“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspective.”

–Robert John Meehan

Are you looking for new and innovative ideas for your classroom? Whether you spend each day with a wiggly group of kindergarten students or teach advanced high school English classes, other teachers are often your best bet for finding the support, inspiration and out-of-the-box thinking you need to develop and grow in your chosen profession.

Check out what other teachers are doing to make their own lives easier, and foster a love of learning in their students, with these 10 helpful teacher hacks from around the web.

1. Store Student Earbuds in a Bead Box

As students use technology in the classroom more frequently, a way to keep those individual sets of earbuds from getting lost is a MUST. Try a bead box!

Source: inspire. love. learn

2. Keep Papers Organized with Customized Binder Clips

How do you keep track of ALL THOSE PAPERS??? With a little Mod Podge and a good idea of the categories you need to be able to see at a glance, it’s easy (well, easier) to stay organized.

Source: Craft Addict

3. Take Advantage of TED-Ed Lessons

You’ve heard of TEDx but you know TED-Ed? These video lessons are a nice way to add depth to the skills and concepts you’re teaching—and incorporate media literacy into your day!

Source: Ted-Ed Lessons

4. Control Classroom Noise with a Clever App

Classroom volume can creep up slowly—and quickly get out of control. Use an app like Too Noisy so students can see the noise level you expect and know when to quiet down.

Source: Too Noisy App

5. Use Pool Noodles to Help Students Learn Sight Words

All you need to do is cut the noodles into pieces and write letters on them. Take this helpful teacher hack a bit further in a pre-K or early childhood classroom by pairing the activity with a classic title for beginning readers. (We’re thinking maybe Dr. Seuss…)

Source: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

6. Use Apps to Connect with Other Educators 

The Teach Learn Lead app, for example, is a great virtual place to chat with educators across the country, discover lesson plan inspiration and more. It’s like Facebook, but for teachers!

Source: Digital Trends

7. Create a Storage Station for Weekly Papers

Ensure that you’re prepared for the school week ahead by stocking everything you’ll need in a set of vertically stacked and colorfully labeled bins. Then just grab and go.

Source: Rockin’ and Lovin’ Learnin’

8. Make a Desktop Pencil Pouch from Duck (or Duct) Tape

So simple, yet so effective. No more pencils rolling on the floor and getting lost.

Source: Virginia Teacher

9. Motivate High School Students with “Classroom Lottery” Scratch-Offs

Rewards can include things like No Homework and Lunch with the Teacher.

Source: Simply 2^nd Resources

10. Identify Students Who Need Help with a Red, Yellow, Green System 

Give students red, yellow and green cards to keep at their desk. Have them display green when they understand a lesson, yellow if they are struggling and red if they’re stuck. This way, you know who to help individually and when it’s a good idea to reteach the whole class.

Source: LOVE.TEACH. INSPIRE.

Next up, we’re planning to compile a list of classroom library hacks that make it easier to keep your books organized and create a culture of engaged reading in your classroom. If you’ve got great ideas, share them in the comments and we just may highlight one in our post!