Classroom Ideas
Like lunch boxes and handbags, planners can be pretty subjective. For some, flowery covers, bold colors, and stickers are non-negotiable. Others prefer fewer bells and whistles, and nothing but sleek and chic will do. We all know that a school year without shopping for teacher planners is a non-starter. A good planner is worth its weight in gold, the perfect space for teachers to plan and schedule lessons, keep track of grades and attendance, make seating charts, and more. Of course, in true 21st-century form, the internet answers the call with more options than you could ever possibly scroll through. To make your search a bit more manageable, we’ve pulled together a list of ten of the best planners for teachers. We’ve got bright flowers, sleek black, and even one that’s a bit high-tech; no doubt there’s something here for every wish list and budget.
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1. This teacher lesson planner…because ERIN CONDREN!
In the wonderful world of planners, planning, and organization, Erin Condren is one of the most recognizable names in the business. This makes our best teacher planners list because it is packed with features. With monthly, weekly, and yearly spreads, 12 tabbed calendars, a year of weekly lesson planning spreads, mini months, and a yearly overview, this planner is jam-packed with 210 pages of planning potential. It also features premium 80# Mohawk paper, so it’s built to last. Sticker sheets, lined, graph, and productivity pages, monthly quotes, checklists, and a sheet protector also fill its pages. Choose from five styles.
2. A lesson planner that will have everyone saying “dots so nice!”
Another trusted name in the planning and organization game, this BlueSky planner may offer fewer bells and whistles, but it’s still plenty functional. Weekly view lesson planning pages provide plenty of space to keep your lesson plans organized and your days chaos-free. Additionally, this planner offers a convenient list of holidays, extra notes pages, class birthday pages, and a weekly activity schedule. Its interior storage pocket, premium quality covers, and coated tabs make this planner durable and dependable all year long.
3. A faux leather bound planner for the bougie teacher on a budget
With a durable, soft faux leather cover, this yearly planner by Lemome adds a little elegance and an executive feel to your lesson planning. While this planner is neatly bound, it still lays flat for comfortable writing. It’s also made with thick 8.5 x 11 archival-quality paper, so there’s plenty of room for your daily plans. This planner covers you for a full 12 months, featuring monthly, weekly, and daily sections, notes pages, and calendar stickers. What’s more, this planner features an elastic closure, a convenient pen loop, an expandable inner pocket, and two elegant ribbon bookmarks.
4. A planner designed to increase productivity – it’s like getting a motivational coach you can carry around with you!
With thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, Clever Fox is clearly a fan favorite, and after a quick run-down of everything it has to offer, it’s easy to see why. For those who prefer a more compact design, these planners fit the bill, coming in at 5.8” x 8.3,” but don’t let the small size fool you. Clever Fox really brings its A-game with next-level planning and organization. The weekly spread includes space to plan for the week and set priorities, to-do lists, and a habit tracker. Plus, you can flip to the back goal setting sheets and even a “vision board.” The Clever Fox Planner is undated, so any day is a good day for a fresh start; it comes in a wide variety of colors, and there’s even a quick start guide to help you up the ante on your organization game.
5. A reusable Smart planner for the teachers who have upped their tech game this year
If you like the look and feel of paper but want to take things high-tech, you may want to give this Rocketbook planner a go. Essentially the best of both worlds, these planners allow you to take notes and plan to your heart’s content while also uploading it to the cloud service of your choice for safekeeping. The great thing about Rocketbooks teacher planners is that they’re endlessly reusable; when the new school year rolls around, just wipe it clean and start fresh. These planners are compatible with Pilot Frixion pens, iOS or Android devices.
6. A planner you can color in!
This unique planner offers a much-needed opportunity to bring mindfulness into your daily routine. Featuring a sturdy hardcover with 144 pages for planning perfection, each daily column has a space for notes as well as hourly entries. But now, for the good part—each month begins with a beautiful nature image for you to color and bring to life, and that gorgeous imagery is carried throughout the planner, encouraging you to take a moment when you need it. Oh, and the paper is high-quality, so there’s no fear of bleed-through.
7. A colorful reminder that you’re a “teacher with a plan”
With their bright, colorful pages and beautiful designs, this Bloom daily calendar may be the shot of inspiration you need to get past the mid-year hump. These calendars run on academic year format, they’re generously sized (9 x 11) and jam-packed with 160 planning pages. With 60 weeks’ worth of undated, column-style weekly planning blocks, student information pages, contact logs, grade book spreads, and even a page with information for the sub, you have everything you need for exceptional organization. Choose from three styles.
8. An undated planner you can dive into any day motivation strikes
This deluxe planner by Elan is bold, bright, and well-appointed to help you plan anything and everything. Between the gorgeous front and back covers, you’ll find 9 tabbed sections, 5 sticker Sheets, a bookmark, and a pocket folder. This planner is also outfitted with planning pages, seating charts, a log for grades and/or attendance, and notes pages. I’m guessing it will be pretty hard to feel disorganized with this planner at your fingertips.
9. A classic planner for the minimalist teacher
While not as flowery and punchy as our previous entries, this one makes our best planners for teachers roundup because it’s simple yet effective, and it gets the job done for a fraction of the cost. This sleek black planner can accommodate plans for up to 45 weeks, making ample room for notes and details about your lessons. Additionally, it contains pages for keeping track of grades (or attendance), and there’s even a seating chart. This planner comes in just under $10, but don’t let the low price fool you; there are plenty of great reviews to back this one up.
10. An $8 planner that has everything you need without dipping into your coffee fund
For a lesson planner on a budget, this Lesson Plan book by Creative Teaching certainly the bill. It features a two-page lesson plan spread for 40 weeks of lesson plans. Plus, you’ll find seating charts, pages for student contact information page, notes for the sub, and even a class news template under the cute front cover. Reviewers agree that this planner is a good bet for parents who are currently homeschooling and perhaps not interested in a pricier planner for a temporary situation.
With so much going on in our lives, organization and a good planner can be make or break. Perhaps this list of teacher planners will help you narrow your choices down, whether you’re on the hunt for some mid-year motivation or making plans for next year.
