Paraeducator Supply Kit Tips
[Image Description: The background is similar to a black and white composition notebook with my First Former Buddy Club President logo in the bottom left corner. "Paraeducator Supply Kit Tips is left-aligned black text in a white text box. The text box is surrounded by illustrations of a pink crayon, a yellow pencil with a pink eraser and gray point, a glue bottle, a light purple notebook, a green backpack with gold zippers, and teal scissors.]
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To keep all of your essential and personal belongings in for safe keeping. This backpack of mine pictured above is an iconic campus backpack from Vera Bradley.
2. Fanny pack (with your wallet already in it)
[Image Description: There is a fanny pack with a red and black buffalo check pattern on it. There are two black zippers along the top edges. The fanny pack is attached to my waist.]
I always bring my fanny pack on field trips to use my money depending on the activity that my students and I are participating in or just in case I need to use my ID card in emergencies. I keep my fanny pack with my wallet already in it in my school bag to avoid forgetting to pack it ahead of time for field trips so that way I already have it to be already to go. I have multiple fanny packs in my closet at home. After choosing to use the fanny pack that is in my school bag during outings when I am off duty, I immediately put my fanny pack back in my school bag when I get home.
3. Desk
[Image Description: I am standing in front of my desk and smiling. I am wearing a beige short-sleeved t-shirt with an olive green long sleeve t-shirt underneath it, a gold crucifix chain necklace, black leggings, chestnut colored Uggs, and a white headband with my shoulder length, curly, dark brown hair down. My t-shirt says, "TEACH THEM, LOVE THEM, WATCH THEM GROW" in curvy center-aligned black decal above colorful floral designs with "TEACHER" in center-aligned medium pink, light pink, dark yellow, light olive green, and medium orange decal bubble letters below it with "Ms. Hoff" in center-aligned cursive black decal. My desk is white with 2 storage containers filled with classroom supplies, 4 tape dispensers, a mini cylinder container of disinfectant wipes, a pink hole puncher, a globe shaped wood block sign that says, "Explore Dream Discover" in center-aligned cursive white text on it, a succulent plant, a colorful painted rock, and several stacked tissue packs on top of it. There are 100 "NUMBERS" chart, white walls, and dark blue closet doors with student Social Skills classwork attached to them in the background.]
Paraeducators are teachers who need desks as a place to work at as well!
4. Computer with charger
A computer with a charger is essential for paraeducators, especially in school districts, for being used as Assistive Technology (AT), sending emails, tracking progress monitoring data for Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, and research. Charge your computer every night when you get home and bring the charger to and from school with you every day in case you need to charge it again in either of those locations! Label your charger with your prefix, first and last name, and room number on it to stay organized and prevent it from getting lost, accidentally taken by someone else, or stolen.
5. Composition notebook
[Image Description: There is a composition notebook with a black and white marble cover. "Composition" is in center-aligned black text at the top of a white box on the book cover with "Miss Emily Hoff" written left-aligned in black pen ink on a black line with two lines of writing below it blurred out.]
As a paraeducator, I carry a composition notebook around with me all day to write important notes and write/draw visuals when providing one-on-one instruction to students.
6. Agenda book
[Image Description: There is an agenda book for the 2025-2026 school year with a floral design on a black background full of many different orange, yellow, light blue, medium blue, light purple, carnation pink, and white flowers with green leaves on its cover. "2025-26" is in center-aligned light blue text in a black rectangular box outlined in light orange center-aligned on the cover.]
Agenda books can help to keep track of important dates, such as but not limited to:
- Due dates for students' homework assignments and projects
- Test and quiz days
- Dates to stay after school to provide push-in support at extracurricular activities
- School events
- Professional Development (PD) days
- Meeting dates
- School closed days
- Half days
- Personal days off
- Days that you need to leave early or arrive late
7. Two-pocket folders
Two-pocket folders can be helpful organizational tools to keep copies of class handouts, professional handouts, forms, and notes in when traveling from class to class with students to provide push-in support.
8. File folders
[Image Description: There is an apricot file folder laying on an open white drawer.]
File folders can be beneficial to use for storing extra hard copies of handouts that you use as visual demonstrations for students, important handouts, and confidential information.
9. Pencil case
[Image Description: There is a clear plastic pencil case with a black border with a label on it that says "BACK TO SCHOOL SURVIVAL KIT Welcome to Room 108 Family! So happy to have you here" in center-aligned black text with "Ms. Hoff" in center-aligned cursive black text inside of a yellow oval outlined in black below this text inside of a white square shaped text box. The label has a black and white marble composition notebook background with a test tube, basketball, clock, paper clip, atom symbol, backpack, cup, crayon, star, globe, open book, and exclamation points scattered around the text box. The pencil case contains several school supplies.]
I have a pencil case full of the supplies mentioned throughout this blog post starting at #10 below. I carry this pencil case for myself and in case any of the students on my caseload forget any of these essential materials (and/or don't have them for any other unforeseen circumstances that are not in their control) for the classes that I attend with them to provide push-in support.
10. Pencils
[Image Description: There are 6 pencils laying in a horizontal row on a dark brown table. The points of the first two pencils at the top of the row are pointing to the right and are manilla colored Number 2 pencils with beige wood, and gray points. The first pencil has a dark blue eraser cap, and the second pencil just has a pink eraser and silver metal part showing. The third pencil is yellow, has a black eraser and black metal part showing, and is unsharpened. The fourth pencil is purple, shiny, has a pink eraser and silver metal part, and is unsharpened. The fifth pencil is pink, has a black eraser and black metal part, and is unsharpened. The sixth pencil is gold, shiny, has an orange eraser and silver metal part, and is unsharpened.]
