At the beginning of last school year, I decided to add a daily accessory to my music teacher ensemble: an apron. It all started because many of my outfits lacked pockets (smash the patriarchy!). When I’m teaching, I get in the zone, and I tend to leave things around the room.
I realized that I was wasting valuable class time hunting down dry erase markers, presentation remotes, tuning forks, etc. That year, I was also lucky enough (insert sarcastic tone here) to acquire several extra recess duties. I needed a place to put my whistle, sunglasses, and bandaids. Apron to the rescue! Now I have everything I need within arms reach, and I’m never going back. Want to give it a try? Here are some ways of getting your own teacher apron.
DIY It…
Feeling crafty? You can make your own teacher apron for a very affordable price. At Home Depot, they sell work aprons for just $1.48. I don’t know about you, but I’m not too keen on wearing a bright orange Home Depot logo to school everyday. So the next step is to take the attention off the logo. I used leftover sheet music fabric from a bulletin board to cover mine. If I had even a minuscule amount of sewing skills, I’m sure I could have sewn the fabric over the front of the apron. But since that is not the case, I turned to the good old iron-on method. One thing I will note is that you might not want to use a light-colored fabric; the orange logo still shows through the white on this apron.
…Or Buy It
If you’d rather purchase your apron, I’ve found a few great options. My current apron of choice is this one. I love that it has a third, smaller pocket. I use it to store my SMART Board remote for quick access. The other reason I prefer this apron is that feels very durable. I’m pretty tough on my clothes and accessories, and this apron is still going strong!
Looking for something a little more… teacher-y? Etsy has a plethora of aprons with a personal touch, such as this one. If you search “teacher aprons” or “aprons with pockets,” you’ll find lots of choices at different price points. They’re really adorable, and supporting a small business is always a win!
Whatever Works
Having frequently-needed items at the ready has been a lifesaver for me. I save so much instructional time not going back and forth to get what I need. As a busy, tired music teacher, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should do things that make life easier for myself. For me, that meant getting an apron. Do you wear a teacher apron? What items would you put in its pockets?
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