Teacher Planners

We Review Some of the Best Educator Day Runners

Teacher Planners are very popular with educators who feel like they need a place to put all their “stuff”. Lesson plans, activity notes, special occasions, instructions for subs, and that “emergency” money for the vending machine. With myriad options on the market, we looked at several leaders with price and customization as key considerations. Here are our findings:

1. 4THELOVEOFPI

The 4theloveofPi “Teacher Planner” is fairly customizable, allowing teachers to create something that suits their needs. With layouts specifically designed to accommodate one to eight subjects, there is truly something for everyone. 

This planner also includes weekends, allowing for coaches and sponsors to add in weekend events, or for teachers to combine their work and personal activities. In addition, 4theloveofPi offers a Teacher Resource Package, which has four sections — teacher, student, notes, and checklists — to help keep teachers organized throughout the year. With a 9” by 12” laminated cover, 80 pound paper, and aluminum spiral binding, this planner is comparable to other popular brands. The 4theloveofPi planners start at $60 and offer a lot of customizations at this price point. 

What We Love

We love that 4theloveofPi planners offer layouts for anywhere from one to eight subjects, so any teacher can find something that feels tailored to their teaching schedule. With the inclusion of weekend planning space, it’s possible to keep track of extra-curricular or personal weekend obligations easily, within the same plan book. Added bonus? Purchasing this planner supports a small business. 

Not So Much

There are fewer accessories available than some other brands – which can always be supplemented. 

The Take-Away

4theloveofPi is a great for teachers looking for the exact number of subjects they teach. It is also the best option for any teacher who wishes to include weekend planning in their teacher planner. 

2. Erin Condren

The Erin Condren “Teacher Lesson Planner” is the ultimate all-in-one lesson planner. Their teacher planners feature weekly, monthly, and yearly planning, checklist pages, communication logs, lined note pages, graph pages, and more. Their popular coiled option is 8.5”x11”, covering the span of 12 months in 210 pages. 

There are many customizable cover options. The coil is plated aluminum and the interior pages are 80 pound paper, which easily withstands erasing. It offers two design options, three calendar months to choose from, personalized cover, and coil color options.

It comes in a six-subject layout, which is more than enough for most secondary teachers. One major difference from the 4theloveofPi planner is that the subjects run across the top (vs. side). Erin Condren’s teacher planners only include weekdays – so you’ll need to separate work and personal planning. Without any customizations, the Erin Condren teacher planners start at $55-$60, plus shipping. Customizations such as a different color spiral or additional gradebook pages will increase the price. 

What We Love

We love the wide variety of interchangeable covers and snap-in accessories, which can be used from year to year if the same brand of planner is purchased each year. 

Not So Much

Although the six-subject layout is enough for most teachers, it’s not the exact right number of subjects for many; most teachers will end up having some wasted space on their weekly spreads. 

The Take-Away

With a variety of interchangeable / customizable covers, the Erin Condren planner is a high-quality, low-design choice for you. 

3. Purple Trail

Purple Trail’s teacher planners offer three fully personalizable cover types — hardcover, laminated, or synthetic. There are two sizes, 6” by 8” and 8.5” by 11”. Their planners can have coil binding or be hand sewn. The pages are printed on 80 pound paper. Additionally, there are two color and layout options, with either five or seven days per week. 

Customers can select their start month and planner length, making the Purple Trail planner an ideal mid-semester purchase. There are more than 20 types of add-on pages available, which can be added to the back of the planner or distributed throughout. Another unique feature is that teachers can print their class subjects on the internal pages, eliminating the need to write them each week like in most planners. Prices start at $54.95. 

What We Love

The ability to customize class schedules on internal pages is unique, as well as a time saver. Pages are never wasted thanks to flexibility with start month. 

Not So Much

The hardcover option feels less luxurious than one might expect from the price point and scuffs easily. 

The Take-Away

Purple Trail is an ideal choice for teachers looking to purchase a planner now because of the flexible start months. It’s a solid lesson plan book, with the added bonus of being able to print subjects directly in the planner. 

4. Plum Paper

The Plum Paper “Teacher Planner” can be tailored to each type of teacher. Customers can design a planner that is specific to their grade level and the type of classes they teach. In addition to the planning pages, the Plum paper planner offers parent communication logs, behavior logs, professional development sheets, and more. One customization option of note is the ability to select the size of the planner. Although most of its competitors offer only one size, the Plum Paper teacher planner offers a 5.8” by 8.3”, a 7” by 9”, and an 8.5” by 11”. 

Another customization option worth mentioning is that each of the sizes comes in multiple layouts, with multiple options for early childhood, elementary, secondary, and homeschool. With this many choices, there is sure to be a layout that works for most teachers. The paper is 70 pounds, which is enough to avoid pen or marker bleed, but is lighter than many of its competitors. However, the price point is also lower, with 

the 5.8” by 8.3” starting at $20, the 7” by 9” from $23, and the 8.5” by 11” priced as low as $45. The Plum Planner is suggested for any teacher looking for a customizable size of planner or anyone looking for a specific layout that they have been unable to find elsewhere. 

What We Love

Plum Paper allows customers to create a fully customizable planner in three different sizes, so teachers can order the exact planner they want, down to the internal layout and size. 

Not So Much

The number of options may be overwhelming for a teacher customizing a planner for the first time. 

The Take-Away

Plum Paper is an ideal choice for teachers looking to purchase a planner now, because of the flexible start months.

5. Happy Planner

Happy Planner offers several “Teacher Notebooks” with premade covers to choose from. Note, they are not custom-made, so the choices are more limited than with most offerings. Where the Happy Planner shines, though, is in customization. The inside with pages that are unique to a teacher’s class and school. The Happy Planner is a non-standard 9-hole punch – requiring the Happy Planner Punch. This is a great investment, especially if you will use a Happy Planner for several years. 

Any paper can be added to the planner with this punch. Add your class lists, school calendars, school phone numbers, to-do lists, and more. Each page is broken up into three daily boxes. Although this is enough for some secondary teachers, those with 4+ preps might prefer a different planner. The paper is notably lighter than most but that helps with a lower price point. Another area where the Happy Planner is lacking is in its teacher-specific pages. 

The Happy Planner does not feature student checklists or conference logs. Pages can only be added with the specialized hole punch. Many Top Sellers have printable pages for sale. If those pages are important, save money for them with this organizer – with prices between $29-$39. This planner is sold at many places, including Michael’s (which offers a teacher discount) and Amazon. This is great for teachers who don’t mind putting in effort in exchange for a bargain planner. 

What We Love

Adding customized pages, like a school/PD calendar and seating charts, makes this a very flexible option for teachers. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest. 

Not So Much

The Happy Planner lacks teacher-specific pages. Teachers may be disappointed to need to find, purchase, and print their own pages.

The Take-Away

The Happy Planner offers a flexible and affordable plan book. This is great for teachers looking to customize their planners by hand. 

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