School district budgets get tighter every year, leaving teachers with minimal finances for classroom supplies and for replacing old, outdated learning materials. And you know all too well what it costs to make sure your students have what they need to learn – budget or no budget!
Luckily, there are a number of ways to save on the materials you need for your classroom, from books and games to art supplies and filing folders. These five websites can help you create an educational and fun-filled school year more affordably.
One of the best ways to get kids reading more is to set aside time for reading in the classroom as often as possible. In fact, 52 percent of students say they love reading in class, but only 17 percent say their class does it every day.
Use Couponbox to save on the best reading materials for your students, with discounts from Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, and Scholastic, to name just a few. Bring non-fiction reading materials into your classroom as well, by choosing from dozens of magazine subscription coupons.
Children are more motivated to learn and interact in a fun environment. For teachers, creating and designing a fun classroom can be costly. DollarDays offers a variety of classroom supplies and decorations, including letters, stickers, dry erase products, and posters – all at discounted prices for teachers.
They also have plenty of inexpensive mathematics, grammar, and foreign language posters, which can help students visualize and practice the material they’re learning.
All work and no play is not a constructive way for children to stay focused and learn. Take it from Robert Marzano, CEO of Marzano Research Laboratory. “I have been involved in more than 60 studies conducted by classroom teachers on the effects of games on student achievement,” he states. “These studies showed that, on average, using academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20 percentile point gain in student achievement.”
Bring games into the mix with Discount School Supply, where you can browse through a variety of cheap educational games, arts and crafts, furniture, and fun new products that keep students engaged with the material.
Items are categorized by subject and curriculum, so you’ll find what you need for your students without spending hours searching around.
Keeping up with 20 or more children all day long can be a little hectic! Organization and preparedness are the keys to keeping stress levels at a minimum. Fortunately, you can find all the supplies you need to stay organized at Oriental Trading.
Items such as clipboards, filing folders, labels, take-home pocket folders, and organizers are all available at discounted prices. There are also inexpensive items such as magnets, study carrels, study sheets, mailbox organizers, stress toys, and chalkboard sets, to keep students on-task and productive.
Basic classroom supplies like paper and pens tend to run low as the year goes on. With tight budgets, many teachers find they have to replenish supplies with their own money. If you find yourself in this position, don’t go to an office supply store and spend a fortune.
Classroom Direct has all the necessary supplies you need, including pens, pencils, index cards, sharpies, dry erase markers, and paper. To save even more in the long run, buy supplies in bulk at the beginning of the year to keep your classroom well-stocked through to summer.
Share the Good News
You’ve just learned about five websites that can save schools and teachers big money. Be sure to share your money-saving secrets with the other teachers at your school. They’ll be dying to know how you bought more for less.
Free Resources
Getting ready for back to school is more than just checking off your supply list. It’s also about finding the valuable resources you need to start the year off right. We have listed some of our favorite free resources here, to save you time and money:
- MimioConnect – Free lessons, graphics, and activities will help you get your curriculum and lesson plans recharged and ready for the new year.
- Survey Monkey – Download a free parent survey that will help you learn about your new students.
- Scholastic – Free classroom management printables, worksheets, and activities will help you get organized for the upcoming school year.
Bio: Jessica Thiefels is the editor of Whooo’s Reading and an education blogger who has been featured on PBS.org, EdTech Digest, and Daily Genius. Her favorite books growing up were My Side of the Mountain and The Giver. She hopes to inspire a similar love of reading in students, while helping educators give the best to their students.
