting, it’s polite to be in a quiet place, free of distractions whenever possible. It causes less audio interference and shows your colleagues that you value them and what they have to say.
- Put on a clean shirt. Look, I get it. We’re all in sweats and loving every minute of it. But when we’re in a work meeting, we should at least try to maintain some semblance of professionalism and one way to do that is to put on a nice, clean shirt. I just put on a nicer sweater and call it good when I’m in a hurry.
I hope these are easy enough to follow! Happy chatting!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 8, 2020
Six Ways to Improve Your Video Lessons
Recently, teachers and professors have been required to temporarily transfer their in-person classrooms and lessons to a distance learning model. So what do we do?
Well, we have to create content, obviously. A lot of teachers have chosen to host class time via Zoom, Google Meet or Google Hangouts, among other video chatting platforms. This is an excellent way to meet with the students and assist them with assignments. It’s also a great way to check in with them and make sure that they are doing okay at this time. However, some kids just can’t make the meeting times. There are so many reasons for this. Some examples are that their parents are working from home and they have to help their younger siblings with their schoolwork, or they may have to share devices with parents and siblings, or they might not be able to pay for their wifi or mobile carrier services because their parents were laid off. We need to have something else in place for our students to access our course content and materials.
I wholeheartedly suggest creating videos and posting them on your Google Classroom or other LMS (Learning Management System) . There are a few ways to do this effectively. I will explain a few of these here and I will share some tricks and tools that I’ve gained through my dabbles in indie filmmaking.
6 Ways to Improve Your Video Lessons
- Be concise. Ask yourself, “what is the most important thing I want the students to know?” Start with that and then decide what you need to include to support that essential question. Try to keep your videos less than 7 minutes long.
- Plan your video ahead of time. Take a few minutes to outline what you are going to talk about. I personally write a script for myself. I know it sounds a little extra (it is), but it helps me since I really don’t like being in front of the camera.
- Choose the right location. This one sounds a little weird, but you’re asking your students to sit there and watch you talk at them for several minutes. Do them a favor and choose a spot in your house with interesting things to look at and at the very least some good lighting, which brings me to the next point…
- Make sure that you have good lighting. Natural light is best, so try filming by a window. If that isn’t enough to give you a pleasant image, then add a lamp or two, open your windows as widely as possible, and do whatever else you need to do to give yourself adequate light.
- Have the best sound that you can. I know that a lot of you don’t have access to microphones at home, but on the off chance you do, use them! Good sound is the most important thing. People will put up with crappy video to a certain extent, but bad sound? Never. If you don’t have a mic, no worries! Just plug your earbuds in and use the built in mic that they have. It will sound so much nicer than relying on the tiny microphone on your ipad, phone, or laptop. Trust me! See this post for more technical help and recommendations on how to improve your videos through lighting and sound.
- Post your video on a site like YouTube or Vimeo. Then, share the link on your LMS. It’s very glitchy to try and upload a video directly to Google Classroom. Consider hosting your video on YouTube or Vimeo as a private link and then copying the link to post on our LMS. To avoid shenanigans, disable the comments on your video. Stay tuned for help with post production, editing, and with uploading your videos.
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 8, 2020
Educational Video Making: Intermediate to Advanced
Because of the global pandemic, COVID-19, life as we know it has significantly changed and almost disappeared. We are asked to do things we haven’t been asked to do before and figuring out how to do those things can be frustrating. Let me help.
If you are pretty comfortable with making videos using your phone, tablet, or laptop, but you want to improve the quality of your videos and get some ideas and affordable recommendations for gear that will make your videos better, this is the post for you.
Disclaimer: I’m not being paid by any of these companies to recommend their products, but my links to Amazon are affiliate links. Also, you may not need all of this gear. I make videos/films on the side, so I have this lying around. Don’t feel pressure to get all of this stuff.
Production Gear
Here’s some gear that I find to be useful.
