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As much as I’d love to say that teachers can do everything, including IEP writing, lesson planning, and prepping materials, during their contract hours… I’m not naive. I have pretty solid boundaries with my time these days, but when I am prepping teaching materials? Sometimes it just has to be done outside of school hours.
Here are my 5 recommended tools for making prepping teaching materials at home a faster and more efficient process!
1.) A personal laminator
I have had to remind myself many times that not everything needs to be laminated. And, it’s true. HOWEVER. Sommmmme items get a LOT more longevity and use if they are laminated! All of my classroom visuals, file folder activities, binder materials, and choice boards all get laminated. I like the Scotch laminator! It lives up to it’s ratings and is perfect for quickly prepping teaching materials. I also love that it’s small and light so I can bring it to and from school as needed.
2.) A paper cutter
While I love a good pair of super sharp craft scissors, this Swingline paper cutter is where it’s at. I purchased this one year after I made tons of individualized IEP binders for my class and my right hand was literally so cramped it was hard to function. Who knew that was a legitimate job hazard?! This paper cutter also comes with a safety lock on it so you can rest easy about the sharp blade.
3.) Velcro sticky coins
I use a lot of velcro in my materials to keep things both organized and functional AND hands-on. While the brand name is Velcro, this material is actually called “hook and loop”. You don’t have to buy the expensive Velcro brand – I personally defer to these Hook and loop dots! They are high quality and much less expensive.
4.) Coil binding machine (& coils!)
Okay, I can admit that this is an investment. I will say, this is my tried and true, absolute favorite tool for prepping teaching materials! Drumroll… the TruBind coil binding machine. Why do I love it? It makes books durable. The old school plastic binding coils easily come loose. I also have had many students pull the plastic coil out in one quick swipe! These coils are professional, durable, and make all of our prepping work worth it. I use them to bind all of my SEL Daily Journals for students, too. Along with this machine, you need coils (get a variety of sizes!).
5.) Binder rings
If you ever make flash cards, visual reminders, or mini books, binder rings are GREAT. I also like using these to attach positive affirmation cards to the side of students desks. I have them hang there on 3M hooks! This set of 100 one inch rings has lasted me a long time.
What materials are your keys to efficiency when prepping teaching materials at home?
You can check out some of my other favorite teacher tools here.
