2. A little something to light up the room
One virtual learning must-have that many have overlooked is proper lighting. As more of us have transitioned to work-from-home environments, we’re quickly learning the dynamics of a proper virtual setup and teachers will be no different this fall. The easiest solution is a lighting system like this one from Lamps Plus. It provides the right amount of light without blinding you or becoming overpowering and offers a USB port to charge your device. It can make all the difference for teachers who lack natural light in their homes.
As many of us shifted to work-from-home setups, we quickly learned that ergonomics are truly important. The chair at your kitchen table or that old computer chair you sit in for a few hours at a time just can’t stand up to the demands of a full work day. That’s where a proper office chair comes in. There are hundreds of options out there, but we like this chair from Overstock for its simplicity, support and price. You should move quickly, though, because chairs could be the next item to become hard to find.
As they say, “sitting is the new smoking,” and we’d agree. Standing desks are truly an investment, so if your budget can’t swing it, a sit-to-stand desk converter is the next best thing for your virtual learning setup. This adjustable one from Office Depot OfficeMax goes on top of your existing desk or table and provides enough space for a monitor and laptop.
6. Something to help prioritize self care
We’ve covered a lot of items you’ll need on the job as a teacher who’s shifting to virtual learning this fall, but we don’t want to lose sight of self-care. We know the upcoming school year will be stressful for a variety of reasons, so it’s important to take some time at the end of the day to decompress and relax. We love these acupressure mats from Gaiam for that reason. Spend just 10 to 15 minutes a day laying on the mat and you’ll release all the tension and stress from a long day in front of a screen.