Skip to main content

EC For Teachers!

Happy Saturday!!

Well..I just got a great box delivered to me yesterday, and inside was a fabulous notebook that I can use to now PLAN out my blog posts! If I plan them out, and write it in pen, I have to do it :) This should get me back on track with my blogging.

I use erin condren products pretty frequently in my classroom, and I've shared about them before which you can read about here if you want, but I figured I would do a comprehensive post about what the products are, if I use them frequently or not, and the quality for the money (they are a tad pricey).

Let's get started!

Pens:

Blech. Maybe it's because I'm a lefty and I push instead of pull the ink, these would stop up, and the ink was very light. The plastic on the tip would break off, too.

I prefer Papermate Flair:


or Papermate Inkjoy 100:

jackcola.org



Verdict: no longer available

Lunch Box: (Instagram)







I really really wanted to love this, but I didn't, unfortunately. The lids would come off of the small round containers (which held my salad dressing) and spilled all over my coach bag, big NO NO! It was also slightly difficult to clean, probably because it was covered in oil from the salad dressing. Also, the ice pack would cause a lot of condensation on one side of the lunch box.

Verdict: save your money

Calendar: (Owls)



I really like the calendar, but may switch to the weekly pad for next year. This has lasted me for two years now, because the yearly calendar at the bottom isn't something I utilize. It's great when I'm on the phone with a parent and my contact binder isn't close by, or if I'm just checking voicemail!

Verdict: splurge, or get the what a week!

Thank You Notes: (Deco Drop Blue)



These are a recent purchase, and I love them! They were great for thank you cards at Christmas, and my middle schoolers remarked at how "fancy" they were, saying they would keep it forever (haha). Also, the bag it came in was great for holding pens, until the zipper came off last week :( I was SO sad, because it holds a ton of stuff!

Verdict: splurge!

Clipboard: (Fleur Feliz Splash)



This clipboard is amazing, mostly because it is so pretty. I haven't utilized the dry erase function yet, but I hope to soon!


Verdict: splurge!

Acrylic Tray: (Fleur Feliz Splash)

**EDIT: I took a better picture today!





I have to take a better picture of the tray, it's in the upper right hand corner. I will take one on Monday and edit so you can see it! It's perfect for having students turn in tests during a test day, or for having students put Check In/Check Out forms and permission slips, etc..


Verdict: splurge!

Labels:


It took me a long time to find a photo of these, which tells you how often I probably use them (never). They were expensive and I thought I would label things in my classroom with them, but they are kind of awkwardly large. :( I still hope to find a use for them because they are really cute!

Verdict: save your money

Notepads: Owl and Inspire (Henry David Thoreau)




I love using my notepads, but I'm kind of crazy about not wasting them, which makes me use them less. I tend to do this with all paper products, which is why I have a tub full of sticky notes, and a drawer full of index cards. 

Verdict: splurge!

Teacher Planner 2012-2013: (Owls)

I had a slight obsession with owls at the time :)

The planner used to have one page of calendar and then notes, which was good and bad. The stickers didn't fit in the boxes, but I liked having the notes right there. 


When I would mess things up in my lessons, I use the square small sticky notes, they fit over any mess-ups perfectly!

More examples above and below

I divided my notes pages into quarters, which I wish I had remembered to do this year!

My first planner didn't have any page protectors, so everything went in my folder. It made it almost till the end of the year, so I reinforced it with packing tape. 



verdict: no longer available, new planner layout

Teacher Planner 2013-2014: (Rad Plaid)

It was so pretty and clean when it first came! I like the plaid, but it isn't my favorite now that I've discovered Fleur Feliz!

I paid to have a pic put on the inside cover, and I love looking at it occasionally at work!


Here's what it looks like now

I started color coding this year, left side of the week...

...right side of the week. I have four preps over six periods, so I use four boxes for my classes, one for things to do on my one prep period, and a box for extracurriculars

They made the calendar two pages this year, which gives me a lot of room that I don't really need, but I like that the stickers fit now!

I use the student checklist to keep track of test data throughout the year since I use an online gradebook through the district!

Page protectors that hold our due dates for report cards, supervision...


Monthly calendar...

Typical reader measures and daily schedules


Yearly calendar and keep it together folder

Favorite Sunday ritual!


Verdict: splurge!!!!! if you buy one thing...it should be this!


Take Note! Notebook: (Fleur Feliz Splash)

Here is where I'm putting blog ideas, and ideas for a new "secret" venture coming this summer :) :) shhh!!



Verdict: splurge!

Life Planner: (Frame Me: Pink/Navy)

I decided to get a life planner to organize our finances, my diet and exercise, and our TTC journey...

I love putting my printstagr.am pics next to the birthdays!

I have had this for one day, but I'm loving it!



I love putting quotes in to glance at throughout the week!

My smashbook band works perfectly to keep it together!

Verdict: splurge! 


I hope you enjoyed this review! If you would like to check out erincondren and get a $10 off coupon, click here!  Plus, until 2/16 the teacher planner is on sale for 30% off, which doesn't happen very often!

Do you use Erin Condren in your classroom or daily life?


Disclaimer: I did not get any compensation for writing this review. I simply find erin condren products incredibly handy for organizing my life, and wanted to share my opinion with you!

Comments

  1. I love those pens you've listed above! I can still get them at our Office Depot in San Diego...maybe you can order them online??
    Stephanie
    Tales of Teaching in Heels

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am currently student teaching and just found your blog and the Erin Condren planners. They seemed pricey at first, but your review and pictures definitely help me to see the value in them! I only have 13 weeks to go, but if I snag a job for the '14-'15 school year, that will be my first purchase! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by! JW

Popular posts from this blog

Before the School Year Begins...

I decided that before I can start posting about what I'm doing this year, I needed to share some of my favorite strategies from last year that went really well with the students. I was completely inspired by Kelly Gallagher after reading devouring all of his books at the beginning of the school year! I had the opportunity to go to a Kelly Gallagher workshop at Judson this spring, and it was absolutely amazing! He was so nice when I went up to him (I was terrified and starstruck), and even wrote "You're Welcome" on this piece of paper, because my students actually asked me to THANK HIM for changing the way we read novels in class.  Students + asked me + to say thank you to an author + about school stuff = UTOPIA! Here are some of my abbreviated notes from the day: His TOP Points: Kids should write 4X more than you can physically grade  Students suffer from word poverty. Must get students reading more in order to be exposed to vocabulary. We ne

RAK Classroom Kit + Enjoy the Magic of The Holidays at Oakbrook Center!

Last week The Middle School Mob hosted a FB Live Holiday Hop, and I shared how I do a RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) activity with my students during the holiday season . This was my first time doing a FB live and I had so much fun! You can check out the RAK Classroom Kit here If you live in the Chicagoland area and want to have a fun family outing this Christmas season, be sure to check out my post over at Modest House, Extraordinary Home ! Save Save Save Save

Writing Notebook: Finishing up "Write Ideas" and first Invitation: AAAWWUBBIS!

Happy Monday!! Today I am continuing on with the Writer's Notebook! Last time I left off, students had just finished their "100 Things I Love". After that, students completed their writing territories, which I got from Nancie Atwell's book   Lessons That Change Writers.  We spent the first day discussing writing territories out loud, going through the list in detail, so that students had ideas of what to write about. I told them to think of it like the caption for a picture. One to two sentences that could become something more. Students had to complete this for homework. We also completely numbered our table of contents so that we could add in sections and start working in other parts of the notebook.  Students wrote their writing territories on these pages. Then we moved on to the Writer's Eye (I). Students had to place terms that described them within their "I" or around their "Eye". I created my o