Take a Toolkit to Class
Although most faculty use many high tech innovations in the classroom, let’s not forget the necessity for the basic accoutrements. After a couple of years of hearing frequent requests for some basic office supplies and also recognizing that there were times I wished I had some sticky notes or whiteboard markers in a classroom, I purchased a nice clean, new toolbox at a local Costco and then filled it with the following:
- Post-it® notes
- Dry-erase markers
- Scotch tape
- Masking tape
- Stapler (and extra staples)
- Quality hole punch (because many of my students’ assignments needed to be put into notebooks prior to turning them in)
- Paper clips
- Pencils & pens
- Scissors
- Highlighters
- Chalk (yes, indeedy; every so often, I was in a room with chalkboards!)
- Extension cord
- Door stop (I bought these in large packets at a local Home Depot)
If you are wondering, ‘Gosh, what if I left these behind in the classroom? I’d go broke,” then take a few minutes to watch my video about having a helper. Your “sherpa” can help you gather up all the items that belong in your toolbox.
Preparing a classroom toolkit was a good investment on my part and saved me a great deal of time and frustration over the years. It was also GREATLY appreciated by my students — so that was a plus!!
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And as a college or university faculty member, you have many opportunities for success and failure. If you would like additional tips, tools, and techniques that you can use to support your successes, then you will want to access the The Compendium of Productivity Tips for Professors a step by step guide that will help you have a successful year and a compelling career as an academic.
