OT - school supply gripe

[Alesia]

Be careful with this issue. I've found its best to buy exactly what's on the supply list, this isn't the time to make a stand about the issue.

First of all, your child will stand out. Second, and more important, the teachers don't like students who are "out of the mold". Believe me, I've seen it. When I was in school I saw children being belittled for bringing in the 'wrong' stuff, such as 2 boxes of 8 crayons, instead of the specifiied 16 count box. also, they were quite specific about the type of notebook, any child who brought in the "wrong" notebook automatically lost 10 points on whatever project went in that notebook. How did the teachers get away with such pettiness? Kids typically don't tell their parents about such issues, they feel its somehow their fault or will only blow up even worse.

Even if a teacher doesn't do anything so blantant as deduct an automatic 10 points for having the "wrong" notebook, a lot of the grading, especially in elementary school, is subjective. If they ask for 1.5 inch binders and your kid brings in an assignment in a 1 inch binder its bound to affect the grade.

Teachers can be petty , and they're always griping about how little they're paid, but they seem to have no consideration for the parents budget, like we have a money tree. It constantly bugs me, what they want us to send in, but I always comply, for the kid's sake, even though I probably make less than many teachers! (please, I'm not interested in the flames this one will bring, I don't intend to come back here anyways), its best to play their game, your child is caught in the middle.

I think this is the exception, rather than the rule.

 

[imsayin]

That might be what you hope, but it might not work out that way, Probably most teachers wouldn't be so blantant as to deduct points from a project because its not in the right binder (like they did in my school days, btw, I was an honor student), but, like I said, much of a grade is subjective. I found with my dd's teacher that she wasn't really interested in teaching as much as finding ways to deduct points. No, she didn't deduct points for the wrong binder, but seems she found other ways. We finally just decided dd was never going to get anything above an 89% from this teacher, no matter how hard she tried. I just don't see the point in nit picking, but that's what teaching has turned into, at least in my kids' school. That's why I homeschool my ds (has learning disabilities), and am considering private school for dd, still don't have the plans final, but I feel discouraged by the ps system at this point.

Honestly, I think you just had one bad teacher. In terms of the PS system, it is my firm belief that you will find good and bad teachers at both private & public schools. My DD is going into 8th grade, DS into 5th. Out of all their teachers in the public school, there was only one that I was not thrilled with (but I think she graded fairly, not nit picking at irrelevant things).

 

[cepmom]

this whole school supply list is so foreign to me. You all mean to say that you get these supply lists and you are expected to purchase every item on the list to bring to school the first week??

I have never had a list to buy from and DD is going in to her senior year of HS. The first week of school the teacher might send home a list of supplies your child can have at their desk (elementary school kids), but it's no more than a couple of pencils, a small box of crayons, an eraser and maybe a pencil box to hold it all. DD17 will obviously need notebooks, pencils etc but she just gets whatever kind she wants.

The teachers also post a "wish list" at open house night for items for the classroom that parents can donate if they choose. Stuff like, baby wipes, paper towels, tissues, construction paper, Purell, glue sticks, ziploc baggies etc.

 

[mrzrich]

Yes, it was foreign to me too until I moved from NY to FL.

Never once in NY was I asked to provide kleenex, paper towels, ziploc bags and other non-school supplies

When we moved down here we got this long, very specific list.

Thing that shocked me was paying $5 to have a locker. Not a lock, a locker. (I mean the lockers are attached to the wall. They were paid for when the building was built)

Also my DstepD took Home-Ec. There was a $50 fee to pay for the food and fabric. This wasn't mentioned when she signed up for the class the previous Spring. They tell you about it the first day of class, then you just have to deal with it. I would imagine many families don't have an extra $50 to spare

Anyway, I'll never complain about NY taxes again At least the schools provide paper towels!

 

[fiveforall]

Also, I thought things like crayons, scissors, glue, etc was for elementary grades. What are you teaching thme in HS that they need crayons for? No wonder kids get fed up/discouraged with school. I mean, can't the schools give them something more age appropriate than cutting up paper and making little projects all day/[/QUOTE]

I'm a teacher who requires markers. Adolescent brain research will tell you that when teens manipulate materials, they learn more. We use markers, glue, and scissors quite often for character collages, group projects, brainstorming with thinking maps, etc.

