The 10 Best Teacher Planners for 2020 – 2021 According to Teachers

How can you be certain to have the best school year ever? By choosing the best teacher planner, of course! While there are lots of great teacher planners out there, only a few of them deserve to be called the best. That’s why we embarked on a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Here are our results, based on the quality of the layouts and the durability and suitability of each candidate. Choosing any one of these teacher planners will ensure that your school year gets started off in style.

Keep reading to find the ideal teacher planner for you.

10 Best Teacher Planners on the Market:

1. Artfan 2020-2021 Teacher Planner – Academic Lesson Planner with Quotes

Overview

Many educators are saying that this is the best teacher planner at Amazon. Its dimensions are approximately eight inches by 10 inches. That’s big enough to give you room to plan but still small enough to be portable.

The twin wire binding is pretty sturdy, and it ensures that this planner always lies flat when it’s open.

This 12-month planner is dated from July 2020 through June 2021. Accordingly, each month is given its own two-page spread where you can plan an overview. These calendars have ruled blocks for daily scheduling, a section for notes, marked holidays and past and future monthly calendars.

Then, each week is given its own two-page layout with all of the weekdays laid out horizontally. Each day features ruled lines so that you can plan and make notes as much as you wish.

Additional features include a yearly overview, a place to record class birthdays and special dates, a weekly activities log and a quick-reference page.

What Consumers Are Saying

Many teachers praise the simplicity and design of this easy-to-use planner. However, a few users wish that the paper were thicker.

Summary

Because they love the layouts, many teachers recommend this planner to their colleagues.

2. Eureka Blue Harmony Back to School Classroom Supplies Record and Lesson Plan Book for Teachers

Overview

This eight-and-a-half by 11-inches planner has a beautiful blue mandala cover. It includes not only sections for lesson planning but also for keeping comprehensive class records.

This means that lesson plans and attendance records can be kept in one convenient place. Also included is a overall student roster where each student’s address, contact information and parent information can be recorded.

A layout for classroom emergency and medical information is included as well as sheets for providing information to substitute teachers. On the Plans for the Year layout, you’ll find ruled lines for each month so that you can create an overview.

Each week is laid out on a two-page spread with lots of ruled lines for comprehensive planning. Each weekday is presented vertically with seven squares.

There are even six double-sided pages of seating charts in this twin-wire bound planner.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers love this planner because it contains lesson plans, rosters, seating charts and grades all in one place. However, some would like to see monthly calendars.

Summary

This undated lesson plan book gives you plenty of room to customize.

3. Emmeline Bloom Lesson Planner: Teacher Agenda For Class Organization and Planning

Overview

With a fun and colorful cover, this lesson planner will inspire you throughout the academic year. It begins with a year at a glance calendar and a place to make some notes.

Then, you move on to a simple class list that includes just the student’s first and last name as well as a space for comments. Attendance and grade records come next.

Monthly calendars are then presented in two-page spreads, with each day featuring ruled lines. Even Saturday and Sunday are included if you’d like to include planning activities over the weekend.

Monthly layouts also have spaces to write down goals and lots of notes.

Weekly pages follow, with each weekday being afforded its own column. Spaces for goals, notes and weekend days also are included.

This is a very simple, minimalistic teacher planner that has lots of clean areas in which to write. If you’re creative, you’ll find space to draw, doodle or add stickers. Most pages feature inspirational quotes that will lift you up on the most difficult of days. Each day is given seven subject slots, which should be more than sufficient for most teachers.

Saying that this planner is well put together and provides plenty of room, many educators love it. However, critics wish that it were spiral bound so that it laid flat.

Summary

Economical and sensible, this planner is a great tool in the classroom.

4. Elan Publishing Dated Teacher Lesson Plan 7 Period: Days Horizontally Across The Top Dated for 2020-2021 Academic Year

Overview

This no-nonsense teacher planner is just what is needed for the teacher who is all about business. It features a sensible, understated dark green cover and a convenient twin-wire binding so that the book lies flat when open.