- Microphones. I think that good sound is a must, especially for a teacher trying to deliver instruction online. I recommend having, at least, a lavalier microphone that you can plug into your phone, tablet, or camera. The one that I linked is the one that I use. It should be less than $40, which is a great deal for a lav. It’s not a top of the line microphone, but for our purposes, it works very well. There are definitely less expensive ones available through Amazon or Frys, but I haven’t tried them personally. Remember my favorite phrase: BUY NICE OR BUY TWICE. You don’t want to buy a lav that will just end up breaking after the first or second use. Another type of microphone you might want to try is a shotgun mic , which is a condenser microphone that you can attach to the top of your camera. I usually shoot my videos on a DSLR camera and edit them later, so I actually use both types of microphones whenever I shoot a video. This requires that I use a separate sound recorder to plug the lav into or that I plug the lav into my phone to record a voice memo. The sound recorder I linked here is a very rudimentary voice recorder that comes with a lavalier that you can disconnect if you want. So, you’d be getting two tools with this, which is pretty cool. Using a separate voice recorder is more advanced than most teachers need to be, so don’t stress out if this is sounding like a lot. At the end of the day, getting any sort of external microphone is going to vastly improve the quality of your videos and you should strongly consider getting one.
- Lighting. Natural light is best, so make sure that you record your videos near a window whenever possible. Open the curtains or blinds and let the light in. Check your video and see if it’s bright enough. If not, then it’s time to add more lights. I often need to use extra lights when I make my videos. I have a few different options at home when it comes to lighting. The first one is floor lamps and table lamps. Turn these on and see if that helps. When they aren’t doing the job, I use three different things. I have the Polaroid BrightSaber, which is pretty cool. It’s an LED wand style light that is adjustable and comes with different colored gels that provide different types of light. I either attach it to a tripod or stand it up somewhere. It comes with rechargeable batteries and lasts for a few hours on one charge. It’s not very expensive; I think I got mine for about $30 from Amazon. I also use a Viltrox on-camera led light. This one is so cool! It’s small and compact (I can put it in my pocket) and it comes with a shoe-mount that I can use to attach it to my DSLR camera. I can also just screw it on to a tripod or rest it on something high above me and use it as a key light. It was recommended by an indie filmmaking vlogger I follow and it was a great buy, in my opinion. It’s about $36 for the one I have and I really love it. You can adjust the light quality and brightness and see how much battery is left on the back of it. If you only buy one light, maybe this is your guy. They make a bigger version, but for what us teachers need right now, why bother? The last one is a two pack of table top LED lights by Emart. I use these a lot, even though they aren’t the highest quality. What’s so cool about them? They’re cheap and there’s two of them. They aren’t battery operated, so they have to stay plugged in to an outlet, so that’s a major downside. That being said, for simple videos that you will be making seated at a desk, they definitely get the job done. They’re also pretty cheap at $35 for two lights with stands. If you hate all of these options, then go ahead and take a look at what’s available online and get what works for you!
- A Tripod. I need one of these because I use a camera to record my videos. You can get tripods and tripod attachments to hold your phone if you prefer, or you can hold your phone on a selfie stick . I have a small tripod that converts itself into a gimble and also a selfie stick. I just got it so that I can video chat easier and still have my hands free to write things down for my students. I also have a few tripods at home that I use for cameras and lights. Use whatever you have available.
I hope that this is helpful to some of you as you go forward into the video making world to assist your students. Reach out if you have questions about gear!
Stay tuned for a post specifically about post-production and editing as well as how to upload your videos to YouTube and Vimeo. Maybe I’ll post my own video for you to see!
For now, class dismissed!
Updated on April 6, 2020
Tech Hacks: Collaboration
These days, many people, including teachers, collaborate and communicate with others far away. Some teachers even work remotely!
Whether we are collaborating with colleagues at other schools, we are joining a webinar about a pertinent topic, or we simply want to communicate with our school stakeholders, we need to utilize technology.
