Classroom Wish List

First things first:  I passed the science exam!  Now I am officially qualified in the state of Alabama to teach science at the high school level!  Did I ever think I would be a teacher?  Yes.  Did I ever dream it would be in science?  No.  But, I'm excited for the challenge, and to be fair-- they could always switch the subject I'm supposed to teach and assign me elsewhere, but for now I will relax and enjoy this first ever summer break with my kiddos!

As I'm letting it soak in that I have a job and a real classroom, I have started to daydream about things I'd like to get that would make the classroom a bit more welcoming... for myself and my students!

Here's my wish list so far:

• Rolling cart
• Expo markers (in lots of colors!)
• Snacks for students
• Keurig
• Coffee and reusable K-cups
• Extra clothes/ hair tie/ deodorant
• Pens/ spiral notebooks
• Pet roller
• Paper towels
• Paper plates/ plastic spoons and forks
• Lapel microphone system
• Diffuser
• Purification essential oil
• Grapefruit essential oil

I'd like a rolling cart similar to this one.  I like the bright cheery blue and the fact that I could store the expo markers and Smartboard keyboard around the room as I teach. 

I plan to stock up on Nutrigrain bars, Capri Suns, granola bars, etc. for students who may need a snack at break time but don't have the money to get one. 

I have an old Keurig that I plan to bring with me, along with my favorite ground coffee (Folger's Black Silk) and some reusable k-cups like these. 

Since I'll be doing science experiments in class, the chance of a spill is likely, so I want to have some spare clothes that I'd be able to change into between classes or during a break.  A pair of slacks, a shirt, and my favorite hair ties, plus my favorite deodorant stick are good staples to have on hand. 

When I was an intern this past semester, the teacher had a plastic set of drawers in the front of the classroom with one drawer specified for students to be able to get paper and pens from if they ran out of their own stash.  I thought this was a great idea! I plan to get some packs of loose leaf paper and some spiral notebooks and pens to incorporate something similar in my own classroom.  Once the rush for school supplies is over (around early September), stores usually heavily discount these items.  I got several spiral notebooks last fall for two cents a piece-- yes.  Two cents. I plan to super stock up this year as well. 

Since our dog is a miniature Blue Merle Australian Shepherd, he sheds like there's no tomorrow-- so I constantly have fluffy white hair floating through the air and landing on our clothes.  It drives me crazy!  I have a couple pet rollers at home in the kitchen to wipe over us before we leave the house, but if I forget to do that, then I have to hand-pick the hair off.  I'd like to have a spare roller in my classroom just in case. 

The paper towels are more for my lunchtime use than for experiments.  I will get some sort of a classroom budget to buy necessary items like paper towels, but I'd like to bring my own roll for personal use like lunchtime.  I'm also planning to bring my own paper plates and plasticware so I don't have to eat out of ziploc containers each day at lunch. 

The teacher I was an intern for had a lapel microphone system set up in his classroom because he has a very quiet voice.  I thought this was fantastic, and as a soft-spoken person myself, I would like to set up something similar.  Fortunately, my dad uses a lapel mic in his job every Sunday (he's a pastor) so I'm hoping he can offer assistance on a best quality one to get!

I have several diffusers at home, but plan to buy this slim version for the classroom.  Two essential oil scents that I'll bring with my from home are Purification and Grapefruit.  Purification actually removes odors from the air, and Grapefruit is just a nice, clean, uplifting scent.  I won't diffuse on days that we do experiments that might involve creating a substance that has a scent, but I plan to diffuse in the morning before classes start, and most likely at the end of the day before heading home.  

So there we have it-- the first look at my classroom wish list!

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba