Amazon's Must-Have Teacher Bags for School

As a teacher, having a reliable and stylish bag is essential for carrying books, supplies, and personal items throughout the school day. While functionality is key, why settle for anything less than fashionable? 

In this blog post, I’m going to share my two favorite bags as well as some other popular choices for teacher bags available on Amazon. Keep reading to discover the features, benefits, and unique qualities that make these bags the perfect companions for educators.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love. 

How to choose the best teacher bag?

When it comes to selecting the best teacher bag, there are a few key factors to consider. 

First, assess your storage needs. Determine the size and capacity required to carry your books, supplies, laptop, and other essentials. 

Next, prioritize organization. Look for bags with multiple compartments, pockets, and dividers to keep your items neatly arranged and easily accessible. 

Additionally, consider the bag's durability and comfort. Opt for high-quality materials and sturdy construction that can withstand the demands of daily use. Adjustable straps, padded handles, and ergonomic designs can enhance comfort, especially if you have a busy schedule. 

Lastly, factor in your personal style and preferences. Choose a bag that reflects your individuality and matches your professional aesthetic. Whether you prefer a trendy pattern or a classic design, finding a bag that resonates with your personal style can make a statement in and out of the classroom. 

The Best Teacher Bag for School

Vera Bradley Backpack: 

The Vera Bradley backpack is hands down my favorite teacher bag for school due to its exceptional features and charming design.

 First and foremost, its spaciousness and organizational capabilities are unmatched. The backpack effortlessly accommodates all my teaching materials, including books, folders, and even a laptop, while the various pockets and compartments keep everything neatly organized.

 Additionally, the comfortable padded shoulder straps make it a breeze to carry around throughout the day.

Similar to Vera Bradley

                 

Thirty-One Tote

Although the Vera Bradley backpack holds the top spot as my favorite bag, the Thirty-One Tote has secured a close second position due to its remarkable features. 

The spacious interior of the tote provides ample room for all my teaching essentials, allowing me to effortlessly carry books, notebooks, and supplies.

 What truly sets the Thirty-One Tote apart is its versatility. Whether I'm moving between classrooms or need a reliable bag for weekend activities, this tote delivers. 

The customizable options, such as adding monograms or patterns, allow me to personalize it to my liking, adding a touch of uniqueness. The practical organization with multiple pockets and compartments keeps my belongings in order, saving me valuable time during hectic school days. 

Similar to Thirty-One Bags

Finding the best teacher bag is a vital decision that impacts our daily lives as educators. The Vera Bradley backpack has proven to be a top-notch choice, offering a perfect blend of functionality, durability, and captivating designs that reflect our individual styles. Its spaciousness and organizational features ensure that we can effortlessly carry all our teaching essentials. 

On the other hand, the Thirty-One Tote has earned its place as a close second favorite, thanks to its versatility, customization options, and practical organization. 

Whether you opt for the vibrant patterns of Vera Bradley or the personalized touch of Thirty-One, both bags will enhance your professionalism while adding a flair of fashion to your daily teaching adventures. 

Delegate Your Grading to Your Students!

I know this idea is far from new since I graded my own papers way back when I was in school, but it was one I had not really used myself, so I thought I would share how it is going.

We were at a grade level collaboration when we were given yet another assessment that we had to administer to our students.  Of course we groaned and complained about one more thing to do when our plates were already overflowing.  One of my team members suggested having the students grade them so that it would take a little off our plates.  Brilliant!  Some of the best ideas are so simple!

I started having my students grade EVERYTHING!  They get instant feedback, and I get a small break!  Win, win.

Here is how it works in my class:

When students finish an assignment, they come to the carpet with the assignment ONLY!  No pencils or pens allowed.  Then I hand out markers to each student to grade with.  Each student keeps their own papers to allow privacy, and for them to focus better on the feedback rather than gloating over how many times they get to mark another student wrong.

Students then mark their papers with just an X on the incorrect answers (to make it easier for me when I double check as I enter scores).  We go over the answers together, which seems to keep the students more engaged as you can see below.

We have been able to get extra practice with fractions as they learn how to come up with the fraction of correct answers over the total problems or points available.

They even leave themselves encouraging messages!  I love that!  Scores actually seem to be improving as they self-monitor their own learning and that makes me even happier!

Do you have your students grade their own work?

And just in case you were wondering, the pages they were using came from my 3rd Grade Daily Math Review product.

The Together Teacher Chapter 10 - Arranging Your Classroom to Run Like Clockwork

It is time for another chapter of "The Together Teacher" in our book study. Today it is time for chapter 10 which is all about taming your email.  Our hostess this week is Ellie from Middle School Math Moments .

If you have missed my previous posts from this book study you can find them below:

                                                                             Chapter 9  

                                                                             Chapter 8

      Chapter 7

                                                                             Chapter 6

                                                                             Chapter 5

                                                                             Chapter 4

                                                                             Chapter 3

                                                                             Chapter 2

                                                                             Chapter 1

We have all had those days when the bell rings at the end of the day, we smile at our students as we say goodbye, only to turn around to notice that our classroom looks as if a tornado has hit it!

This chapter helps us to organize all the stuff (and boy do us teachers have a ton of STUFF!) that is in our classroom for both us and our students. Maia describes various stations that can be set up around your room no matter the size of your classroom.

A few of these stations include:

Teaching Station

This is your home base where you keep all of your teaching materials for the day.  It should contain all the days handouts, supplies, etc, that you will need throughout the day.  

The Entry Way

Much like at your home where you might keep your car keys, purse, etc. this should be a place where your students can start off either picking up supplies for the day or dropping off items such as homework or notes.  Now that I teach elementary, I don't really have this set-up because my students enter the room at the same time and it would just be a mess.  However, when I taught 7th grade math, I kept my Do Now sheet at the door for the students to grab as they came in.  This made the transition to getting started seamless.

In this section, Maia mentions student mailboxes as a place where you can distribute papers to individual students.  When I taught 7th grade math, I used milk crates with hanging folders in them for this purpose (each period had their own crate).  I still use this system in my elementary class.

Having a Well Stocked Pantry

Well, not really a pantry, but you want to have all of your "ingredients" on hand as you teach.  No more searching for a dry erase marker or hunting down dice for a math game.  Have your supplies ready to go and easy to find so you don't waste time looking for them.  I keep my supplies in buckets on an easy to get to shelf.

I also keep my teaching books and small group work supplies behind my desk where I do most of my small group teaching.

Classroom Calendar

Students love knowing what day it is and what to expect.  I keep a calendar where they can see all of our upcoming assemblies, important days, birthdays etc.

Classroom Library

Students are encouraged to read when they can find books that interest them.  Maia suggests organizing your books either by level or by genre so students can find them easily.

Cleaning Supplies

Let's face it, learning is messy and sometimes you just don't have time to wait for the janitor.  Maia suggests stocking up on a few cleaning supplies for those occasions when you need to do a little tidying up.

A few of her suggestions:

*Paper towels

* Regular cleaning towels that can be laundered

*Clorox wipes

*Dry-erase board cleaner

*anti-bacterial spray

What things do you do to keep your classroom in order?  If you are following along link up below.  And don't forget to visit our hostess, Nicole of Southern Love of Teaching for chapter 11 next week. 

 

The Together Teacher Chapter 7 - Automate: Create Routines and Planning

This week Sarah from

 is hosting chapter 7 from The Together Teacher which is all about creating routines and planning. You will definitely want to visit her blog today, not only to read her thoughts on chapter 7, but also because she is hosting a GIVEAWAY!

 If you have missed my previous posts from this book study you can find them below:

                                                                             Chapter 6
                                                                             Chapter 5
                                                                             Chapter 4
                                                                             Chapter 3
                                                                             Chapter 2
                                                                             Chapter 1

 Chapter 7

By now if you have been following along with us, you should have developed 5 key tools to help you:

1. The Comprehensive Calendar to meet your deadlines.
2. The Upcoming To-Do List to list all of your to-dos
3. Thought Catchers to track your ideas and thoughts
4. Meeting/PD Notes to follow up from meetings and PD
5. Weekly or Daily Worksheets to plan your schedule

If you haven't already bought the book to follow along, what are you waiting for?  It is your time to be more organized!

This chapter talks about putting all of the tools above into use on a regular basis.  It tells you how to plan ahead and make the greatest use of your limited time - all in the interest of taking home less work!  Can I get an Amen on not taking home more work? I thought so!

The Weekly Round-Up
This is what Maia coins the time that you take to plan ahead for your upcoming week.  What, you aren't planning ahead?  You should be!  Maia even gives you an agenda of what to do during your time so that nothing is forgotten!

You can find a copy on her website here.  You need to register, but it is free. Maia says you should ideally conduct a weekly round-up on either Friday morning or Friday afternoon in preparation for the following week.  I have been working on mine on Sundays, but Maia says that you should conduct it BEFORE the weekend in order to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed during the weekend.  I am going to give this a try this week and let you know how it goes.  We have an early release day on Friday, so the afternoon should work out perfectly.

Your weekly round up should take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on how much work you need to process from the previous week.

Daily Routines: Making the Most of Openings and Closings

Just like your morning rituals of waking up, showering, brushing your teeth, etc. your time when you arrive at school has a set list of things that you need to get done or prepare for your day ahead. Maia says that there isn't one right way to have a morning routine, as long as it is one that is clear to you.  She shares a few examples from various teachers. Likewise, you should also have a closing routine at the end of the day to set you up for success for the next day.

Use Those Preps To Their Fullest

Sometimes it is so easy to waste our prep times when we don't have a plan for how we want to use them.  It is very easy to get sidetracked in a conversation in the copy room and before you know it 45 minutes has just flown by.  Maia suggests mapping out your prep periods with an ideal plan of what you want to accomplish, things might not always work as planned, but at least you have a plan of attack to start from.

She also suggests keeping like items with like items.  For example, you might want to set one prep period for making copies for the following week.  Another day might be dedicated to planning or parent phone calls.

Next week Stephanie from Technology TimeOut is hosting chapter 8!



If you are following along with us, be sure to link up below:

The Together Teacher Chapter 6 - A Week's Worth of Readiness

This week, Sara from 

 is hosting chapter 6 from The Together Teacher which is all about creating routines and planning.  If you have missed my previous posts from this book study you can find them below:

                                                                             Chapter 5
                                                                             Chapter 4
                                                                             Chapter 3
                                                                             Chapter 2
                                                                             Chapter 1

Chapter 6

This chapter is all about your weekly or daily worksheet. This is a tool that allows you to create a clear view of your week or day, allowing you to plan ahead, get stuff done, and capture incoming work.  Maia emphasizes in this chapter that the process is more important than the product.  Just as in previous chapters, she says it doesn't matter whether you are a digital person or a paper person, as long as your system works for you.  The tool of your choice should allow you to:

* Plan the week or day in advance by mapping out how you will spend your time
* Look ahead at what is coming up
* Do the work by ensuring that it is clearly organized
* Capture incoming to-dos and thoughts

The Together Teacher Website features templates for both Daily or Weekly Worksheets.  You have to register to access them, but registration is free. Maia suggests using only one of the two, not both.  The Daily worksheet is for people who like more space.

I use a daily worksheet myself, but I use this one from Andrea Dekker.


Don't forget to enter to win a $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card if you haven't entered already!

Next week's host is Sarah from
If you are following along with our book study, share your link below!

The Together Teacher Chapter 4 Never Forget! Capture Your Thoughts

Time for another chapter from our book study of The Together Teacher by Maia Heyck-Merlin. If you missed the previous chapters, you can find them here:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Today our guest host is Jenny from Owl Things First.    Head on over to see her take on chapter 4 and to enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card - perfect for buying those back to school organizational must haves!  In addition the winner will also win a set of stuffed elephants which will be perfect for classroom decor!  Even my older students love reading with a buddy!

My thoughts on chapter 4

As teachers, we have a million things a day coming at us from all directions!  Things we need to remember to do, things we need to remember to tell others (principal, school secretary, parents, etc.), things we need to copy, things we need to grade, and on and on and on!

Maia's solution to keeping it all together is through the use of a thought catcher.  It can be something as simple as a piece of paper divided into fours, or as complex as an electronic notepad or file for each section of our lives.

Prior to reading this book, my thoughts were often scattered everywhere - on sticky notes, scrawled on my calendar, scribbled in a notebook, or just swimming around my head.  The big problem with this is I can't always find these notes when I need them, or even worse, I forget about them altogether!

With thought catchers kept in your planner, you can keep track of them in one place!  You can set up your thought catchers by action (i.e. emails to send, calls to make, items to copy, etc), and or by person (principal, spouse, teammate, etc.).

You can find some free thought catcher forms on Maia's website here.  You will have to register for the site to access them, but registration is free.

Don't forget to visit next week's host, Michele from Jackson in the Middle!

If you are following along with us, be sure to link up below!

The Together Teacher Chapter 2- No More Missed Deadlines & Arc System Giveaway

Today is all about Chapter 2 of our book study of The Together Teacher by Maia Heyck-Merlin.  If you missed chapter one, you can find it here.  Every Wednesday, we will be reviewing each chapter on our quest to be more organized "Together Teachers".  I also have a giveaway for you this week!  Read on to find out more!

Chapter 2

This chapter is all about making sure you don't miss any deadlines by using what Maia calls a Comprehensive Calendar.  In this chapter we learn how to determine what type of calendar to keep (you will have a chance later in the post to win MY calendar of choice), how to put the calendar together using the Ideal Week Template we created after reading chapter 1, and finally how to maintain that calendar so that it can sufficiently guide us from month to week to day!

The Multiple-Calendar Dilemma
How many of us are guilty of this one?  Having a calendar for school, a calendar for your kids' activities, a calendar for your non-school related issues, a calendar of deadlines for classes you are taking, calendars in your cell phone, calendars on your computer, calendars, calendars, everywhere?  When you have multiple calendars it is so easy to lose track of everything you have going on.  Maia says that this can lead to collisions (such as report cards being due on the same day as your Master's thesis - not that I've ever been guilty of that!).  She says that this is the result of the fact that most of us do not take the time to put all our our time commitments and deadlines into one place.

The best way to deal with this is a Comprehensive Calendar, which is a place that lays out all of your time commitments and deadlines in one easy-to access location. It can be paper or tech based. Whatever works better for you.  At minimum, it needs a monthly view where you can keep the following:

• Deadlines (one time and recurring)
• Special events
• Standard meetings (grade level collaborations, PD, etc.)
• Personal events (doctor appointments, kids' practices, birthdays, etc.  

You can take it a step further by scheduling time blocks from your ideal week into you calendar.

 Ideally, this calendar should be set up for at least academic year ahead of time in order to see what events or deadlines lay ahead on which you must make early progress.  Now is the time to put in all of those grade deadlines so that you can plan mini-sessions to work on them rather than panicking at the last minute as you stay at school until midnight the night before they are due getting them ready.

Maia gives detailed examples from real teachers' calendars to show you what this might look like using both paper and tech based methods.  She also gives pros and cons of each ones so you can choose the option that is right for you.

I personally use both.  I ALWAYS have my phone with me, so I will make notes or plan appointments using it.  But.. and this is the big but, I will ALWAYS match it up with my paper calendar as soon as I can so that I don't miss anything.

The Up-Front Investment: Creating Your Comprehensive Calendar

Setting up your calendar really is an up-front investment.  Just like putting money away for a rainy day, taking the time out of your day to plan your calendar will save you from those embarrassing moments of missing a work deadline, or disappointing your child when you miss a big game.

The Steps are:

1. Rounding up your calendars (all of them - school, sports's schedules, unit plans, pacing guides, syllabus, etc.)

2. Put in the hard deadlines (tax day, lesson plan due dates, grade due dates, etc.)

3. Add your soft deadlines (things you want to accomplish but don't have fixed dates - organizing classroom library, bulletin boards, etc.)/

4. Events

5. Meetings

6. Don't Forget Your Personal Stuff!

Once this is complete (celebrate!  Buy yourself a Starbuck's and marvel at how much more prepared you will be this year!)


Then you need to think about what this preparation is going to look like through the year!  Maia gives tips for adding to your calendar throughout the year as you:

• Process incoming emails and memos with deadlines and events
• Process regular or routine communication
• Deal with "day of" deadlines
• Deal with deadlines that require work prior to the due date (those darn grades again!).
• Deadlines that you receive via phone
• Deadlines that come up in meetings

So, now that your calendar is set up, you are good to go and no deadlines will be missed, right?  Not so fast, Maia says, once you set up your calendar, you must review it regularly (she explains how in a later chapter).

1. Get a copy of the book if you haven't already.
2. Choose a calendar ( you can win the one I use in the giveaway below)
3. Take an hour or two to plan out your comprehensive calendar for the upcoming school year. (If you are posting along with us, link up below, or just add a comment when you have finished this step to let us know you are working along with us!).

Don't forget to visit next week with our guest host - Laura from Luv My Kinders.  She will be hosting a giveaway for a $20 Amazon gift card (so you can order the book or other organizing supplies!)  

I have chosen to use the Staples Arc System for my Comprehensive Calendar.  I love it because I can completely customize it to fit all of my needs.  Using the special hole punch (which the winner will receive) I can add any paper that I need to so I don't lose it.  I keep not only my calendar, but also my lesson plans, my pacing guide, and my standards inside.  Along with this, there is a place for me to keep notes from meetings or thoughts that pop into my head.  No more lost sticky notes!







The winner of this giveaway will win a flexi-arc notebook along with the special arc punch (approx $60 value)  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

Together Teacher Ch 1 Rules Over Tools: Create Your Ideal Week

Today is the first day of our book study of The Together Teacher by Maia Heyck-Merlin.  Every Wednesday from now until Oct. 8th we will be tackling one chapter at a time towards getting our lives more organized.  

