Virtual Classroom Essentials for Teachers

Creating a virtual classroom doesn’t have to labour intensive or expensive. With these five tools, you’ll be set to teach from anywhere.

Look for a laptop that’s also a tablet

For maximum utility, look for a laptop that is a 2-in-1 — a laptop that has a touchscreen. Often equipped with a 360-hinge that can tent or lay flat your machine for a more tablet-like feel, these versatile computers can do everything other laptops can with the added comfort of touch technology already prevalent in smart devices. Try the LENOVO IdeaPad Flex5.

Focus on finding noise-cancelling headphones

Ideal for staying focused and engaged, headphones make learning easier and help to drown out ambient noise and leave the lessons clear. Sony WH1000XM3 Premium Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are made for teaching. With a focus on blocking out those extra sounds, they come equipped with a smart listening feature that sharpens the focus of the audio and keeps teaching top of mind.

Choose More than One Board for Versatility

A chalkboard might not be possible depending on your space, but a portable dry erase board can help you communicate ideas, whether you’re teaching, or learning, or oftentimes, both! Try the Quartet Dry-Erase Board, which is the size of a sheet of paper and comes with dry erase markers and in an assortment of colours to match your décor (and personality)!

Rely on Old-School Flashcards in a New School Way

A classic approach to learning is repetition and there is nothing like the tried and true method of flashcards. Everything from colours, to math, to new words and spelling can be learned using flashcards. Have some on hand for a number of topics and test out skills to see where kids excel. Try Canadian Curriculum Press Learning Flash Cards, Go Fish.

Purchase a Printer That Can Do It All

Sometimes being able to touch, and feel, and use other senses helps learning along. And having a printer on-hand makes it easy to print out activities, projects and even decorations for a virtual classroom. Try the Epson EcoTank ET-2760 All-in-One Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer, which prints in colour and black and white and can print thousands of pages without ever having to worry about changing the cartridge.