Back to School Survival Kit for K–12 Teachers

Looking for a few useful, affordable things to help maintain your wits during this busy time of year? Wouldn't you love your own personal secret collection of goodies, critical to keeping your sanity and staying healthy in a roomful of germs?

Here's a list of tried-and-true top-drawer items to help you meet the challenges of back to school:

Hand sanitizer. For San Antonio-based Helene Segura, author of Less Stress for Teachers: More Time and An Organized Classroom and a former ninth grade English teacher, no survival kit is complete without hand sanitizer. Germs are aplenty in an environment where 20–30 people at a time are working together in close quarters, she notes, so not just any old gel will do. Stow away a few bottles of an antiseptic or antibacterial product so you never run out of a way to keep the germs at bay.
Nongreasy hand lotion. Seems like a luxury more than a survival item, but if you use a lot of hand sanitizer, your mitts can get awfully dry. Add chalk and whiteboard marker dust to the mix and — ouch! Avoid itching and cracking with a small bottle of nongreasy moisturizer stashed in your top drawer.
Aromatherapy. Ounce for ounce, nothing beats a tiny bottle of essential oils for helping you calm down or perk up. Keep a small bottle handy for a quick sniff of peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender — whatever scent gives you a momentary break from the insanity. Bill Dern, a math teacher at Kinard Middle School in Fort Collins, CO, recommends mints for a strong boost of freshness for your breath and your brain. Look for cleaning and other products infused with these smells, too, to extend the olfactory benefits.
Emergency energy. Whether you need to amp up your energy or calm it down, a selection of herbal teas, energy drinks and coffee keeps you from having to dash out to the teacher's lounge to refuel. Similarly, skip the vending machines and create your own supply of quick nutritious and shelf-stable snacks like protein bars.
Emergency sub kit. Pay it forward with a survival kit for your sub. High school English teacher and founder of The English Emporium, Chelly Wood of Wendell, ID, developed a package to help subs keep their own sanity. It includes basic instructions for a generic text book assignment, a reward activity (like Mad Libs), extra pencils, paper clips, sticky notes and a nonperishable snack like microwave popcorn and small bottle of water. She's also careful to include a list of trustworthy students who won't lie to the sub!
Happy place photos. Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Until then, have a few photos of your favorite places strategically positioned around the room. Poster-sized prints of your vacation photos on the walls, a slideshow of landscapes and family photos in a digital picture frame on your desk. Maybe even a coffee mug or water bottle emblazoned with that sunny beach or snowy mountain.
Fancy tableware. Lunch might be at your desk but a few strategic items can turn it into a fine dining experience. Former elementary school teacher Donna Peha of Seattle made the most of the days she didn't have cafeteria duty by eating lunch in the quiet of her room, using a nice reusable or disposable plate and utensils along with a pretty placemat and napkin. These dignified few minutes reenergized her for the last few hours of the school day.
First aid kit. Most schools require teachers to send kids right to the school nurse if an injury's involved, but keep a few first aid items in your desk for your own mishaps. In addition to the usual items, include a small sewing kit, a set of nail clippers and an emery board or file for those inevitable hangnails.

And there you have it: A few simple items, put to clever use, that alleviate anxiety and save precious classroom time for teachers, students and heck — even the sub!

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