Polka dots. Before school started, I bought a few packs of colorful polka dot stickers to decorate the institutional walls of my classroom. Polka dots bubble up the wall over my desk, rainbow arc across a corner, and spiral like garland around a large column. The color burst is essential to my happiness in my classroom.
Cat quote tin posters. One of these days I’m going to make a poster of my favorite cat to hang over my desk, but until then I make do with a tin poster that brings me joy.
64 oz water bottle. The straw keeps me from spilling water all over myself (sometimes it’s tricky to drink from a water bottle! Or is that just me?). And the 64 ounces guarantees that I won’t run out of water before my prep time trip to the water fountain for a refill.
Photocopies. Many teachers have stayed completely digital after spending a year teaching virtually, and everything we do in my classroom is available digitally. But I like paper–and so do most of my students. On the rare occasions I assign something that’s only available as a Google doc, it’s inevitable that 20 people ask me for a paper copy. I don’t love the stacks and stacks of copies that now clutter my desk. But I do love having something immediately to hand if a lesson runs short.
Masks. I’ve traded in my beloved Vogmasks for KN95s since Omicron. I’ll never be able to understand the fuss about masks. I haven’t caught so much as a cold since March 2020!
Music. When we were virtual, I played songs at the beginning of class to try to bring the energy up (two favorites for you to listen to: DeJ Loaf and Leon Bridge’s Liberated and Blackalicious’s Chemical Calisthenics). In person, I play mellow hip-hop and lo-fi beats during work time to bring the energy (and noise!) down and help us focus and concentrate.
Art supplies. I’m amazed at how often I find a reason to bring out the colored pencils, crayons, and markers.
Timers. I teach in a two-hour block (which felt short when I taught college but sometimes feels endless teaching high school). I’ve found that short sprints of work followed by brain breaks keep us going.
Texts. I couldn’t get through a single day without my very active texting life. My mom and I text all day long, and I am grateful to her for tolerating the minute-by-minute countdown that comes her way every day during advisory. “17 minutes left…. Only 12 minutes left…8 minutes!! I can do it!” I have several teacher group chats going as well. Having colleagues to rely on for answers, support, encouragement, and humor has made all the difference this year.
To-do lists. I’ve learned that I can actually be very productive at work as long as I have a to-do list to check off tasks. There is SO MUCH paperwork in K-12, y’all. SO MUCH.
Rolling chair. I am so grateful for my comfy rolling chair. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s as comfortable as my much more expensive ergonomic office chair at home. Now if I could just remember to sit down more during the day!
Lanyard. I never thought I’d be a person who wore an ID badge with a key attached to it all day. But I cannot express how nice it is to never EVER have to wonder where in the world I left my keys.
Snack cupboard. Officially, we are not supposed to have food in the classroom. (Apparently the building has a mice problem–which would be solved if my great idea of emotional support cats in each classroom would be adopted). But I can’t teach effectively without ample provision of snacks and treats. Sometimes we just need a granola bar or a piece of candy to make it through the day.
What are your classroom must haves? I’d love to know what I’m missing
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My theme for Slice of Life 2022 is finding inspiration in the writing of others. Each day I plan to find my slice in someone else’s words or forms. Today’s inspiration came from 13 Things I Can’t Live Without at Box of Chocolates.
the dirigible plum 
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