Many teachers start preparing their classrooms for the fall at the beginning of summer, so they don’t have to worry about it when school starts up again. You might be packing things up, tossing what you don’t think you need, or stealing good stuff from your colleagues. Here’s what you should be looking for, including some surprising uses for common items.
Any plastic boxes and bins you can get your hands on
You can never have too many places to stash and organize things. Small drawers can be used for school supplies or even board game pieces when the boxes get destroyed. Large bins, tilted sideways, make great shelves for binders, books, or any other large items.
Compressed air cans
Those small things can also get spilled onto computer keyboards, not to mention the constant dust. Blow out your electronics once when you leave for the summer and then again when you come back (because new dust will be there from them not running the air conditioner as much).
Any non-desk seating
The days of desks are numbered. Today’s strategies call for students to be able to move around and work collaboratively. To help that along, acquire any pillows, comfortable chairs, and even couches you can find.
Paper shredder
Some sensitive information crosses your desk. Not only that, but shredded paper takes up far less space than paper that’s been balled up, which means less chance of the garbage can overflowing.