Get Crafty! Feel like a kid again!

Of course any teacher knows you will accumulate TONS of art supplies over your long career of teaching, but if you don't have the basics, you should definitely consider investing in them. I will provide a list of some of my favorite things to start a student teacher off on the right foot. As the semester progresses, student teachers will learn what else they need as they begin to make things for their classrooms:

1) Good Markers and Sharpies(Thick)
2) Expo Markers for Chart Paper (Variety of Colors that are easy to see - black, red, green, blue)
3) Two-sided tape for hanging (non-sticky) chart paper
4) correction tape (for interactive writing and mistakes on chart paper)
5) Glue
6) Masking tape and regular tape
7) Hole Punch, yarn, and brads (brass paper fasteners) (materials for making books)
8) Stapler (for bulletin boards)
9) Good Pair of Scissors
10)Colored Paper - All shapes and sizes (construction paper, oragami paper, wrapping paper for bulletin boards and mounting student work)

The good news is that you can find many of the general supplies listed here at a dollar store (except for good markers - and you really need these!). Don't worry about buying supplies for students yet. You don't need general supplies for them because your mentor teacher will have these. However, you will need to provide any specific/unique materials that students need to complete one of your lesson plans. BUT - check with your mentor teacher before buying supplies for children.

Once you have your stock of art supplies you will no doubt be anxious to put them to use! A great first art project for a new student teacher is to make an "All About Me" book. You can include a picture of yourself, your name, your favorite foods, activities, books, sports, etc. Make each new fact about yourself a new page. Here is a picture of an all about me book (note-you should not include any personal information such as telephone number and address):


Once you have completed your All About Me book, send it to your Mentor Teacher with a special note to the children in the class about how you look forward to meeting them soon! Children will be so excited to meet you and you may even be pleasantly surprised when the children send you their own All About books.

You can google "All About Me" books for more information or ideas about how to create your own book.

Happy crafting!