BUFFALO GROVE, Ill — Over 100,000 Illinois teachers are gearing up for a new school year, many of whom will be teaching from their homes.

Bob Pinta, a teacher from Buffalo Grove, had an idea to make the unconventional learning easier on teachers and students alike.

Pinta saw numerous difficulties when teaching from home last year, from limited space to a lack of connection with his students. 

“When we first started e-learning, myself like most teachers were cobbling together textbooks, a ruler, and maybe some tape so when you hold your phone to write on the table, the kids could see it,” Pinta said. “So then that weekend, I went out to the shop and designed this.”

It’s an adjustable wood stand that allows students to both see their teacher’s face and what they’re writing at the same time. The invention was an immediate success in the area, and instantly gained attention from teachers across the country.

Pinta said his wife suggested that he list his wooden stands online, and he says he hasn’t left his garage since. In just two weeks, Pinta has sold over 200 wood stands, with orders coming in from Connecticut to Nevada.

The price for each stand is $30, which Pinta says is to make the stands affordable to teachers. With orders continuing to flood in, he hopes to clean up the shop in time for the first day of school.

Learn more about the cell phone stand here