Three Essentials for Every Teacher
Each of these classroom gadgets costs less than $20
After a three-week laryngitis episode, I started thinking about the gadgets that allow me to successfully survive the day with two classes of 24 students each (48 students in all).
After listing out my favorite and most used items (which includes an electric kettle, for throat soothing ginger tea) I immediately realized that there are truly three items that I’m utilizing every day, and all day. As you may recall from past articles, I’m experimenting with frugality when it comes to work related purchases this year.
Without further ado — here are my essential (affordable) classroom gadgets.
Visual Timer
Full transparency, my classroom wall-clock never has the correct hour, or minutes. I don’t even look at the clock because it’s always showing a ridiculously, inaccurate display of the time. We all know that using your cellphone in the classroom is necessary, but it can also lead to a workplace faux pax (even a possible write up, if it happens too often).
With the help of a cellphone or smart watch, it’s easy to set a timer. In my opinion when you’re in the throes of “the work”, there’s just something incredibly valuable about being able to visualize the amount of time remaining in the learning block.
I use a visual timer in conjunction with alarms on my phone (that let me know when I need to move along with our daily schedule). At the start of a new instructional block, I will set the timer or ask a student to serve as time keeper; and voila — we’re on task and making the most of our learning time.
Clicker
I have a Bluetooth “clicker” that allows me to change the slides, adjust volume, and point at charts with a laser. I love the fact that I can access my monitor (SmartBoard) and tablet with the clicker from across the classroom or while working with students at my small group table. The clicker frees me from my tablet and allows me to maneuver slides, visual supports, and videos without having to hover near my tablet, which isn’t wirelessly connected to the monitor.
A Doorbell
Not so fun fact — I am super susceptible to laryngitis, I just don’t have a big voice. Call and response attention getters are a sure-fire way for me to lose my voice. In short, I personally don’t like using call and response attention getters. I’ve used wind chimes, hand chimes, rain sticks, anything to not have to say “One, two, three, eyes on me…” or “Class… Yes…”.
I still keep a wind chime “attention getter” near my carpet area, the sound is lovely. I also use the hand chime at the beginning of the year to teach multi-step transitions, that require students to move around. However, I’m known for putting the hand chime down and having to “ring” an invisible chime (cause I’m always losing things in the room).
The “attention getting” solution has been a doorbell alarm. It stays clipped onto my lanyard so that I can get the students attention from anywhere in the room. The sound is a little bit annoying (it’s no wind chime), but it works. Additionally, I’ve taught the students that the visual timer alarm may go off, but it’s the doorbell sound that indicates when it’s truly time to refocus our attention on the next directions (since I’m manipulating the doorbell alarm in real-time).
In Summary
Teaching is my passion. However teaching solo 180+ days can be physically draining. These three gadgets allow me to stay on task, interact with technology, and get my students attention in our shared space without raising my voice.
Medium Educators, what gadgets are essential to your classroom life?
Check out “Remaining Retained” my views on the teacher shortage and retention. Or read “Parable of the Golden Handcuffs”, my exodus from teaching and living full-time in NYC.
Interested in learning with me? Let’s set up a time.
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