Let me paint you a picture of a not-so-together teacher: Rushing into school a Starbuck's in hand, along with bags of supplies (but not all of them - some are still sitting on the counter at home), son's not completed homework, and a headache coming on with the realization that I haven't made copies for the day yet.  I set my child down at a table with instructions to complete said homework as I run down the hall to make those copies.  The printer jams mid-way through and my cursing under my breath is only drowned out by the sounds of my name being called over the intercom.  I forgot about that IEP!  Its not even 8 AM already and I am beyond overwhelmed!

Yes, I admit that not-so-together teacher was me... Something had to give I needed to be just a little more together.  If you are one of those amazingly born organized people, I envy you!  But, if you are not, and that scenario rings a little to true for you, you will want to follow along with this book study!  Author Maia Heyck-Merlin helps us to develop all the tools we need to plan ahead, get organized, an save time!

Chapter 1

Maia Heyck-Merlin opens chapter one by letting us know that It CAN get easier.  She says that organization is a learned skill - one that we ALL can master.  No more excuses!

One thing that I love about this book is that she doesn't recommend costly tools to get organized.  In fact, she gives you ideas to be organized no matter what tools you choose to use - paper or digital.  She does have a few rules though:

The Rules:
1. Get everything in one place.
2. Take it with you.
3. Write everything down.
4. Make it bite-size.
5. Keep like items with like items.
6. Create a trigger for what you put away.
7. Mind your energy levels.
8. No tool is forever.
9. Own your schedule.
10. Pause to plan.

She details each of these rules, and they really make sense.  Why didn't I know these things already? I also love that she gives reflection questions so you can really develop a plan that is going to work for you.

The Tools:
As I said before, the author is fairly neutral as to which tools you use, but she does care that your chosen tools are used to their fullest. No matter which tool you choose to use you want to make sure to have the following:

1. A Comprehensive Calendar that lays out all of your time/meetings/dates in one place.  (This is for both work and personal life).

2. An Upcoming To-Do List

3. Thought Catchers

4. Meeting/ Professional Development (PD) Notes

Maia suggests that you imagine your ideal week.  How you would ideally spend your time in any given week.  She provides a few questions to get you thinking about what you might want to include in this week.  She points out that although this plan is not meant to be followed to the letter each week (she was a teacher and knows about all those meetings that pop up), but it gives you a foundation to start from.

You can find a copy of an ideal comprehensive calendar on the Together Teacher website under Resources:Teacher:Comprehensive Calendar.  You do have to register for the website, but it is free and there are a ton of resources available to you!

Here is my completed version of my ideal week:

To read more in this series follow these links:

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love.  

An InLinkz Link-up

The Together Teacher Book Study

I am so excited to be working on a book study of The Together Teacher by Maia Heyck-Merlin starting this Wednesday!  Each week we will work on a chapter from the book with different blogger hosts.  There will also be giveaways and freebies!

From Amazon:

An essential guide for over-scheduled teachers

Maia Heyck-Merlin helps teachers build the habits, customize the tools, and create space to become a Together Teacher. This practical resource shows teachers how to be effective and have a life! Author and educator Maia Heyck-Merlin explores the key habits of Together Teachers—how they plan ahead, organize work and their classrooms, and how they spend their limited free time. The end goal is always strong outcomes for their students.

So what does Together, or Together Enough, look like? To some teachers it might mean neat filing systems. To others it might mean using time efficiently to get more done in fewer minutes. Regardless, Together Teachers all rely on the same skills. In six parts, the book clearly lays out these essential skills. Heyck-Merlin walks the reader through how to establish simple yet successful organizational systems. There are concrete steps that every teacher can implement to achieve greater stability and success in their classrooms and in their lives.

• Contains templates and tutorials to create and customize a personal organizational system and includes a companion website: www.thetogetherteacher.com
• Recommends various electronic or online tools to make a teacher's school day (and life!) more efficient and productive
• Includes a Reader's Guide, a great professional development resource; teachers will answer reflection questions, make notes about habits, and select tools that best match individual needs and preferences

You can watch this video of the author explaining a little bit about her system and the website where she features both freebies from the book along with other great ideas about organization.  You do have to register for the site to access the freebies, but it is free to register.  As she says in the video, try out some of the ideas and see if they help you become a more together teacher!



I am also still looking for several bloggers who would like to host a chapter on their blog.  I will provide you with the giveaway item and the linky, you just have to write about your thoughts on your chapter.  I would also encourage weekly posts with the other chapters if possible, but you are just committing to the one chapter.  I will highlight you and your blog on my blog the week of your chapter.  If you have any questions feel free to email me or comment below.

If you would like to host a chapter, fill out this form picking your day and chapter.