I noticed that a couple of posters stereotyped teachers as being kind of greedy regarding supplies. I supply a ton of supplies for my students. Yes, I have a basic supply list, but in my inner city school, a significant number of my students don't even bring notebooks or pens. If I didn't supply materials, some of my students wouldn't have materials. So yes, I have a supply list, but unfortunately it's more of a wish list.

Our schools are poor. At the elementary school where my kids attend, I know that the teachers spend a lot of their own money for classroom materials. We have huge supply lists. I also know that some of those kids are so poor that those of us who send supplies are providing for some of the other kids as well. (All materials are pooled).

I've never known a teacher to mistreat a student because of a lack of supplies.

 

[MickeyMFan]

If the binder is so important why don't you buy them then sell them to the students, for your cost, of course? That way you will get exactly what you want. Diid you even consider that you might be compelling some students/parents to run all over town at inconvenient times just to get the exact binder teacher wants, assuming they can find it?

Also, I thought things like crayons, scissors, glue, etc was for elementary grades. What are you teaching thme in HS that they need crayons for? No wonder kids get fed up/discouraged with school. I mean, can't the schools give them something more age appropriate than cutting up paper and making little projects all day/

I do keep a HUGE box of binders that are *almost brand new for students to have--not buy--if they want. I usually only have 1-2 students out of my 90 that will pick a binder from the box. I don't care what kind of binder, color, etc., but anything less than 1" will fill up too quickly.

As far as the crayons, scissors, glue, markers go, we are constantly doing more "hands-on" activities than worksheet assignments in my class. That's not to say that they are just doing childish things, but for instance, when we read Of Mice and Men, each group creates a character poster. For this assignment, they will need crayons/markers/colored pencils and scissors/glue (if they choose to cut words/pics out of mags). Does this make sense?

April

 

[feedindy]

One thing that I always do to save money is pick up next year's wishlist and buy those items when the supplies clearance in September. It cost me more her kindergarten year when I purchased K & grade 1 supplies, but it has saved a ton since then. They do occasionally change the list, but not by much.

I just got out all the things I bought at 90% off last fall and compared with the current list. I need to buy 2 more glue sticks, 1 bottle of glue (because we used up the other for home projects) and lined index cards. There is also an issue of 6 red pencils vs. 6 red pens. I'll send in the leftover 2 pencils from the 4-pack we bought last year. When the supplies go on clearance, I'll by pens to fill in the rest.

Her supplies will cost maybe $10 total, including what I spent last year on pencils, erasers, folers, notebooks, binder and crayons.

 

[MickeyMFan]

Do you mean that you award academic extra credit or some other kind of extra credit?

Lisa

When my students bring in classroom supplies for extra credit, they may choose one assignment to either turn in late (up to 1 week) OR award themselves 10% extra points. They may only do this 1x/quarter, and the extra credit cannot go toward a test or major essay.

I do this for one reason and one reason only. I am not one of those teachers who gripe at how little I am paid b/c I do think I make enough for me and my family (I will gripe at how much I have to pay for health insurance though! ), but when it comes to my classroom budget, I get $250 a year. This must be spent on printer ink for my own printer, copy paper for the entire year, and anything else that will be used in my class. Last year, I was out of money by November because I needed 2 new ink cartridges, and I bought a set of 20 classroom library books. Yep, that comes out of my budget as well.

I work in a fairly large district--5 HS, 12 MS, ~30 ES--and each teacher in the district gets this same $250 budget. However, depending on at what school you teach, you may/may not have to buy copy paper, ink, things like that. At my school, which is considered the "rich" school by everyone else in the district, I have to use that budget for every little thing that comes in my room.

I hope this helps you understand my situation a little.

 

[PAdisMOM]

The idea of a "supply list" seemed so weird to me when I first saw one about 4 years ago. Then I thought they were mostly for private schools. Now I see so many of them for public schools. This is certainly not the norm for my area. Materials are supplied by the school (or the teacher).

