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The past few years I’ve put together a list of favorite gift ideas during this time of year. This fall and winter is so much different than in the past, but I wanted to create a round up for those of you shopping online this week. So I’ve gone back into the archives, to pull out some of my favorites gifts for teachers. And of course I’ve included links to lists from years past, in case you’d like to dig in a little bit deeper.
The list below includes nine educational, practical, and fun items for yourself, your colleagues, or an educator you know and love. As always, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment on this post with the items you would add to this list.
Gifts for Teachers
Winter Gloves for Touch Screen Users
Although I’m writing this today on a pretty warm late fall day, I know that winter is coming here in the Northeast. I included these Touch Screen Winter Gloves on my low-cost Secret Santa idea list from last year. You can see the full list here. These winter gloves are friendly for tech-lovers. They make it easy to check in on a touchscreen when it’s chilly outside.
Game-Based Learning Guide
On that same list, I shared a few book recommendations including item number two on the list. Available in both Kindle and paperback, Power Up Your Classroom is a great read. Co-authors Cate Tolnai and Lindsey Blass have put together an excellent resource for teachers.
They were kind enough to answer some of my questions about the book in this blog post last year, too. And I have to mention here as well, that I was a guest on the podcast Cate runs with Jen Gibson just this month. Here’s a link to the episode with our conversation on all things EdTech.
Temperature Control Smart Mug
If you follow along with me on Instagram, you might know that I love a good cup of coffee, and drink lots of tea all day long. This item on the list first came to my attention in a gift guide I wrote where I gather recommendations from some EdTech friends. In this blog post, fellow ASCD author Fred Ende (co-author of Forces of Influence: How Educators Can Leverage Relationships to Improve Practice) recommended the Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug. Since Fred first recommended it for my list of gift ideas, it’s been on my wish list. And might just be an item I grab if it goes on sale this Cyber Monday.
Subscription Gifts for Teachers
From that same list of recommendations from educators, Michele Haiken recommended a teacher subscription to Book Creator. Regular readers of the blog know that I’m a big fan of Book Creator. I love the idea of gifting a subscription to a favorite tool to a teacher friend.
If you’re not already a listener of my podcast, the Easy EdTech Podcast, make sure to follow along during the month of December. Michele Haiken will be a guest on episode 89 next month. You can learn more about her work and a new guide she has for educators.
Lessons for Tech Coaches
Another favorite to add to this list comes from a podcast guest, too. This spring, Martine Brown joined me on the podcast. Our conversation focused on the same topic of her book 21 Lessons of Tech Integration Coaching. If you’re looking for a gift for an educator in your life who is passionate about education technology, or interested in a coaching role, this one is a great choice. It is full of actionable information and organized into 21 lessons. This makes it easy for readers to skim and skip around, or sit down and devour the whole book.
A Helpful Mouse
This summer I put together a list of favorite items for learning and working from home. Many of the items on this list would make a great gifts for teachers in your life. But I wanted to include two of the most popular ones on the list. First up, is a Bluetooth mouse that I tried out this spring.
I was surprised at just how much I love this new tiny pink mouse in my office. It has been helpful when giving a webinar or pointing to something quickly on my screen. There are many great choices for a Bluetooth computer mouse and colorful mouse pad, but I’ve linked my favorites here.
Bluetooth Keyboard
I know a lot of people working from home have upgraded their home office with a new monitor. That was a little outside of my budget this year, but one extra item I added to my home office a few years ago has made a big difference. Keeping up with the Bluetooth theme, a keyboard that isn’t attached to your laptop or Chromebook can definitely have an impact on your productivity.
A few years ago, when I was working on my book Tasks Before Apps, I purchased an external keyboard. I didn’t love the keyboard on my laptop and found this “old school” one a much better fit. Right now, I use a keyboard that plugs right into my computer. It may seem silly, but it has made a big difference with my workflow. There are plenty of great Bluetooth options, too, including this one.
Google Cardboard
On this list from a few years ago, I included a Google Cardboard. The official Google Cardboard from Google is a great gift choice for teachers who are ready to take their love for Google tools to the next level. I’ve shared lots of resources on my site for using virtual reality in the classroom – and have a free eBook for teachers looking to get started. If you give a Google Cardboard to a teacher as a gift this year, you may want to include a few favorite app suggestions, too.
Distance Learning Essentials Quick Reference Guide
The last one on this list is a shameless plug for my new quick reference guide I created for ASCD this year. In February, I created a six panel guide all around classroom technology tips, you can see it here.
After the emergency shift to remote learning for many of us this spring, we created this Distance Learning Essentials guide. It covers five distance learning essential areas that you may have seen me cover in this webinar I hosted for ASCD earlier this year.
As I mentioned at the top of this post, I’d love to hear from you! Share favorite gifts for teachers in the comment section at the bottom of this post, you can add a link if you like, or just the name of the favorite thing you would add to this list of gifts!
