What is a teacher survival kit?
Finding a way to survive and thrive in teaching is a must. We all have those overwhelming ‘down’ moments, when data, reports, marking and planning get too much.
When these times hit, there’s nothing better than creating or receiving a teacher survival kit to get you through the trickier times and help you glide to the next holiday. A teacher survival kit might be something you collate for yourself, with carefully curated self-care gifts to ease stress and enhance calm.
Or you might pull lots of lovely items together to make a teacher you know who is going through a tough time feel better and support them on their educational journey. A teacher survival kit is the perfect gift to receive when you or a fellow colleague is feeling a little challenged, with a pile of marking on their desk and no time to plan for upcoming lessons.
What would be in a teacher survival kit?
There really is no hard and fast rule about the contents of a teacher survival kit. Really, it can include anything and everything you think will make you or your teacher friend feel on top of the world again and ready to face the challenges of the classroom.
You will typically find a selection of treats, healthy or not so healthy depending on preference, pampering products, sleep masks, healing stones, tasty snacks or funny games. Anything that raises a smile or helps you or your friend feel better is acceptable in a teacher survival kit!
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Browsing the internet can give you some great ideas, with Instagram and Pinterest showcasing some attractive teacher survival kits. For example, this Pinterest post shows a common combination for a teacher survival kit, with student stickers, hand cream and essential snacks to keep teachers at peak energy levels. |
| You can pick up some useful ideas from social media, such as this post from Instagram, with a survival kit made by a thankful student for their teacher. This one includes all sorts of vital supplies to help teachers get through their lessons, such as paper clips, sticky notes and glue sticks. Let’s face it, there are never enough glue sticks to go around! |  |
If you’re wondering how to package up your teacher survival kit, taking inspiration from social media can help you decide on how to present it. Many teacher survival kits that you see online are in a cute basket, with a label announcing the teacher survival kit and who it’s from. This is important so that the recipient knows exactly who has spent so much time and effort on their gift.
What do teachers need for their classrooms?
Teaching supplies are the lifeblood for teachers these days. With restrictions on budgets and cuts across education, pens, pencils and post-it notes are in short supply. Giving a teacher a gift of supplies will always be welcome so that they can replenish what has been broken or disappeared and keep their classes on track.
Here are some suggestions about classroom items you can include in your teacher survival kit:
- Coloured pencils
- Board pens
- Glue sticks
- Paper clips
- Different coloured pens for assessment
- Erasers
- Rulers
- Post-it notes
- Tissues
- Tape
- Pencil sharpeners
- Highlighters
Try to include items that will make a teacher’s job a little easier and help reduce mayhem in the classroom when some students don’t have the correct supplies!
10 essentials for a teacher survival kit
The world is your oyster when filling your teacher survival kit. Include any item you think will bring a smile to a tired teacher’s face and warm their heart.
It’s entirely up to you whether you want to make your teacher survival kit all about school supplies, pampering gifts or a harmonious combination of the two. Sometimes, teachers may appreciate some products for the classroom, while at the same time loving tasty treats and a face mask or two.
The following ten items are the most popular you will find in a teacher survival kit:
- Chocolate
- Gum
- Lip balm
- Sticky notes
- Highlighters
- Mints
- Dry erase markers
- Band-aid
- Instant coffee packs
- Hand sanitiser
Whatever you put in your teacher survival kit, there will undoubtedly be a very thankful teacher who can’t believe someone has taken the time to put together such a thoughtful gift for them!