I am a high school teacher. The only class I required (or requested) any student to bring any supply in was an AP Environmental Science class. I needed them to have a binder for all of the materials. I didn't care what color or size it was or if it was new or used. In fact most of the binders I use personally are recycled from conferences I've attended. A few students did not bring a binder. I never commented to these students at all. I knew they were responsible for organizing their own materials. It would be easier with a binder, but not impossible without one. KWIM? Any teacher that treats a student differently based on supplies shouldn't be working with children (but I have no doubt these people exist!)

As far as other supplies, I think you would be surprised to know how much many teachers spend out of their own pockets for supplies. In my district we order our supplies in December for the next year. If I decide on a project after December for the next year I have to buy the supplies myself (or do without).

And I was shocked when I started teaching to realize that I need to supply Kleenex for my classroom. Of all the things they buy for our classroom they draw the line at Kleenex!!! Where's the logic in that. So I always send in a few boxes with my DDs at the beginning of the year.

So I'll get off my soapbox now, but not without griping that I think that supply lists in public schools should not be allowed!

 

[digman6]

Not sure if this would work as I am not a teacher.
I know as a mom of 4 kids 3 are in school this year, I really wish instead of the he has this and she has that kind. He is cool cause of this gaget. Maybe its only at my school but seems rediculoous with the supplies.

I would love if they would adopt the idea the school gets bundles of supplies and they are all the same everyone has the same this or that mostly for convience.

My son needs 6 folders all plain and same for the notebooks, markers need to be acertain brand and amount. glue a certain kind etc etc.

If you don't get the kind it says they send it home! I personally have no time for running all over the place for some of these items.

If yu could go and register and they sayhere is what you need in this bag , write your name on it and BAM done.
We have to label EACH crayon with there name! how annoying 24crayons Xs 3 boxes.

thats my 2cents

 

[sorul82?]

Ok, I just checked the school suppy list....I don't even know what some of this IS!

Help me out please.

What are these?


Marble Notebooks (4)

5 Plastic folders with brads (red, yellow, blue, green, purple)

Thanks,

Dawn

The marble books are composition books. Look for Target to have those for 50 cents in the next few weeks. I think Staples advertised the plastic folders starting 7/15.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

You might think that, but you would never be sure if its happening. Like I said, much of a grade is subjective, especially in elementary school. A teacher isn't going to send home a project with points deducted for not having the "right" crayons, etc, all you see is the grade.

My ds never got beyone a C in art. I sent in the Rose Art markers and crayons, because, they were cheaper! Then I sent in some replacement, the Crayola, the "right" kind, not because I thought it would influence his grade, just because that's what I bought. Well, right after that, ds started getting A's in art. Do you think he had a "talent surge" right about then? I didn't see any difference in his art work that he brought home

So you are guessing this happened to your son because you bought cheap crayons? I seriously doubt it.

 

[mum4jenn]

I don't know how new all of this is. I was in school in the mid 60's through the late 70's and I always had a school supply list back then. Glue/paste, pencils,paper,scissors,notebooks, etc. We did not have highlighters and sanitizer on the list because all that stuff was not around back then(in the dark ages)

 

[Alesia]

Another thing to keep in mind is that if the teacher requires a certain brand, it may be because they have learned from experience that some brands work better than others. Take glue, for example. Most adults use white glue a couple of times a year at the most, so they figure one brand is the same as another. If you used it every day you would realize that some brands are not as good as others.I am a preschool teacher and our director bought rose art brand glue (I think it's rose art...the kind with the spreader on the top) because it was cheaper. It was basically unusable. The bottles leaked and the glue was really runny. It was a mess.

 

[mum4jenn]

I agree I bought some kind of store brand glue to use at home and it was so thin and runny I cound not use it. Rose Art crayons are horrible..Crayola is the best!. Cheaper scissors do not work very well either...the fiskars are the best by a long shot...wish we had those when I was young. Several brands of colored pencils are horrible compared to Crayola. And cheaper markers either dry up quicker or the tip gets flat and mushy way before the Crayola does.

