Classroom Supplies
You will probably inherit your teacher desk, a file cabinet, and some other large items that you'll find in your classroom. However, you will probably need to spend some time gathering additional necessary supplies. Usually, you will find experienced teachers on staff with extra supplies they've collected over the years that they are willing to share.
As you gather together your classroom supplies, you will definitely need the following:
Chalk and/or markers
Erasers
Pens, pencils, and paper
Pencil sharpener
Stapler and scissors
Thumbtacks and paperclips
Tape and glue
File folders
If you can get these items through administration or other teachers, then you have a good basis for what you need. Of course, you should adapt this list to your situation. Many teachers have access to an overhead projector, which means they need overhead sheets, markers, and cleaner.
Organizing Supplies
You will find that you will be better organized if you divide your room into separate areas. For example, you might have a location where all of your art supplies go. You could have containers containing rulers, glue sticks, markers and colored pencils, and construction paper. This will enable students to return materials to their proper place when they are finished.
Think about the different tasks you plan for your class before deciding on a final location for your supplies. Make a list of the top four to six tasks you and your students will complete that require supplies. Then assign each task a location in your room. The supplies associated with each of the tasks should be located in these separate areas.
Unique Supplies
Some subjects require teachers to store expensive supplies, such as graphing calculators and science materials. It is imperative that you have a cabinet with a lock or another secure container for these supplies. Unfortunately, expensive supplies often have a way of sprouting legs and walking away.
As you place large items around your room, make sure that you do not block fire extinguishers or other safety devices. These must be accessible at all times. If you are teaching science, do not block the emergency shower so students can have quick access if any problem occurs.
It is also very important to have locked storage for potentially dangerous chemicals. It is a huge liability to leave dangerous substances in locations where students could easily get to them. Most schools have locking cabinets and separate storage rooms for science classrooms. If your school does not have these facilities, then you need to make a point of explaining the liabilities to your administration.
