What do pencils, crayons, and dry-erase markers have in common? They’re some of the most-requested items in classrooms across Southwestern Pennsylvania! Every year, thousands of educators visit The Education Partnership’s free Teacher Resource Center to stock up on the supplies their students need most. But which items top the list?
Based on data from our Teacher Resource Center surveys, our most requested items directly reflect the decisions we make on the number of items we offer to teachers, as well as which items make it into our core and specialty packs.
From everyday classroom essentials to a few unexpected necessities, we’re counting down the eight most-requested school supplies, based on data from our Teacher Resource Center surveys, and exploring why these simple resources make such a big difference for students and teachers alike.
8. Notebooks
Do you remember getting a fresh notebook and seeing endless possibilities? Maybe you could doodle, write short stories, journal about your day, and even more. That’s the magic many students feel when they get a new notebook.
According to many independent researchers, a notebook can make a big difference in retention and comprehension. By giving students a way to take notes during lessons, it makes them significantly more likely to remember the material.
7. Crayons
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a box of fresh crayons?
Crayons are a fun, mess-free coloring utensil for our youngest learners. But that doesn’t mean they’re flawless. Crayons break easily and get used up quickly. Because of this, many teachers need to replace crayons more often than other supplies, making them a highly requested classroom resource.
6. Hygiene supplies
This is the first item on the list that is not typically seen as a “school supply”, but it’s highly important to the well-being of students.
Hygiene supplies are often a must-have for students. They provide dignity and support during a difficult transition in a student’s life. If nothing else, it shows students they can rely on their teachers for support when they need it.
5. Folders
When we think about items that need to be replaced more frequently, one of the first things that come to mind is a folder. Designed for on-the-go use, folders protect important schoolwork, teacher notes, assignments, and more. Especially when jostled around in a backpack, they often get torn, bent, and damaged, so students need to replace them sooner rather than later.
4. Paper
Paper is essential in the classroom. From printed assignments to tests, the average school uses about 2,000 sheets of paper per day.
We at TEP understand this need intimately and give every teacher who visits our Teacher Resource Center one ream of paper, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
3. Art Supplies
Art supplies like paint, markers, colored pencils, and construction paper give students room to express themselves in ways a worksheet never can. For many kids, a creative project is where they feel most confident, and it’s often where their personality really shines. Art supplies get used up with every project and can run out quickly. Without resources like a resource center, teachers often pay for them out of pocket, and art supplies are frequently the biggest chunk of a teacher’s budget.
2. Dry Erase Markers
Dry erase markers are a classroom workhorse. Teachers use them to model problems on the whiteboard, and students use them for small-group practice and quick check-ins. They also dry out quickly, especially when the cap gets left off for a few minutes (we’ve all been there). With so many hands and so many lessons, teachers often go through them faster than almost any other item on this list.
1. Pencils
It may not be the flashiest item on the list, but it’s no surprise that the humble pencil takes the top spot. Pencils are used for just about everything: math problems, spelling tests, doodles in the margins, and more. They get sharpened down to nubs, lost under desks, and left behind in backpacks, so classrooms burn through them constantly. A student without a pencil can’t fully take part in the day’s lesson, which is why this simple supply matters so much.
Author: The TEP Team