Dated for August 2020 through June 2021, each day of the week is presented in columns in the two-page weekly layouts. Seven class periods are listed down the left-hand side of each two-page spread.

This planner also features monthly calendars at the beginning of each month. The spaces are unlined, which may bother some teachers, but it might be just right for you.

On the facing page of each monthly calendar is a log for homework and behavior for each student.

Additionally, this planner includes pages for noting emergency procedures, a place to write down your daily schedule, a worksheet for listing textbooks and supplies, seating charts and a layout for tracking supplementary data and special tests.

This eight-and-a-half by 11-inch planner is a sensible size and is designed to appeal to the teacher who doesn’t rely on stylish aesthetics or uplifting quotes.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers love having pockets in the back for corralling loose papers. Plus, they say that the pages are pretty thick. Nonetheless, a few critics wish that there was a section for attendance records.

Summary

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense teacher planner, then this is the choice for you.

5. Teacher Planner 2020-2021 – Planner for Academic Year, Jul 2020 – Jun 2021

Overview

If you’re looking for a teacher planner that’s stylish and colorful, then this one is perfect. Its spiral bound so that it lies flat, and it features 53 weeks dated from July 2020 to June 2021.

The hardcover has a bit of flex, suggesting that it will last the year even if its repeatedly thrown into a bag.

Weekly pages are laid out horizontally, with each day being given 10 spaces so that there is room for each class period plus copious notes.

Functional monthly layouts include holidays and have reference calendars of the previous and next months to help with looking ahead.

Special layouts include holidays, a reference calendar, class birthdays and special dates, a weekly activity schedule and quick reference information.

What Consumers Are Saying

Enthusiastic teachers love the size of the planner and its layouts, which are colorful but not fussy. Some educators do find that the paper is a bit too thin.

Summary

Teachers who want something just a little colorful and fun will appreciate this selection.

6. Teacher Created Resources Home Sweet Classroom Lesson Planner

Overview

Teachers with a creative side will love with this academic planner because it includes stickers. This makes it easy to personalize this planner and make it fun.

Many of the included stickers are generic so that you can use them however you like. Stickers for holidays and important events are in the mix so your calendars will serve as helpful reminders.

This planner also features great layouts. Weekly layouts are on two pages, with each day of the week being listed across the top of the page. Each day has its own column with six lined blocks. There’s an additional column for notes.

Similarly, each monthly spread is presented on two pages. These blocks are unlined, and there is a column for notes.

With a spiral binding, this planner is designed for 40 weeks of academic planning. Additional layouts include notes for substitute teachers and student rosters.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers really like the plain black-and-white pages because they allow plenty of room for stickers and other creativity. There are some critics who wish that this undated planner included enough pages for one more month.

Summary

If you have a creative, DIY spirit, then this is the planner for you.

7. Blue Sky 2020-2021 Academic Year Weekly & Monthly Planner

Overview

With a lovely, understated floral motif, this primary teacher planner has just the right amount of color to adorn without distracting. The eight-and-a-half by 11-inch size is ideal for notes, and the twin-wire binding is durable.

This dated, July 2020 through June 2021 planner features a full 12 months so that you can plan every aspect of the academic year.

On each monthly layout, you’ll have previous and next month reference calendars. Each date block is lined, and there’s a column for notes.

Each week is presented on a two-page layout with Monday through Wednesday on the left side and the rest of the week, including the weekend, on the right. There are no blocks for class periods. Instead, you have blank lines that you can use however you wish.

Additional layouts include a yearly overview, a place to record goals, contacts, important dates and notes.

Each month is tabbed for easy reference, which is a huge plus.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers admire this planner for being simple yet pretty with plenty of useful layouts. Critics wish that there were a few more pages for making notes.

Summary

Pretty and functional, this teacher planner is the best of both worlds.