Here are four free tech tools that I use in my classroom on a daily basis that I think will help you improve your teaching practice:
1. Remind
Remind is a communication platform which I use constantly. It is a web based app as well as a phone app and it is used to send individual messages, group messages, and class announcements. The best thing about it is that it mimics text messaging, so students and parents can simply reply to your texts and communicate with you immediately.
What you need to know:
- You can create multiple classrooms, so you can message each prep separately.
- You can print out records of communication
- You can download their free app and always be accessible (downside: you’re always accessible! Set office hours and stick to them)
- All you need is your students’ and parents’ phone numbers. Don’t worry, they can’t find yours!
Google Classroom is an incredible tool. All of the Google Apps for Education work seamlessly with Google Classroom to make homework, grading, and student collaboration extremely easy.
What you need to know:
- You need a gmail account
- You can create assignments, announcements, pose questions, and attach google documents, forms, sheets, and slides to each.
- You can give your students a class code to make accessing the classroom for the first time extremely simple.
- You can use Google Forms and Google Sheets to create quizzes.
- You can search for videos on youtube directly on Google Classroom and share them as assignments.
Common Curriculum is a lesson planning website that I have found to be invaluable to me as a teacher with multiple preps. I am able to set up my schedule, move lessons forward or backward, post parts of the lessons online for students, parents, and colleagues to view, and attach documents and other tools that I may need access to during a lesson.
What you need to know:
- Common Curriculum is free and lesson plans are easily shareable.
- There are several templates that you can use to organize and plan your lessons.
- There is a comprehensive list of standards that you can tag for your lessons on a daily basis. These include state standards, common core standards, and many more.
- You can print out your lessons easily, but wherever you have internet, you will have access to your lessons. It makes lesson planning possible in most situations and at most times.
Nearpod is a website where you can create interactive presentations that play on all students’ devices. I use Nearpod all the time. Nearpod includes features like Collaboration boards, games, virtual tours, and even pre-made lessons to use and modify.
What you need to know:
- The free version is pretty limited. You will start using it and love it, but then you will see all the features that you can’t access unless you pay for a membership, which is not cheap.
- You need to make sure the students name themselves correctly so that you can grade their work later. Trust me, you don’t want to be looking at the results after school only to find that you’re going to need to know which student “FunkyFresh225” is.
- Even though Nearpod is expensive to pay for out of pocket, it is definitely worth it because you’ll be able to create self-paced lessons, make more interactive presentations and access features to created immersive and interactive lessons.
These are four essential tech tools for me and I use them on a daily basis. I hope that you find these helpful. Please share what tech tools you use in your classroom in the comments!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 6, 2020
Make Your Clothes Work Harder
I am writing this in lieu of Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year to remind all first year teaching professionals of the opportunity to spruce up your wardrobe while maintaining your shoestring budget. I promise, I remember my first year teaching and how difficult it was to acquire professional clothing with my limited budget. However, since I am smart about my outfits, I stick to my work uniform and I follow my own rule: buy nice or buy twice, I’ve been able to create a professional wardrobe that suits my needs. This post will outline two simple things that you can do to make a limited wardrobe seem fresh all year.
1. The Third Piece
The third piece is that one extra little thing that pulls an outfit together. Usually, it is an accessory or a jacket; something that makes an outfit pop just a little bit. For example, if I wore a button up shirt and a pair of ankle pants on Monday and I find myself needing to repeat that outfit again on Thursday, then simply adding a cardigan or a blazer to that outfit will change it up enough to look new. I could even use a chunky necklace or a scarf to add something extra. Simply adding one or two extra items to an outfit will make it look different and more polished. When I worked retail, we were encouraged to always wear a “third piece.” Don’t just wear a top and pants. Add one more thing to finish off your look. It will make you look much more professional, while also allowing you to stretch those wardrobe staples you invested in over the summer. You did that, right? If not, lucky you! Black Friday is today so head to the outlets! Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and J. Crew are calling my name! How about you?
