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The Best Teacher Planners

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Planning is everything, and it begins with your teacher planner.

Organize your lesson plans with this list of the best teacher planners. 

The Best Teacher Planners

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Finding the Best Teacher Planner

It seems there are a million options when it comes to teacher planners, so how do you find the best one?

First, you need to consider the features it offers.

Next, you consider the design.

Both of these qualities have to pair with who you are as a teacher and as a person.

What to Look for in a Teacher Planner

All teacher planners are not created equal.

You need so much more than a simple academic planner can provide. 

Space to Write

You need to have plenty of space to keep track of your lesson plans.

Consider this as you choose the size of your planner–8 x 11” is a minimum.

You should also consider how many periods you need to plan for, and choose a planner that has the right number of columns for your purposes.

The Best Teacher Planners

A Sturdy Cover 

This book will be opened and closed hundreds of times.

It will be shoved in your bag and stacked under books.

It needs to hold up.

Choose one with a sturdy cover, either hardcover or flexible poly.  

Teacher Features

A lesson plan book often needs to hold more than just lesson plans.

Consider the features you will need.

Do you want space to record class birthdays or a seating chart?

Do you want a planner with a year or month at a glance?

Is it necessary to have an attendance chart or class roster page? 

Many teacher planners contain some of these features.

Make sure you pick one that has what you need.

To Note or Not to Note

Most teacher planners have the week gridded off by subjects or periods.

But only some of them have room for additional notes on the weekly lesson pages.

Do you need that space?

If you want a “catch-all” place in your planner, make sure you pick a planner that has space for you. 

The Best Teacher Planners

The Best Teacher Planners

The best teacher planner is the one that suits your needs and your personality.

To that end, find the best teacher planner for you by matching it to your preferences!

Which statements resonate with you?

“I Want It To Be Fun”

You are carrying this planner around all year long.

You probably look at it more than any other book you own.

If you want it to be cheery and stylish, go for a planner that prioritizes style but offers all the basic features.

Try the Blue Sky Planner or the Maalbok Teacher Planner.

“I Teach Little People”

Little children have short attention spans, so a preschool or early elementary teacher needs to have a lot of tricks (ahem…”activities”) up his or her sleeve.

This Teacher Plan Book hasn’t changed since its design in 1997 (by a teacher, no less), but it has all the features that an early-ed teacher would want.

The Best Teacher Planners

“I Need Lots of Space”

If you like to write detailed lesson plans, you may need more space than a traditional 8 x 11” planner can provide.

Check out these oversized planners like the Oversized House of Doolittle Teacher Planner or this 6 Period Extra Large Middle School / High School Planner.

They have basic covers but offer plenty of writing room.

If you want cuteness + space, you can always add decals to the cover!

“I Want a Flexible Planner”

Most teacher planners are year-specific, so they have the dates already labeled.

This may not suit your needs.

Check out this Undated ELAN Teacher Planner.

Not only is it undated, but it also has tabs, bookmarks, and planning pages. 

The Best Teacher Planners

“I Like to Keep It Classic”

I will just say it. Many teacher planners are decidedly feminine in appearance.

If you prefer something a bit more classic in its appearance, check out this Classic Teacher’s Planner by Peter Pauper Press.

This basic black planner would fit right in on a teacher’s desk from the 1950s.

You can also try this faux-wood 7 Period Hardcover Planner if you want something classic but updated.

“I Want to Customize It and Add Flair”

Artistic types, you know who you are.

If you are the teacher with the Insta-worthy bulletin boards and the end-of-year scrapbooks, you want a teacher planner that will suit your style.

This Lemon Zest Planner has a sticker for everything (oh yes, and it is all citrus-themed).

This Schoolgirl Style Planner also comes with stickers that add splashes of color to its black and white, modern design.

Do you want a planner that is all your own?

This Customizable Happy Planner Teacher Planner Kit has everything you need to create your own cover and look for your lesson planner. 

The Best Teacher Planners

What to Use to Write in Your Lesson Planner

Teacher planner pages are double-sided, so you need to be careful that what you write on one side doesn’t bleed through.

Check out these options for writing in your teacher planner.

Pencils

I love pencils because I like the option to erase.

These Bic X-tra Strong Thick Lead Mechanical Pencils are not only dark enough to read, but they rarely snap as you write.

I bought them for my child, and now I use them all myself!

Erasable Pens

These are not your typical erasable pens.

These Frixion pens are gel pens that use the heat of friction to completely disappear.

Science is amazing!

Gel Highlighters

No bleeding, no smearing, gel highlighters are the way to go.

This set has 5 colors so you can color-code your planner to your heart’s content.

Post-It Notes

Post-It notes are a teacher’s best friend.

If you don’t know the date of something or have unfixed plans, write it on a post-it note in your planner and stick it on the proposed day.

If you want to make sure you remember to do something during the day, write it on a colorful sticky note, so you don’t forget.

Your teacher planner is the perfect place to stick a post-it note.

The Best Teacher Planners

What Is the Best Teacher Planner?

The best teacher planner is the one that suits your needs, your organizational style, and your personality.

With so many options available, you are sure to find one that is a perfect fit.

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