New Teacher Starter Kit

Congratulations and welcome to teaching! As you start your professional journey, Tech & Learning is here to support you with experience and expertise from our team and advisors, who have substantial time in front of a class doing what you’re about to do. We know it can be daunting, and a little scary, but we’re here to help you succeed.

To help build your teaching toolbox, here is a new teacher starter kit — a regularly updated assortment of resources, tips, and advice from education professionals like yourself, regarding using edtech, implementing digital tools, and navigating technology in the classroom. Good luck!

Professional Development 

11 Edtech Tips for New Teachers – Advice to help new teachers implement digital tools into their classrooms and instruction.

5 Summer Professional Development Ideas – Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of great learnings and have enough time to put those learnings into practice in your planning for next school year. 

Video Lectures: 4 Tips for Teachers – Creating short and engaging video lectures for students is a growing trend at education institutions.

Top Sites for Educator Professional Development – Professional development is an ongoing process for any educator. Looking for the best ways to impart knowledge to students and staying current with the latest learning trends is critical.   

Providing New Teachers with Remote PD and Modeling – Strategies to support new teachers with technology as they navigate these trying times and remote learning. 

Best Tools for Teachers – If you’re new to teaching or looking to learn more about digital tools for teachers such as Zoom, TikTok, Minecraft, Microsoft Teams, or Flipgrid — and all the related apps and resources — here’s where to get started. We cover the basic features for each one, plus provide tips and advice to get the most out of your experience.

Google Education Tools & Apps – Google Classroom is the most popular digital tool in education, due to its cost (free!) and the multitude of easy-to-use apps and resources related to it. Many school systems rely on it because of its accessibility, ease of use, and flexibility. 

Best YouTube Sites and Channels for Education – Safe-viewing tips and education-focused channels to help take advantage of the fantastic free educational videos YouTube provides.

Fact-Checking Sites for Students – Student research sites and apps that are safe and unbiased, and specialize in debunking claims and providing objective, researched analysis.

Tech & Learning Reader Favorites – These top Tech & Learning articles explore the latest ideas, resources, and tools for teachers and students.

These lesson plans are designed to provide a template for implementing specific popular digital tools into your instruction and classroom.

Kahoot! Lesson Plan for Elementary Grades

Wakelet Lesson Plan for Middle and High School

Teacher Tech & Devices 

Best Desktop Computers For Teachers – Get the ultimate education-focused desktop computer that’s ideal for teachers.

Best Laptops for Teachers – Get the best laptop for teachers both in class and for remote learning.

Best Tablets for Teachers – The ultimate tablets for use by teachers in class and for remote learning.

Best Laptop Docking Stations For Teachers – Get the ideal laptop dock for teachers working between remote and classroom lessons.

Best Webcams for Teachers – The best webcams for education, be it for teachers or students, can make all the difference.

Best Ring Lights For Remote Teaching – Create the perfect lighting for video teaching to give the best remote learning experience.

Best Headphones for Teachers – The best headphones for teachers in remote learning situations can make a huge difference to the quality of a lesson.  

Source: https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/new-teacher-starter-kit