2. Capsule Wardrobe
The capsule wardrobe seems to be a very popular concept these days, but for good reason. A capsule wardrobe encourages us to use quality staples that coordinate well that we can use for an entire season. I love this idea because I don’t want to spend a ton of time or money on my clothing, to be honest. So my work wardrobe follows a lot of the same principles as a capsule wardrobe, meaning that most of my work separates coordinate.
I can literally mix and match almost anything in my wardrobe, which is great for me because I usually get up before sunrise and I sometimes literally get dressed in the dark!
Anyway, go out there, brave the masses, and get yourself some kick-ass clothing that shows your colleagues, students, and parents that you are a boss!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 6, 2020
Supply Hack: Pencils and Pens
This time of year is when we really need to stretch our hard-earned teaching dollars as far as they will go. It’s when we have to decide how necessary buying the organic cleaner is and if we can get away with cutting the half sheets of lined paper we made earlier in half again. To help you out, these are some tried and true money saving hacks that will get you through the holiday season with a couple extra dollars in your pocket. Just a couple.
Pencil hack:
Students are always jacking my stuff. Their favorite thing to take from me are my pencils. Some other teachers have sworn by this trick: buy golf pencils and lend those out to students. Students don’t like them and will generally leave them in your classroom. I haven’t done this yet, but if I did, I would get the ones pictured below because they have erasers. I’m not that savage. Speaking of savage… I befriended a first year teacher who went to IKEA a few times just to take their little golf pencils! I found one of these IKEA pencils on the ground on campus and had a laugh. I DO NOT RECOMMEND stealing, but hey, her kids had pencils.
Pen hack:
Tape a spoon or something else to the pen. My friend said that is how he keeps costs down in his classroom. He buys the big 60 pack of pens at the beginning of the year, puts spoons on 10 at a time, and says that it makes the pens last about twice as long. I do this as well and I would say that it helps keep those pens in the classroom a bit longer and you can reuse the spoons when the pens run out of ink. It’s not perfect, but it could save you some money! This year, I taped little flags on my pens with my name on it. It worked fairly well, but the flags were not as sturdy as the spoons. Also, the kids started to smack each other in the nose with the flags. I teach high schoolers, by the way.
This is the go-to pen of every teacher that I know. I don’t use this pen for my personal use in the classroom, but it is the pen I provide my students. You can get fancy with your personal “teacher pen”, but I wouldn’t waste my time or money on the classroom pens.
Definitely share your own pen and pencil hacks below and stay tuned for more hacks!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 6, 2020
Classroom Hack: Safely Clean Your Classroom
Have you ever looked at your students’ desks? I mean, really, really looked at them? They are pretty disgusting by the end of the day. The custodial staff is so busy at most schools do not regularly clean desks or other classroom surfaces so that leaves you to your own devices. At least, that has been my own experience. I will tell you what I went through as a new teacher and then I will share with you how I keep my classroom clean without spending a lot of money to do so.
My first year at my current school was rather hectic. I started in the middle of the year and I was always flying by the seat of my pants, one page ahead of the students. Whenever I had a spare moment, I was working on lesson plans and trying to get to know my students’ textbooks. I rarely had time to think about my students’ desks or the other surfaces in my classroom, for that matter. After a month or two, I noticed how dirty the desks had gotten. When I was a student teacher, I remembered the school custodian washing down the desks after school and quickly sweeping and mopping. However, at my school, that never happened. I realized that the kids were sitting in filthy desks and that I had been touching those gross desks as well. I went straight to the grocery store after school and picked up a pack of Clorox wipes and cleaned up all the desks the next day.
