How my teaching has changed with one simple accessory

April 7, 2019 No Comments

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…

teacher apron materials

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.

music teacher diy 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?

how my teaching has changed with one simple accessory


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I’m Liz, and I'm an Elementary Music specialist. Through over a decade of experience, I’ve learned so much that I want to share with others. When I’m not creating music education resources, my joys include coffee, corgis, and cuddling my kids, Ben and Cece. Welcome to Mrs. Cookie’s Music Room! Read More

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