As college instructors, we have plenty of things to do. Our teaching activities alone take considerable time and attention, and we are often prepping multiple sections at once. We spend so much time planning the content and the pacing that we can sometimes leave the details unattended. For example, if during a lecture we decide to write on the board and only then realize that there are no markers available, it is not only disruptive to our flow but also can leave us looking underprepared.

Dealing with details in advance can make us better at our jobs and our lectures go more smoothly. In this Tip, we recommend preparing a Lecture Supply Kit that you can take with you to each class session. This Lecture Supply Kit should be filled with the things that you think you will or could potentially need during the session.

When assembling your kit, consider the following items:

High Tech

• Laptop. Even if your room has a computer and projector, unless you believe that it is guaranteed to work, you may want to bring along your own laptop as backup.
• Wireless slide remote. If you are using slides, bring along your own slide remote so that you can move around and still advance your slides.
• Laser pointer. If you need to point out details on a slide, particularly in a large class, you may want to bring along a laser pointer. Some slide remotes come equipped with those as well.
• AC adapter, power brick, charger. Even if you think your laptop has a full charge, you may be surprised how quickly it can run down. If you are using your own laptop, consider packing a backup means for accessing power.
• Projector adapter. If you are bringing a laptop and you use a Mac and your institution uses Windows (or vice versa) you may also need to include a projector adapter.
• USB drives. You may store your presentation on a USB drive, but you should also ensure that you have at least one backup: another USB drive, a portable hard drive, or a cloud storage system such as Dropbox or Box.

Low Tech

• Writing space and writing implement. Even if you plan to use a slide deck, you will likely occasionally need or want to write something somewhere that the students can see. You may have a whiteboard or a chalkboard fixed in the classroom, but if the board is under the projector screen and forces you into an either-or situation, you may find you want to regularly bring flip chart paper. Additionally, you will want spare chalk or dry erase markers.
• Pencil, pen, and paper. You may find that you would like to make a note of something to follow up on from the session. Be sure you have something to write with and to write on.

Basic Survival

• Bottled water. You will want to have something to drink in order to stay hydrated. Even talking for short periods of time can cause wear to your vocal cords, and you may find that you have a dry throat that you need to soothe.
• Cough drops or mints. Sometimes water is insufficient to soothe a dry throat. Consider bringing along cough drops or mints.
• Tissues. Be prepared for a sneeze, a cold, a spill, or other unexpected event that can cause you to need to have tissues or a handkerchief or even wet wipes to manage the problem.

Example

Key References and Resources