What to Keep in Your Student Teacher Bag

What to Keep in Your Student Teacher Bag

As you’re gearing up for your big first day as a teacher intern, you might be wondering what you should bring on your first day of student teaching. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Please know, some of these things might seem a bit extra, but I promise, there is a time and a place for everything we are chatting about today!

I’ll start off by sharing about the typical things I am sure you can expect, but then we are going to talk about the items you’re really here to learn about. 

So starting with the basics, you’re going to want a teacher bag. I’m sure you’ve already been searching out the cutest rectangular shaped bags out there and I don’t want to break your heart when I say this, because there definitely is a time and a place for those cute teacher bags, but for student teaching, a cute, yet practical backpack will be sufficient. 

I 100% agree that the rectangular bags are great for days when bring treats or supplies to school for projects, but for the every day bag, I am a firm believer in using a back pack. I know there are so many super cute options out there, but I highly recommend finding a heavy duty oversized backpack. While you’re student teaching, you’re more than likely going to be taking home the teacher guides, small group items, papers to grade, seriously so many things, and you’ll want a bag that’s up for the challenge. There will also be a few other supplies we will be talking about today that you might want to keep in your backpack, so finding a roomy one with lots of pockets helps too. 

The reason I am a firm believer in using a backpack is because it leaves your hands open and free when you’re fiddling with your keys to get into the building, to carry that $5 coffee you just bought, to answer your phone if someone starts calling, I think you get the point. When you’re trying to carry a side bag or even an over the shoulder bag, the weight in itself can make carrying the bag a challenge, where as with a backpack, the weight doesn’t seem as heavy when it’s over both of our shoulders and evenly distributed.  Those side bags can also be pretty annoying if you have to keep setting the bag down each time you go through a set of doors when you’re making your way to the classroom. The scenario I am trying to paint for you right now might not make total sense yet, but it will. And again, I definitely think there is a time and a place for those cute rectangular teacher bags, but I just really don’t think they are necessary, especially when student teaching. 

So let’s talk about a few things that you’re going to want to keep in your student teacher bag.

Teacher Supplies to keep in your Student Teacher Back Pack

Of course, we will want the cute little items that only teachers ever seem to be carrying around such as a few sticky-notes, pens, pencils, some paper clips and binder clips, maybe a few rubber bands, and a highlighter and sharper or two. I suggest getting a little pencil pouch to keep these things in, so that every time you need them, you can just grab your pouch out. 

Emergency Medicines to keep in your Student Teacher Bag

I also suggest keeping a small pouch in your bag with a few items such as chap stick, extra bobbypins, a few pony tails, and then a few medicines. If you go to the dollar tree, you can buy these little single serving name brand medicines. I suggest picking up a package of tylenol, and ibuprofen for those days when you have a surprise headache or body ache. I also suggest some DayQuil and vitamin C. You’re going to be around so many new germs and chances are, you might catch a cold. We all know that getting a cold can be so miserable, so having some cold medicine on hand is so helpful. In this pouch you’ll also want to keep a few feminine products for emergencies and maybe even some motrin or something that helps relieve the onset of monthly cramps. Again, we don’t want this medicine bag to take up too much room, so consider having just a few of each type of pill. Maybe 3-4 of each max that way you don’t have to replenish it each time you use it, but if you’re desperate you at least have something. 

Okay, this might be one of those examples that seems a little extra, but when I was student teaching I also kept a few travel size items of deodorant, a tooth brush and tooth paste, perfume, a tiny bit of lotion, mascara, concealer, and a little face powder. I think we can all agree we have had days that are so exhausting and when we look in the mirror at the end of the day we are like, “Oh my gosh, what happened to me? My face is like melting off!” Most days, you’ll probably just go home and be fine. But if you end up having a parent meeting after school or you decide to go for apps after school, it’s always nice to be able to freshen up a little bit. Plus, if you’re anything like me, when a surprise pimple comes out of nowhere, I like to be able to use a little powder to tone it down. This bag really won’t take up too much room, especially if you’re using sample size items. It’s not going to get you very far, but it will help if you’re in a bind.

Emergency Snacks to keep in your Teaching Bag

Up next, let’s make a little emergency snack kit. This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant either, but a little bag with some gum, mints, and a few snacks such as single serving crackers or protein bars will really help if you ever have to run out the door without breakfast or if you remember that you have to stay late and you forget to pack an afterschool snack or even supper. Sometimes being hungry can almost be debilitating, so an emergency snack can really help.

