Helpful Materials

This post is about items I find helpful. I know that every classroom is different but mine allow me to use a computer with a USB. So this brings me to my first item: a USB drive. I store all my teaching materials on this drive and if I want to work at home I can easily.

The next item is my magic bag. I use this bag for my action game as well as other activities that I want the students to pick a card at random. I like Rilakkuma a lot, but you can use any small bag.

I would be fumbling around all day if it weren't for my pencil, pen, and other random stuff case. By random stuff I mean magnets and OK stamps, 2 other essential items for my particular class rooms. One of my favorite things about Japan are the ubiquitous Hyaku En shops (100 yen shops). Like the dollar stores of the US, but at least 10 times better. It is there that I purchase items like scissors, magnets, and A4 folders. It is a very very helpful place. Another helpful place for teachers here is LOFT, a home goods and stationary store. LOFT in Yokohama has an excellent selection of OK stamps. I use these when students complete their worksheets and in my school they also use a point card system, so I stamp those as well.

Of course regular office supplies are great and most schools will supply items like binder clips, paper clips, tape (though I like to keep a mini tape dispenser in my bag of stuff), paper and rubber bands. Rubber bands are super helpful if you are creating a lot of card based activity games.

One of the most essential items is my mug! I would be no where without my Moomin mug, or at the very least sleepy! In Japan's schools most teachers bring their own mugs. Some schools also have a monthly pool for tea and coffee, but because I am too cheap for that I bring my own instant coffee or if I am having a productive morning before I leave my house I brew my own and bring it with me in a Thermos.

 

I also have fly swatters, which are used in a vocabulary game I will explain later.

My portable speaker is also very useful when I want to sing a song with my students as a warm up. I know not every school will let you use a laptop in the classroom, but mine does so I find this helpful and the students think mine is very cute.

STICKERS!! I love stickers and so do my students. I mostly use these in special circumstances like if they volunteer for a game or to translate on the blackboard. Everyone gets an OK stamp, but stickers are special.

I also use a canvas bag that helps me bring all my materials to different classrooms. Some ALT's are not so busy, but I usually teach 4 periods a day and these are usually mixed between all 3 grades, so my bag is quite helpful.

A4 folders I have converted into flashcard holders with magnets that have adhesive on them already (both from hyaku en).

A soft ball for toss games, which can be seen in my pen case picture (yes it is korilakkuma). Lastly my own box of tissues because my school does not supply them and I find tissues to be useful in many applications.

If you teach in Japan and have other materials you want to add to this list please comment!!