Top 3 "Tools" in Your Classroom

I wonder what everyone would list as their top 3 indespensable-I-couldn't-live-with-out-em tools for literacy instruction. Thinking actual physical objects. Let's make this two-fold. List top 3 technological tools, and top 3 non-tech tools.

(I also wonder if many of these "things" will be the same for everyone?!)

Hmm... Technology ones will be easy, but non-tech... I'll have to think about that. :-)

Tags: literacy, teachers, technology, tools

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandra Stringham on July 21, 2008 at 5:37pm

Great idea! Here's my blog multiageclassroom.blogspot.com

My kids love the blog. I wish all my parents could see the value of it.

Sandi

Permalink Reply by Maureen Ericikson on July 21, 2008 at 4:35pm

this is hard, i teach at a private school and we don't have smart boards etc.
so, let me go old school and say, #1 the over head
#2 the web site ed helper. It costs about $20. a year but is well worth it.
i can type in my vocab words, it give me definitions, makes review sheets and tests.
it does that and so very much more.
#3 this year i hope to have a student computer and have the students take turns blogging (any ideas on this please share them)

non tech
classroom sets of novels
my classroom library
and my "magic" wands that i use as pointers and staples easy buttons for when the math lesson gets to hard!!

Permalink Reply by Linda Davenport on August 1, 2008 at 5:50pm

Tech-
1. My ACTIV board
2. My PC's for the kiddo's
3. My LeapFrog Literacy Center (when I was in 1st) I'll have to see for this year!

Non-Tech
1. My Whiteboard
2. My Rocking Chair
3. My letter tiles

Permalink Reply by Michelle TeGrootenhuis on August 2, 2008 at 4:27pm

I bought a new flexible binder today that folds completely over like a notebook. LOVE it! See my blog at http://www.classroom20.com/profiles/blog/show?id=649749%3ABlogPost%...

Permalink Reply by lake bailey on August 1, 2010 at 8:04pm

Ok... I would have to say my top 3 tech tools are:

1. ELMO. I couldn't not live without it! I use it almost all day long for all subjects. It's wonderful. Last year on a unit about worms, I put the worms under the camera and we looked to see whether the worms liked a damp paper towel vs. a dry one. The kids loved it and learned a ton.

2. LCD projector and Safari Montage for ed. videos and viewing author websites

3. CD player for all our fun dance breaks throughout the day.

Top 3 non-tech stuff:

1. Chart paper and easel. Need I say more?

2. Books, books, books

3. Plastics bins- wonderful for organizing all those books and other manipulatives.

Permalink Reply by Michelle TeGrootenhuis on August 2, 2010 at 7:50am

Ahhh! An "ELMO" projector. When you have one of those, EVERY book you own can be a "big book"! What a great tool!

Permalink Reply by Katie Muhtaris on January 17, 2011 at 9:48am

ELMO for sure. This tool changed my life! It's a must have for for the classroom and by far one of the most useful tools I have.

Non-tech: many sets of books for book clubs, picture books, subscriptions to a variety of magazines. (The kids read them and i pull articles for strategy instruction. Comfy furniture. A yoga ball for kids when they need to bounce and read.

Permalink Reply by LIZA TORRES-STEPHENS on August 4, 2010 at 1:32pm

Top three "Tools" in my class:
1. Smartboard Technology
2. Self-help Reading Resource Box
3. Chart Paper/White Board and markers

Permalink Reply by Lorrie Ann Murdy on August 12, 2010 at 12:26pm

It will be tough choosing 3...

Tech:
Smartboard
Classroom lap tops
i-Touches

Non Tech:
Leveled books
Lined small journals
White boards...small kid ones.

Permalink Reply by Joanne Kaminski on September 14, 2010 at 1:03pm

Tech
PowerPoint Books - electronic forms of Guided Reading Books http://www.vendio.com/stores/brightideasolutions
Skype
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/joannekaminski

Non-tech
books
portable white board
dry erase marker