Keeping an emergency Cash Stash in Your Teacher Bag

For smaller items, the last thing I am going to suggest is some emergency money. I didn’t keep much in my bag, at most $20, but I tried to keep it in smaller bills and even some change. Some examples of when you might need this money include a popcorn or hat day, when a student is selling something for their scouts troop or fundraiser, if you forget to pack a lunch and need to buy something, if someone suggests ordering in lunch, grabbing a water from the pop machines, really any situation where having some change on hand might be helpful, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t typically carry cash. This can also come in handy if you forget your purse or wallet and need gas after school or something. As a student teacher and even as a classroom teacher, I didn’t typically bring my purse into school. There just wasn’t a safe space to keep personal items. Although I never had anything wonder off, I just didn’t feel comfortable leaving my purse or wallet just sitting there for all eyes to see, but keeping a small amount of cash in my bag was always sufficient.

So just recapping here, so far we know that we need a teacher bag and within our bag we are going to want little teacher supplies, a medicine kit, a few snacks, and some emergency money.

Another thing that I really like about back packs is that everything has it’s own spot, where as in some of those bigger bags, everything is just kind of floating around. With backpacks, we can also hide some of the items we don’t want just floating around such as our feminine products or that emergency money, 

For all of the above items that I mentioned, those should all fit within one or two of the smaller pockets of your back pack, which leaves the big pockets open for things  that you probably already have on your list of items to not forget. If you haven’t started making a list yet, here are a few more things you absolutely do not want to forget.

• Your laptop/iPad ++ CHARGER The device won’t serve you if it’s not charged

• A spare phone charger; it would be great if you could just keep one in your bag for emergencies

• Headphones if you’ll be teaching virtually

• Your student teacher binder - If you’re wondering what to put in your binder, check out the previous episode or head to this blog post. This blog post shares about what you should include inside your student teaching binder, as well as binder templates that you can grab from my teacher’s pay teachers store!

• Hand sanitizer! Even if it’s not covid or cold and flu season, having a travel size hand sanitizer is always helpful. 

• AND OF COURSE - Your lunch. If you’re not sure what options you’ll have for warming up a lunch or even if you’ll have a refrigerator to put your lunch in, I suggest packing food items such as a sandwich and fruit or some yogurt, cheese and crackers, or really anything that doesn’t require you to warm it up and can also get by with just an ice pack.

Okay, your backpack should be loaded up and ready to go by this point, but there are a few more things I want to share with you.

I am going to make the assumption that most of us will be driving to our placement, so here are a few items that I suggest keeping in your car in case you end up needing them.

Emergency Items to keep in your car

I want you to go through your closet and find an old outfit that you’ll honestly probably never wear, but you’d wear it if you had to. I would suggest something that’s pretty neutral in color and would go with whatever undergarments and shoes you’re wearing. Are you wondering where I am going with this yet? As much as we would like to pretend that everything is always going to be perfect.. There might be a day when you spill your coffee all over yourself, when a student gets sick and accidentally gets it on you, an art or science project that gets a little too messy. Sometimes unexpected things happen, and it is really helpful if you have an extra change of clothes that you’re able to just keep with you in case of an emergency. It’s definitely not 100% required that you have a change of clothes with you, but you really never know when it might come in clutch. 

A few other things I would suggest keeping in your vehicle would be a comfortable pair of shoes in case you’ll be doing an outdoors activity or if you want to attend gym class with your kiddos, a cardigan or sweater that you can toss on if it’s chilly, and extra socks if your feet get wet at recess. I understand that having these items in your car still isn’t as convenient as if you had them with you every day, but it’s better than nothing! If your school provides you with a locker or area to keep personal belongings, you might consider keeping these items in there. If not though, having them in your vehicle will be super helpful just in case a situation comes up as well. 

Of course I know that not all of these items are 100% necessary, but if you want to be prepared for any typical day as a teacher, having these items close by will alleviate some stress. 

If you’re up for the challenge, I would love to have you take a picture of “What’s in your teacher bag” and post it inside of our First Year Teacher Support facebook page! I know there are so many items that I didn’t mention today that others would benefit from hearing. 

Just last week I was talking to one of my Blossoming Teacher Course students and she was saying how thankful she was that she had her emergency kit packed because it has already came in handy so many times during her first year of teaching. You just truly never know when something might come up!

As always, if you have any questions or need someone to talk to, I am always just a message away! I can’t wait to follow along side your journey and watch you blossom into the teacher that you were born to be! Best of luck during your upcoming experience, I know you’re going to be amazing!

XO - Kayla

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