8. Carson Dellosa Teacher Planner 2020-2021, Weekly and Monthly Plan Book

Overview

From the colorful cover, this cool planner for teachers is designed to inspire.

It starts with pages to list contacts and volunteers, a place to write down your schedule and additional notes. A contact log lets you conveniently keep a record of whom you contact.

Pages for notes and blank pages for classroom planning follow. Use these pages any way you wish. A year-at-a-glance calendar is included with ruled lines.

Monthly layouts are contained on two colorful pages. Although the months are pre-printed, the dates are not so that this planner can be used for any year. These layouts include spots for goals, important dates, priorities and notes.

Weeks similarly are laid out on two-page spreads with each day being horizontal and columns being reserved for subjects.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers say that although this planner is comparable to high-end planners, it costs less than half the price, although some note that the spiral binding is a little too tight for turning pages.

Summary

Cute, colorful and functional, this is a fun teacher planner.

9. Schoolgirl Style – Hello Sunshine | Teacher Planner

Overview

This eight by 10-inch teacher academic planner is colorful and stylish, containing places for lesson plans and daily tasks as well as information for substitutes.

Monthly planning pages have sections where you can record your goals, take notes or remember important dates. Weekly layouts have each weekday lined up in a column along the left side of the two-page spread. Then, there are seven columns for each subject or period.

While the weekly layouts are lined, the calendars are not to allow for more customization. With 46 fun and colorful stickers, this planner is an eye-opener.

What Consumers Are Saying

Saying that it makes them feel happy, many teachers recommend this planner. Others wish that the cover felt sturdier.

Summary

Keep yourself motivated with this inspirational planner.

10. Scholastic Teacher Coloring Planner

Overview

This is a planner that’s different from the rest. That’s because it’s a good planner that you can color for fun.

This planner has many of the features that you would expect like places to record contacts, passwords and resources as well as a student roster. You’ll find space for keeping track of birthdays and special events.

Each weekly schedule is laid out in one page in a series of columns. An additional column is included for the time, then there are blank likes for planning.

Monthly calendars are on two pages with room for notes. While the months are pre-printed, the dates aren’t so that you can use this planner in any year. Monthly layouts have additional pages for making notes.

Interspersed throughout all the work is some play. The coloring sheets are appropriate to the classroom and the season, making them a fun addition.

What Consumers Are Saying

Teachers love that each month is tabbed and that there’s a folder for holding papers. However, some users wish that there were more coloring pages!

Summary

If you want a planner that also helps you relax and unwind, this is your choice.

Things to Look for When Buying a Teacher Planner

When looking for a teacher planner, many educators focus on the monthly and weekly layouts. Those are critical, of course, but it also makes sense to pay attention to the other layouts.

For instance, many teachers like to see features such as:

Accordingly, before you can choose a teacher planner, you have to decide which of these features may have the most value to you. If you’re a homeschooling mom, then seating charts and emergency information are less critical.

It’s also important to think about the aesthetics of the planner. After all, you are far more likely to use and rely on your planner when you like the way it looks and feels.

Some teachers prefer a basic, straightforward set-up while others are all about bright colors, stickers and inspirational quotes. Neither of these preferences is right or wrong, but it does pay to understand that many options are available for both of these styles and everything in between.

One thing to pay particular attention to is how the days of the week are organized. Some teachers love having the days presented as columns while others like to see them as rows. Which one do you prefer?

You also may want to weigh whether the planner has pre-printed dates or not. There are educators who like more flexibility with their planner, so filling out their own months and dates doesn’t seem like a chore. Other teachers don’t have time for that and would prefer something that has dates already filled in.

Making the Decision

We really like the Artfan 2020-2021 Teacher Planner. It’s a good size, has a sturdy binding and gives you a full 12 months for planning. Plus, it’s colorful and fun without going overboard, making it a nice balance.

If you like the ultra-plain and straightforward, then our selection from Elan Publishing is for you. Go with the Home Sweet Classroom choice for something more fun.