The problem was that I used up almost a whole tub of the wipes cleaning my classroom. I thought it would be just a one-time thing and that I wouldn’t have to use so many next time. So I went out and bought the big tub, some all purpose cleaner, and some rags. The big tub was gone in about 3 weeks and the all purpose cleaner was making my elbows and hands itch. I can’t imagine how the kids felt sitting in those chemical-covered desks for 55 minutes… All of this got me thinking about the products I was using in the classroom. Clorox wipes are not cheap and they also create a lot of waste. They are okay for home use, but to be used in the classroom on a regular basis, they aren’t that practical. Additionally, the cleaners I was using were full of chemicals, which were probably not great for me, my students, or the environment either.
Now, I am much more mindful about this things. I recommend purchasing cleaning products that are all-natural or organic. They are much gentler on our students’ skin, have less chemicals, and are better for the environment. One company that I just recently started using is The Honest Company. They are dedicated to making safe, all-natural and organic products for the home and personal care. Their products work quite well and they smell amazing!
Here is The Honest Company’s multi-surface cleaner that you can use in your classroom:
Honest Multi-Surface Cleaner
Advanced plant-based formula tackles dirt, grease, and grime anywhere, anytime! Super versatile and ultra effective – leaving nothing behind but the fresh smell of grapefruit.
A cool thing that The Honest Company is doing right now is their “bundle” program. You create a list of 5 essential items and they bundle it for $35.99 and send it to you monthly. It ends up being awesome for me because I can put things like this cleaner in the bundle, but I can also put things like laundry soap and toothpaste, which I know I will need anyway. It ends up saving me money and time, which are both extremely important to me.
I seriously love this new brand. I used to use Meyer’s Clean Day because it was better for the environment and it was effective, but it is too pricey and sometimes, I was dissatisfied with the results at home. The Honest Company, on the other hand, is fantastic! I switched my shampoo and conditioner to this brand, I use their lotion and skin balm regularly, and I’ve been slowly changing all my cleaning products with the monthly bundle they have. I’m turning into an Honest Company groupie, I guess. But in the classroom, it’s excellent. So if you are looking for a new classroom cleaner, I can’t recommend The Honest Company enough.
Updated on April 6, 2020
Wardrobe Hack #1: the Work Uniform
Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, has worn the same haircut since she was a freshman in high school. She always wears fitted sheath dresses, big sunglasses, and a coat. Steve Jobs always wore a black turtleneck and black jeans. Diane Keaton often wears a white dress shirt, black pants, a belt, and sometimes, a hat. These are just three notable people with a signature look that is timeless and reflects their personal styles. I think it’s smart to come up with a work uniform, or to say it a different way, a signature look, as a teacher. Since I am a teacher myself, I will share my personal work uniform and how I keep costs down while looking professional.
For starters, I want to remind you of my golden rule: BUY NICE OR BUY TWICE. That being said, you don’t need to call up our dear friend Coco Chanel to get well-made pieces for your new teaching wardrobe (plus, that would be hard since she is no longer living!) . Trust me, for a couple bills, you will be looking sharp and your students will be on their toes because you look like the boss that you are.
Disclaimer: Everyone has their own unique style and it is important to embrace who you are and express yourself through your clothing. What I do is just to make my life easier, but you do what makes sense for you.
My Personal Work Uniform:
- blazer or leather jacket
- dress shirt or a blouse
- neutral slacks (khaki, navy, black, olive, denim)
- brown or black belt (depends on shoes)
- dress shoes, loafers or sneakers (Fridays)
- watch
I wear this outfit almost every day of the week. Over last two years, I have made a strong effort to invest in more high quality clothing so that I look sharp and won’t have to spend a lot of money on clothes in the future. I tend toward classic looks that don’t go out of style. It’s hilarious when I deviate from this outfit because the kids freak out. One time, I changed the pants for a skirt and each class was in an uproar about it. Sometimes, I wear heels, and the kids seem to go insane over that too… So, maybe I’m a bit too predictable?
