Meggin’s Current Articles

Professors – Prepare a Toolkit to Take to Class

2nd April, 2010 - Posted by Meggin - No Comments

Although most faculty use many high tech innovations in the classroom, let’s not forget the necessity for some of the basic accoutrements. After a couple of years of hearing frequent requests for some basic office supplies and also recognizing that there were times I wished I had some sticky notes or whiteboard markers in a classroom, I purchased a nice clean, new toolbox at a local Costco and then filled it with the following:

Post-it(r) notes – Nice for notes or for quick activities that required a sticky note.

Dry-erase markers – Even though these should be provided in the classrooms, they often are not or the ones provided are as dry as a bone.

Scotch tape – I can’t list the different uses you or the students might have for tape.

Masking tape – Could be for a classroom use or could tape in the hem of a pair of pants. Believe me. I know.

Stapler (and extra staples) – Not sure I need to explain why you might need a stapler. I’m sure you know. however here is what I would emphasize. Have a toolkit stapler that is separate from your office one. That is true for all of the items in the kit. You want to have your office set and leave the toolkit set in the toolkit.

Hole punch – This was important because many of my student assignments needed to be put into notebooks prior to turning them in. Students definitely appreciated the fact that I had a decent 3-hole punch that they could use.

Paper clips – Although I am not a big fan of paper clips, you might as well have some in there.

Pencils & pens – Just like elementary teachers keep extra writing implements available, we might as well, too. And sometimes it’s YOU who needs the pen or pencil, not just the students.

Scissors – You might as well have a pair handy.

Highlighters – I think it’s worth having these and marking them with a label with your name. You really are intending for these only to be used in the class and not carried off, so label your highlighters (and most everything else).

Chalk (yes, indeedy) – Plenty of classrooms still have chalkboards.

Extension cord – Pretty amazing how few plugs are in some classrooms; take a cord (and remember to take it with you when you leave!)

Door stop (I bought these in large packets at a local Home Depot) – I had to buy them in bulk because I often left them behind. I figured if I taught at the University long enough, I’d end up outfitting every classroom with a doorstop. I wasn’t there quite long enough for that…but I did my part.

I took the same toolkit to class regardless of whether I was teaching an undergraduate methods course, a graduate level seminar, or a class for professors. I never knew for sure which items I would need and I did not have to pack and repack my toolkit; it was always ready to grab and go.

This was a good investment on my part and saved me a great deal of time and frustration over the years.

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 c) 2010 Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D. | The Ph.D. of Productivity(tm)