I started some research for this blog by doing a Twitter / X poll to find out what was the most important resource as voted for by business teachers.
Final results showed that by a huge margin the mini whiteboards were considered essential.
So here are a few others, I am not sponsored BTW these are items that I have used over the years and find really handy.
1. Craft bag (also search online for knitting tote) so that when you have to move from room to room you quickly have everything you need to hand. In addition, the bonus is that your students and colleagues will be highly impressed by your level of organisation. This is mine and I am just getting ready to fill it up for the new term. The section at the bottom has a zip so you can keep prizes in there or even a lunch box. £11.99
2. Zipped (zipper) bags for mini whiteboards – so you can keep a track of the pens and the sponge erasers. At a glance you can see who has not handed them back in. £17.99
3. Chalk pens – to draw diagrams on the desks, make sure you have plenty of blue paper and water in spray bottles to help get it off. The black / red does not come off and the white does not show up, so consider the blues and greens your friends. Only do this with groups you can 100% trust not to splodge it all over the desk and themselves. £7.99
4. Blank flashcards – use these to consolidate any points at the end of a lesson. Students can build up a bank of flashcards to use end of term for quizzes and testing each other. You have to make this part of your classroom culture from the first lesson. £6.99
5. Map of the world – I did find an interactive one on a board that students could use their finger to circle but an A1 version on the wall which you can point to and say “pirates” when discussing imports and exports, is infinitely more dramatic. £14.99+
6. Class set of rulers – for break even, bar gate, Boston box, Ansoff’s, supply and demand, Maslow’s etc. I bought my own set last year and had a jolly afternoon putting my name on each and every one. £10.99
7. Personalised text stickers – £3.99 on Amazon (other sticker places are available) with “This belongs to” and your name. Stick them on everything.
8. Clicker – to move PowerPoints forwards while you stand at the back of the room next to any students that may need some proximity to help them concentrate. Search for wireless presentation clickers. £9.99 well spent. Also a TV remote so when you get to a room and there isn't one you can use your own.
9. Your own flipchart – only if you are in one room most of the week. A bit extravagant, but I used mine every lesson. You can use with the big flipchart paper to have a message which stays there all lesson e.g. formulae or you can use it for students to check in with starter answers or exit tickets at the end and sticky notes work well with the board under the paper. £50+
10. Revisionstation business teaching resource packs – now obviously a blog would not be mine without a decent plug at the end. These packs can take up to 6 months to write. Imagine all the PPA time you can save by buying a pack. Some cost less than two Costas and a BLT from a Shell Garage. Buy a pack, get an instant digital download, send the worksheets to repro and get beck to reading your book! https://www.revisionstation.co.uk/shop
All prices are approximates from Amazon correct at time of writing. I am not suggesting you should pay for these yourself but if your department has a budget then you may want one or two key items from the list. If you can only get one thing, get the clicker.
Written by Sarah Hilton who has taught Business for 24 years and is still teaching at an Outstanding Midlands college. Sarah is the Keynote business teacher trainer, she also runs an online business and has also been a GCSE business and A level business examiner for over 20 years (including this year).
If you would like a twilight Zoom CPD session with Sarah then please email some potential dates to: revisionstation@hotmail.co.uk
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