Something I really believe: every teacher needs a suit. You will wear it a few times per year: parent night, parent-teacher conferences, important meetings, and other times. You will absolutely need it for a job interview or to interview other potential colleagues. It’s a sign of respect to your colleagues and employer and that you take your position seriously.
Have fun building your work wardrobe! Think about making a work uniform, seriously. Trust me, it saves me so much time in the mornings and evenings. It’s worth trying out.
Let me know what your teacher uniform is in the comments!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 8, 2020
Survive the School Year
There is a large makeup bag in my desk. It is my lifeline when I am sick, tired, have my woman times, or when the kids use up my hand sanitizer. It is my Teacher Survival Kit. Mind you, this is not the same as desk essentials. Those will be covered in a different post. This is your sacred vessel that lifts you to the surface when you feel like you have hit rock bottom. — Well… maybe not, but it surely has helped me out a time or two and I hope it helps you too.
The items in this kit are largely to help your body stay healthy and alert, even when you are not operating at 100%. Please feel free to change up anything in this kit that doesn’t seem to apply to you. Guys, I bet you won’t need item #3, but that’s just a wild guess! I added links to Amazon so you can load up on these goodies.
- Pain Relievers – Whether your drug of choice is ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or my personal fave, Excedrin, you need to keep a decent supply of pain relievers tucked away in your Teacher’s Survival Kit. I like the little bit of caffeine in Excedrin, but that’s just my humble caffeine addicted opinion. Pro-tip: NEVER, EVER, EVER ADMINISTER MEDICATION TO A STUDENT…EVER! If you do, dishonor upon you, your ancestors, and your family pets, not to mention… it’s illegal! Don’t do it!
- Hand Sanitizer – It is inevitable that at some point, you and your students will use the last of the classroom hand sanitizer. Yes, I do recommend providing hand sanitizer to students. This protects you and the other students from the nasty bacteria and viruses that are spread so easily in schools. When you do run out of this classroom hand sanitizer, you will need to protect yourself from the germs… Luckily, you thought ahead and you have a small hand sanitizer in your Teacher’s Survival Kit to get you through the day or until you can get to the store! You’re so clever! 10 points to Ravenclaw!
- Feminine Supplies – Yes, I mean tampons. And pads. Luna cups? I dunno, that’s your call. When Aunt Flo comes to visit unannounced as she sometimes does, you need to be prepared! I suggest getting the clicking compact ones so you can discretely take it to the ladies room. Fun times… said no woman EVER. Luckily for you, you also keep pain relievers in your kit. 4 tampons for you, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco… And none for teachers without Teacher Survivial Kits!
- Instant Coffee – There will be days when you are run-down. When you look beat– and not in the good way. No, I mean, when you didn’t get enough sleep because you were up late grading your AP European History students’ first attempts at a DBQ essay… That is precisely the type of situation that calls for the instant coffee that you can make for yourself to get through the arduous task of maintaining order in the classroom and looking awesome. Just a few will do. You are a boss and I believe in your mad teaching skills.
- Mouthwash and/or travel toothbrush and paste – You wouldn’t want your teacher to help you with your work right after she ate her garlic hummus with carrots, right? So don’t do that to your poor innocent little scholars. Do them a favor, do your partner a favor, do your colleagues a favor, and freshen up your mouth!
- Pepto – After that kind of snack, you will definitely need some Pepto for that tummy! Good thing you have a few chewables in your Teacher’s Survival Kit for such an occasion!
- Cold and Flu Medication – Unfortunately, teachers tend to get sick a lot. Also, unfortunately, we are also incredibly particular and worry about our classrooms and students, so we usually try not to take off too much work. So… sometimes, you will need to have some Cold and Flu medication. That way, you can survive the workday without having a snot explosion in the middle of 4th period World History… not that I’m speaking from experience or anything… no… definitely not.