 

[foreverprincess]

I am a kindergarten teacher. I have been teaching for nearly 30 years. I go to the back to school sales and purchase supplies for stocking my classroom.
Our list requests 1 box of 24 crayons. I will go to walmart this week and will be buying 100 boxes of 24 crayons. This is so the kids can each have a new box every nine weeks. At my level kids often need the exact colors for work - for example - circle the a's with red, the i's with blue - that kind of thing. I will also be purchasing class sets of markers and colored pencils. Parents send in one set of markers for the entire year - they don't last. Colored pencils are not on the list but I like for the kids to use them in the little book practice readers that we make. I will also be buying EXPO markers throughout the year as well as games, folders etc and I purchase a 1in binder for every child to use as a school to home communication binder. It goes home daily and believe me it can't be used more than 1 year.
I love my job. I don't complain about my salary. I have a MEd and many years experience so my salary is reasonable. However, I do wish that more people realized how much teachers spend out of their own pockets. I can't even imagine any teacher penalizing a student for bringing in the wrong supplies - the teachers I know would be far more likely to give the student the correct supplies and never say a word about it. I have 4 kids of my own. I see this from the parent's side as well. I am about to pay nearly $500 in band fees alone for my DS who will be in 9th grade next year.

 

[karinbelle]

Also, I thought things like crayons, scissors, glue, etc was for elementary grades. What are you teaching thme in HS that they need crayons for? No wonder kids get fed up/discouraged with school. I mean, can't the schools give them something more age appropriate than cutting up paper and making little projects all day/

In high school, we are encouraged to teach to all learning styles. These involve those students who need manipulatives (paper cutting for models), visual/artistic (crayons - HS students love to use them because they haven't done it in a while), glue to put together models, etc.

School is not what you remember it. Good teachers try to meet students were they are. We don't sit and memorize facts all day, nor do we just do reports out of the library. A typical day in my class would involve active reading, class/group project, lecture with notes, video, and perhaps a little time spent on an ongoing project.

Students come away with first hand knowledge and they say "Wow - is class already over?" I think they are engaged and learning -- even if they have colored a model with crayons, cut it out with scissors, and glued it together. LOL.

Hope this helps explain why we ask for such things.

 

[EMom]

I happily write a check to the PTO every year for supplies. Ours organizes everything from the list into a prepackaged bundle, with each grade having its own specific contents, and you can buy the package from the PTO without ever setting foot into a store. I've priced it and it's pretty much the same as buying it all yourself, but you save the gas and the headaches and don't have to go to three different stores. Yes, there are things are the list that are really supplies for the teacher, but that's just how it is nowadays since court rulings redistributed our tax dollars. Some years the package costs $40-something, but this year I think it was $63. Whatever....I wrote the check and was DONE.

Oh....Those off brand crayons ARE cr*p. I helped with an experiment in which the kids placed various objects in water and predicted (then saw) whether they would float or sink. The crayons were supposed to sink, but one group got the answer "wrong" and said theirs floated. Sure enough, there it was floating, not sinking for anything. It was some off brand. The teacher looked at me and said, "Gee, what do you think it's made of?" I said, "Animal fat, for all we know."

 

[me again]

I do keep a HUGE box of binders that are *almost brand new for students to have--not buy--if they want. I usually only have 1-2 students out of my 90 that will pick a binder from the box. I don't care what kind of binder, color, etc., but anything less than 1" will fill up too quickly.

As far as the crayons, scissors, glue, markers go, we are constantly doing more "hands-on" activities than worksheet assignments in my class. That's not to say that they are just doing childish things, but for instance, when we read Of Mice and Men, each group creates a character poster. For this assignment, they will need crayons/markers/colored pencils and scissors/glue (if they choose to cut words/pics out of mags). Does this make sense?

April

What grade is this? You said HS--High School? In my opinion, that's too childish for a HS project. My dd did something similar for 4th grade, she found it somewhat boring, the assignment was to make a poster of an historical character, using crayons, markers, glue sticks, etc.

When I was in HS we were doing actual term papers, complete with bibliographies, footnotes, etc., had to follow MLA style sheet, served me well for college. I know the teacher doesn't create the assignments, its the school that decides what is done in what grade, you as a teacher really have little control over that. But I feel the project you described to be way beneath what should be expected from high school (assuming hs means high school, perhaps I made an assumption? Could you have meant home school? )

 

[me again]

[ Sure enough, there it was floating, not sinking for anything. It was some off brand. The teacher looked at me and said, "Gee, what do you think it's made of?" I said, "Animal fat, for all we know."[/QUOTE]

Well, lets hope the animal fat was kosher!