Wednesday, August 5, 2020

DIY Teacher Survival Kit: 2020 Style

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Teacher Survival Kit | Apples to Applique

Getting ready to go back to school is totally nerve-wracking this year, and wrought with so many emotions. I am excited to be back in the classroom, which is my happy place; I've missed it terribly since March, when we transitioned to remote learning. I can't wait to meet a new set of kids to love and learn with, forming a tight-knit community. I even miss the little things, like putting up new bulletin boards and decorating for the holidays. My teacher-heart is thrilled to be heading back!

Mixed with all of the excitement, however, is a feeling of unease. Will we be able to help the kids understand the importance of social distancing? Will we still be able to foster the same feeling of community when the kids have to stay so far apart? Will our school have a coronavirus outbreak? Will our students and staff all stay healthy?

Understanding these mixed emotions, I decided to make a 2020 style Teacher Survival Kit as a back-to-school gift for my teammates. My teammates are the most amazing people out there; we work together so well and they inspire me to be the best teacher I can be. We are very close, and always give each other little gifts for occasions like this. However, this gift would also be great from a student to a teacher!

Most of the things included are often seen in teacher survival kits, but some I selected specifically for 2020:
Chocolate (always a necessity! These Dove dark chocolates are my favorite, and I love the little affirming messages inside each wrapper)
Gum
Mints
Ibuprofen
Stickers with inspirational messages (I purchased different styles to match my teammates' classroom decor; the ones pictured I found from Happy Honeycomb Studio on Etsy)
Travel hand sanitizer that can be put on a lanyard (Because, 2020...I purchased these holders)
Lotion (to combat the dryness from the frequent hand washing. I purchased this lotion with a calming lavender scent, because goodness knows we need a little calm this year!)
Box of Blessings (this little deck contains 101 blessings for teachers)
Emergen-C (not pictured, but I added it in after taking the photo. Teachers can always use this immune system boost in a good year, but in 2020, we need it in bulk!)

Last but not least, I found these adorable Teacher Survival Kit bags to package it all in.

Teacher Survival Kit | Apples to Applique

Hopefully these goodie bags will bring a smile to my teammates' faces as we face the uncertainties of this upcoming school year.

Is there anything else you can think of that should be put into a teacher survival kit, especially this year? Let me know, I would love to hear your ideas!

Keep teaching with heart and passion!