- Manicure Kit – The thing is, sometimes bad stuff happens to good teachers. You may snag your nail on something in your classroom, for example. In which case, you will be glad that you have a little manicure kit. You can clip and file that nail until it is no longer a nuisance. Yay! You are a problem solver.
- Lip Balm – You will need it. At some point. You will thank me.
- Hair ties and a travel hairbrush – I live in L.A., and when those Santa Ana winds pick up, it is no joke! Having a few hair ties and a hairbrush in my classroom is always a smart choice for me. If your hairline resembles Lex Luthor’s, then maybe you can skip this one.
Tell me what is in your “Teacher’s Survival Kit” in the comments!
Class dismissed!
Updated on April 6, 2020
The Ultimate Guide: Grading Kit
The first kit that I will introduce to you, is arguably the most important one for me. This is the grading kit. This one is important because we spend so much of our “free time” grading student work, that anything to keep it efficient is incredibly worthwhile to explore.
Having a grading kit in my teaching bag helps me stay prepared for when I have a few extra minutes to grade. It helps me remember to leave my work pens at school and my home pens at home. It helps me de-clutter my life.
I will walk you through each item in my Grading Kit and why I include it.
- a pencil bag – This is important! New teachers, listen, you can totally use a ziplock bag if you are still waiting on that first paycheck. Honestly, as long as you have some dedicated bag for your accoutrements, you will be fine. However, if you have a spare $3-$10, this is money well spent. You could also repurpose whatever you were using at university to store your supplies. I found my grading kit pencil bag in Little Tokyo for $3 at a stationary store. It’s very thin and fits just what I need. I love it because it is hot pink, so I can’t lose it! (I tend to lose a lot of things.) There are so many kinds of pencil bags out today, that I’m sure you can find one that fits your style and budget. These are my personal favorite. It cost me $15, I’ve had these for 6 years, and I have only replaced the ink cartridges once (and not even for all of them)!
- a red pen – Old trusty. We need the red pen in our arsenal when we really need to get a point across… or to cross out some points, too! I couldn’t make a grading kit without including the classic, red pen. Consider purchasing an inexpensive fountain pen like this and just replacing the recyclable ink cartridge to save on money, clutter, and to help the environment.
- Pencils ( mechanical or traditional wood) – These are a must-have because they are versatile. I feel like these don’t really require an explanation. I keep one mechanical and one wooden pencil in my grading kit, in case I run out of lead or something. I love Palomino Blackwing wooden pencils because of the dark, smooth lead and sleek design, but your trusted Ticonderoga can easily do the trick, especially if you are on a strict budget. Remember my rule:BUY NICE OR BUY TWICE. It applies to mechanical pencils. Don’t waste your money on cheaply made mechanical pencils that break within a couple months. Do yourself a favor and invest in one of these.
- An erasable colored pencil – I am a totally different nerd since I found these. I tend to write quickly and sometimes I make mistakes. I usually get embarrassed when I make a mistake on a student’s work, so when I started using these last year, I felt relieved of that stress. I love that I can erase my mistakes and fix them. I also love all the fun colors. Now, I rarely use a red pen for more than recording a score on a worksheet or for filling out rubrics. Additionally, you can use the light pink, yellow, green, and blue ones as a sort of highlighter if you want to remember something but don’t want the highlighter to bleed through the page. Pro-tip, the light blue one doesn’t show up on photocopies, so if you want to write notes on something, but you want to keep it clean for the students when you run copies, you can totally use the light blue one!
- Eraser – Get one. Get a fun one. Mine looks like a this one is my absolute favorite because it is so slim and erases so cleanly.
- Other crap – a pencil sharpener, paper clips, etc. I have a pencil sharpener and some paper clips, but if you need correction tape, a flask *wink, wink*, or anything else, then by all means add them to your kit.
This is not the end-all list of stuff that you can put in your grading kit. In fact, you may not need all the same things I do. I am a French teacher, so this mix makes sense for me and my students. Let me know what you have in your grading kit in the comments!
Class dismissed!