Classroom purchases are part of teaching. As teachers we have so many hats to wear. Supply manager is one role we must take seriously.

Get the biggest impact from your classroom purchases

One of the jobs I didn’t even consider being part of teaching is that of office manager. You are a manager, and your classroom is your office. When you shop for your essential classroom purchases, don’t skimp on the hardware.

These items are used regularly, and having issues with these valuable pieces of equipment can impact your daily flow. Purchasing quality items can save money in the long run. Here are my top three pieces of classroom hardware that are worth the extra money.

Essential Classroom Purchase #1:  The Hole Punch

The hole punch in the picture is four years old now, and I’ve had zero problems with it. With a sturdy hole punch, I love that I can punch my papers for the day (60-80) in three to four punches. Smaller, less expensive hole punches hold fewer papers, the hole makers break easier, and they are more difficult for younger students to handle.

If your budget is tight, this is a great item to put on your wish list for parents to purchase for the classroom. It runs between $25 and $35.

Essential Classroom Purchase #2:  The Electric Pencil Sharpener

One of my favorite classroom purchases is this amazing electric pencil sharpener. I got tired of the manual pencil sharpener not working and the cheapo electric ones lasting a few months, so I spent $50.00 on an electric pencil sharpener for HEAVY USE.

I’ve had my sharpener for three years! It’s fast, and we don’t have to interrupt work time to deal with pencil issues. Enough said! Check out this blog post with tips that really work for classroom management.

Essential Classroom Purchase #3:  The Portable, Medium-sized Whiteboard

Another essential classroom purchase is smaller whiteboards. I use medium-sized, portable whiteboards in a variety of ways. First, I preserve directions for a longer-term project or literature circles on one of these whiteboards. When we need the information, the whiteboard goes up for viewing.

Next, whiteboards are perfect for centers. Since the boards are portable and can hold quite a bit of writing, they’re great for displaying key information. If your centers last more than a day, the instructions are there on the board for your next day of grouping.

Finally, I often write Bell Ringer instructions (which can be similar from day to day) on the medium-sized whiteboards because we don’t need the instructions for more than a few minutes. Check out some no prep great bell ringers for grades 4 and up!

This saves me space on my permanent whiteboards for lessons, notes, etc. I can pull the whiteboard down when we’re done with our start-up time, which reduces word noise around the classroom.

Note: Staplers are also worth investing your classroom funds in, but the stapler is an entire blog post in itself!!

As teachers with limited budgets, we need to carefully consider our classroom purchases.  Whatever your priority, make your purchases ones that will last and have a positive impact on your classroom environment and your workload. Even though an item may be more expensive, in the long run it may actually save you money, time, and frustration.

I’d love to hear about your favorite classroom purchases.