I use pencils to take important notes and write up close visuals of the spelling of words that my students who have difficulty with spelling need to include in their answers on class assignments. I write the answer that my student said verbally or through alternative communication, and then, I encourage my students to read aloud and sound out the words of the answers transferred into writing. I only tell them what the pronunciation of the word is if they are still unsure after attempting to sound it out.
11. Pens, pens, pens🖊️
[Image Description: There are 10 pens laying in a horizontal row with their points on the left on a table.]
12. Mini portable pencil sharpener in addition to the electronic pencil sharpener already in the classrooms
In case my or a student's pencil needs to be sharpened, or an electronic pencil sharpener breaks or is unavailable for other reasons
13. Sharpies
Sharpies can be an effective tool to use for outlining words on projects. I also have multiple black Sharpies in case one black Sharpie runs out of ink.
14. White out
[Image Description: There is a white bottle of BIC Cover-It Correction Fluid white out standing on a table.]
I LOVE using white out in case I make a mistake on paper when using pens or markers.
15. Highlighters
[Image Description: There are 3 highlighters laying vertically on a table. The highlighter at the top has neon orange, neon yellow, neon green, neon blue, and neon pink color options. The highlighter in the middle just highlights in yellow. The highlighter at the bottom has neon yellow, neon green, and neon blue color options.]
16. Markers
[Image Description: There is a rectangular yellow and green box of 10 Crayola red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, gray, and black markers on the left. The front of the box says "ULTRA CLEAN WASHABLE MARKERS" in center-aligned white bubble text outlined in dark blue. At the bottom of the box "10" is in center-aligned white bubble text in a dark blue circle.]
Washable, nontoxic markers can be found at almost literally any store, especially Target, Michael's, Staples, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Five Below, and even grocery stores and Amazon.
17. Crayons
[Image Description: There are multiple crayon boxes stored in a clear plastic container. The crayon brands and types include a 24-count box of traditional Crayola crayons, 8-count box of Crayola Confetti crayons, an 8-count box of Crayola Colors of Kindness crayons, 32-count box of CraZ Art crayons, 30-count box of Mike and Ike scented crayons, and 30-count box of Jolly Rancher scented crayons.]
Crayons are another top paraeducator tool that I love the most! Crayons are another art material that can be found at literally any store, especially Target, Michael's, Staples, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Five Below, and Amazon.
18. Colored pencils
Colored pencils are another art material that can be found at literally any store, especially Target, Michael's, Staples, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Five Below, and even grocery stores and Amazon.
19. Glue sticks
[Image Description: There are two Elmer's glue sticks standing on a table.]
20. Scissors
[Image Description: There are 4 pairs of scissors in blue, a red, blue, purple, and white cosmic design, black, and pink laying on a table.]
21. Eraser caps and block erasers
[Image Description: There is one block pink eraser and a pack of red, orange, green, and blue pencil cap erasers laying on a table.]
In all of my 11 years of experience working in Special Education classroom and my first year working as a paraeducator, I have observed that some students have a preference for using block erasers or pencil cap erasers. The preference usually depends on their fine motor skills. Having both options available provides fine motor friendly accessibility.
22. Stapler
Staplers are definitely another top must-have for all paraeducators for many reasons. You can use them to staple papers together to make handouts with important information for the students and their families.
23. Tape
24. Storage bins
For staying organized, clean, and avoiding clutter
25. Tissue box and tissue packs
Even though there is a box of tissues in my classroom, I keep a box of tissues on my desk as well that anyone can use along with packs of tissues. If my or a student's nose is stuffy, I bring a pack of tissues to the classes and extracurricular activities where I provide them with push-in support just in case there are tissues available in these settings. I have also given tissue packs to students if they came in to school with stuffy noses and may need to use tissues during their bus rides to and from school.
26. Hole puncher
27. Envelopes
[Image Description: There is a stack of white envelopes.]
As a paraeducator, I keep a stack of envelopes in one of the storage bins on my desk. Envelopes have benefited me as a paraeducator when it comes to keeping small and important things in an organized, safe place. In addition, I share my envelopes with my students if they bring in loose field trip or book fair money to teach and build their organizational skills as well. Always remember to write your name and classroom number on any envelopes that you use for yourself along with requiring students to write their name and grade on any envelopes that you give them to use!
28. Sticky notes and tabs
[Image Description: There are 2 booklets of small, medium, and big sticky notes and colorful sticky tabs. There is also a sticky note pad.]
I use sticky notes to write important reminders that I may forget and stick them on my desk. I also use sticky tabs to mark important pages in my own hard copies of packets and workbooks. I keep my sticky notes and sticky tabs in one of the storage bins on my desk.
29. Scrunchies, hair ties, and/or headbands
[Image Description: There are two storage containers on top of a white bookshelf. The storage container on the left is filled with many colorful headbands with unique designs on them. The storage container on the right is filled with many colorful scrunchies with unique designs on them.]
To keep your hair out of the day and be stylish
30. Festive wearable accessories and classroom decor for all holidays
[Image Description: Several holiday headbands, hats, and other festive accessories stuffed into a hat box. There are also 2 LGBTQ+ pins pictured in the top left corner of the interior of the hat box and the interior of the hat box is red with white polka dots.]
When celebrating holidays in your school, it can be fun to wear festive accessories! I have a ton of them that I keep altogether in one big hat box that I bought at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts Store about 4 or 5 years ago. I have reindeer antlers, a headband with boingy hearts on it, festive beaded hearts necklaces, festive jewelry, and the list could go on and on...
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