Topic: School Supplies

[wangsuda]

Regardless of what your school or organization states, ALWAYS have your own supplies ready and with you at all times while at work.  What you need to prepare is a “teacher toolbox,” containing all your supplies.  In a regular tackle-box container, you should have:
1.   Whiteboard markers in at least three colors.  Bottles of refill ink for said markers are also recommended and rather cheap.  I find that the Sakura brand of markers is very long lasting, and very easy to refill.  So far this year, I have only used one set of colored markers – they last forever!  Oh yes, do not forget whiteboard marker erasures!
1a. Loads of chalk (various colors) if no whiteboard is available.
2.   Pens and pencils.  Try to keep at least five extra pens near you at all times, as well as five “2B’ pencils for marking computerized grade sheets.  This category also includes felt markers for grading (black or blue), and liquid paper or correction tape.
3.   Stapler and staples.  I have yet to teach at a school ANYWHERE where I have easy access to a stapler.  Get your own.  Stay away from the smaller staplers that use the #10 refills; they really are not worth anything.  For all school stapling needs (from one sheet to 20 sheets) obtain an Elephant Brand #DS-45N stapler and at least two boxes of #35 staple refills.
4.   One box of assorted clips.  Like staplers, they are never around when you need one; just get your own.
5.   One box of paper clips.
6.   A glue stick.
7.   A decent pair of scissors.  Schools usually have the small, “made for kindergarten” types, and they are crap.  Get adult scissors.
8.   Your own hole punch.  The Power Stone PS-20 is small, and can punch up to 10 sheets of paper at a time.
9.   A calculator.
10.   Markers for overhead projectors (nothing worse than having access to an overhead projector and having nothing with which to write).
11.   Post-It notes.
12.   A floppy disk and CD-W (if you have computer access).
13.   A pad of lined, A-4 paper (at least 100 sheets).
14.   A ream of unlined A-4 paper (optional).
15.   Rubber bands.

Yes, this is a big list, but all is obtainable at the larger stores (Big C, Tesco-Lotus) and can be purchased for under 1000 baht.  There are pros and cons to purchasing your own supplies.  The pros are that you are ready to teach on the first day of class WITHOUT searching for supplies and making lame apologies to your students as to why you cannot write on the whiteboards (“sorry kids, I didn’t think I had to bring my own,” is NOT a good impression).  The cons?  Your school might not ever buy you supplies if you show up with your own.  My advice is to be prepared.  Even when I taught in America, I always had my teacher toolbox with me, and refilled it from what the school supplied

[hero]

I pass!

I have all that but a hole-punch, chalk and OHP pens (all of which I've honestly never needed!) and rubber bands (which can always be found on the canteen floor!)

I'd like to add a geometry kit to that list (for maths teachers) - it's impossible to hound the kids into bringing theirs every day if you don't have one yourself!

Oh, and a pack of paracetamol for those noisy Friday afternoons!

[wangsuda]

Good additions! A basic geometry kit can be bought for between 5-10 baht at any school store. As for the paracetamol, our department keeps a huge bottle on the counter. Some days, we all dip into it!

[samvimes]

When I teach business English or privates, I carry an IPOD around with some small speakers for listening practice. All the listening you could ever need!

[RobRoy]

Don't have an IPOD or two hole punch, but bought a folder with the plastic pages inside that you can slip paper into to keep my attendance lists, lesson plans, etc organized and easy to carry to class.  Keep notes about the class on the back of the attendance sheet! 

Also bought the big folders and the plastic pages to keep all of my handouts organized.