This summer I’ve been on my teacher Instagram and I found myself starting to feel not cool as a teacher. I saw teachers going to Target and buying out the dollar spot. I saw teachers buying so much stuff for their classroom on Amazon Prime Day. I saw teachers literally spending the entire month of July in their classroom getting it really cute. I was one jealous teacher. Then I started to think about my classroom and my teaching philosophy. I am very minimalist in my classroom. I don’t like too many trinkets type things to clutter up the space. I like to use cool and calming colors as research suggests this is best for children. I like my kids to decorate the space with my through our shared writing so I don’t like an overly decorated room. I also live in Poland so many of these shopping endeavors are simply not available to me. I know that I am a good teacher and I don’t need a bunch of stuff to make me a better teacher. Would it be nice to have twinkle lights in the classroom? Yes. Can I have twinkle lights in the classroom? No. I need to keep doing me.
If you’re a new teacher or even a returning teacher, please listen up! You need to do what feels right for you in your classroom. You also need to spend responsibly. I always ask the school to purchase the materials I need for teaching. They almost always pull through. Make sure that you’re taking advantage of the resources available to you before you are going broke from spending your own money. It isn’t worth it.
Here is a list of five things that I do not need or back to school.
One
New Coordinating Storage Bins
I saw so many teachers buying new bins for their classrooms. I don’t need new bins. Well…. actually I do, but the school is going to buy them for me. I will get what I get and I will use them to the fullest of their potential. I don’t need to go out and have color coordinating everything. The broken bins are being replaced and I can live with that. Of course I would love it if all of my bins matched and all of the bins I had were the right size for what I need but that isn’t going to happen and that is ok.
Don’t buy things that the school will buy for you.
Two
Teacher T-Shirts
There are so many adorable t-shirts for teachers with so many adorable sayings. I want them so badly. I have been eyeing one up that says, “Ok students now let’s get information” for over two years. The thing is, we’re not allowed to wear t-shirts at my school. It’s too casual. We do have casual Fridays where we can wear jeans but t-shirts are a no. This past year I wore a NASA t-shirt I got at H&M because my kids were obsessed with NASA. The kids loved it but all day I was waiting to be called out on it. Not worth it. Maybe someday but not today.
Think about your school when purchasing things. Are these sorts of things ok at your school?
Three
New Books
As an international teacher, I won’t be staying at one school forever. I know that some teachers do but I wanted to teach internationally to explore the world and learn a lot about many other cultures. I don’t want to stay put. In my two years here I’ve already purchased too many books to take with me to my new destination… wherever that may be. I can’t buy any more books. None.
Talk to your school librarian about getting some new titles you saw over the summer. That way you can use them in your classroom but so many more people can take advantage of the great books you’ve discovered.
FOur
Things to Make my Classroom Homier
I had the coziest classroom ever when I taught in the States. I had so many lamps and comfortable seats. It felt like a home. Now my classroom feels like a classroom. I don’t have any lamps, although I do have excellent natural lighting. I don’t have any cozy things that I have purchased myself. It’s ok for a classroom to be like a classroom. Even if everyone else’s classroom is like a home.
Don’t spend excessive amounts of money buying cute and comfortable furniture and other things.
Five
Makerspace/ STEAM Materials
I see so many teachers doing such cool stuff in makerspaces and with STEAM in the classroom. I will also be incorporating these ideas into my classroom more in the fall but I will be using supplies that the school already owns or supplies that I ordered last spring. We don’t need all the newest and greatest things for good teaching. Is it nice? Yes. Is it necessary? No.
Have you talked yourself out of purchasing anything this summer? Have you purchased something that everyone else bought only to discover that you don’t need it or use it? Let me know in the comments section below!
