Anyone else get annoyed.. (School Supplies)

[bzzymom]

Last year after school started, our target had 24 count crayons on clearance for 6 cents a piece. I bought 100 of them for 6 dollars and handed them out at halloween.

Walmart had notebooks, 70 pages, for 5 cents a piece. I bought a lot more than what I need, but what a deal. DS's folders were 12 cents a piece. I really got by cheap this year because his 3 ring binder is in good shape and he can use it again, and we have lots of pens and pencils left over as well. The only thing we take that gets shared is 2 boxes of kleenex, I bought a pack of three and will send them.

 

[jewelshouse]

The things that they are asking not to be labeled are kleenex boxes, pencils, dry erase markers. The only one that really aggravates me is the dry erase markers...because I beleive these are for the teacher and he/she should purchase his/her own markers. And they are asking that each kid bring FOUR BLACK dry erase markers...I can't find a package of all black markers, they all come in multi-color.

I know in our schools, all the kids get little white boards and that's what they use their dry erase markers for, they also go up to the big whiteboard so I don't think they are asking for them for the teachers to use. I know they use their little boards almost every day.

Ok what gets me is that you have this list of stuff to go get before school starts then you get another list at back to school night, I just wish they would put it all together so I don't have to make another trip along with every other parent. I realize different teachers require different things, but . . . can't they send those lists out when they send teacher assignments.

 

[Benducci]

some things I buy a bunch of & send in for everyone but some things I want for just my kids- like the large Glue sticks or the scissors. But the crayons & pencils- they are cheap- I send in some every so often for the class.

 

[karapp75]

I bought 50 boxes.
DD will be bring crayons in for Valentines!

I love this idea!! I am going to pick up crayons for Valentines Day too !! Thanks for the tip.

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

I wouldn't mind the community 'pot' so much in regard to crayons, pencils, etc, EXCEPT when I've bought my child more then the required list, packed them in her backpack, had her teachers take them out of her backpack and then 2-3 months down the line I get told that she doesn't have any pencils (crayons, etc) for her homework because she ran out of the ones that were rationed to her and she has to 'buy back with behavior bucks' new pencils/crayons.

Um, excuse me? I- me, me, selfish me- BOUGHT more then enough pencils/crayons for MY CHILD to make it through the school year. She shouldn't need to purchase them with behavior bucks- if they are going to be community property, then they need to be handed out when a kid needs more.

LOL. It's so easy to irritate me!

 

[saratogadreamin09]

i dont get why they're doing this


when i went to school the teachers ave lists of things you needed and you went to buy them, they were yours to keep and you could label them


i really dont get what's going on here and if your told to buy things why arent the other kids

 

[jewelshouse]

Our supply list specifically states novelty pencils, folders and erasers should not be sent.

I really don't mind buying, I guess it bothered me when my 1st started school and I didn't realize what was going to be done with them, he was in Kindergarten and supplies are are put in the middle of the tables.

It doesn't really bother me anymore, I figured out there are much more things to be concerned with at school.

 

[kimmylaj]

i guess i am in the minority because ds5 kindergarten list said to label everything even individual crayons.

 

[Chelley00]

I have 4 children, one in preschool. Our school supply list, even shopping at Staples and Office Depot's one cent sales, came in over $500 including their required Trapper Keeper type binders, but not including backpacks and lunch boxes. It was even more expensive last year because I had to buy a scientific calculator.

I had a big problem last year with the community supply thing for my daughter in public kindergarten, because we are very budget minded, paycheck to paycheck, scrimp and save sort of people and it's expensive to have 4 kids in school. To know that I'm having to supply things for other people's kids does make me a little upset, because I'm required to buy those supplies, but other people know that if they don't buy things, other people will take care of them. I sent in extras because I had bought things on sale, yet we all still got a letter in February saying the classroom was running low on crayons and bar erasers and they needed donations to make it through the end of the year

 

[tinklyn]

From a teacher's (and parent's) perspective - I'm a parent too, so I know that it is getting outrageously expensive, but none of the teachers that I know are trying to cause parents any hardship or hoarding supplies to keep them or give them to other students.

Community supplies are common for the lower grades. Some teachers use most supplies for community. I don't have a hard time with this. Usually it has to do with the teacher's organizational style, or maybe she wants to control usage. When I taught first and third, most of the supplies were given to the individual students, with a few community supplies such as tissues, note pads, or note cards. I would usually hold back the 2nd pack of crayons, for example to give them to students the second half of the school year, but they did receive their own. The supplies that students bring at the beginning of the year almost always run out! Pencils are ridiculous! Students go through them like mad! Also, I know that every school is different, but I get $300 to spend for supplies each year. That includes everything from teacher supplies to teaching materials to craft supplies like paint and construction paper. Guess what happens when that money runs out? The teacher buys it! If parents don't send in more pencils and the class supply has been depleted, I'm off to Walmart buying more out of my own pocket. Some think that schools and teachers are given the money to buy these materials that are on your children's supply lists, but you may be wrong.

As teachers, we always get together and talk about what the students really need to bring and we try to ask for low priced items.

Just wanted to offer my perspective . . .

 

[wdwmaw]

i really dont get what's going on here and if your told to buy things why arent the other kids

This is my point exactly. Every child is given the same letter except the letter is getting bigger here because they are accounting for all that don't bring in supplies. At the elementary (where I work) we have kids bring things in and it goes to community. The teachers can not afford to buy the supplies anymore and the system can not. Every morning my DD would sharpen pencils by the box full because kids took pencils home and they never returned them. What do you do look at the child and say where is your pencil. No, you pass out pencils. It does no good to send notes home and the kids have no sense of responsibility. Again, I am not talking about the parents here. My kids can buy x amount of pencils and they will last them all year. I do keep these things here at the house. I send things home for the kids in my classes to complete all the time. I will get notes from parents saying, " my child would have completeded this if we had crayons". Or the coloring sheet would come home colored in pen. Ask the child and they will say it was all we had. I have had parents tell me they would sign reading logs if they had something to write with. So everyday last year I sent a pencil home with reading log. It had to be replaced everyday. I am talking about the majority here. The same for room fees, they are accounting for those that don't send it in. Now, my DS is in highschool and the fees are required. Will not receive credit for a class till the fee is pd. And we wonder why so many of our youth are dropping out or getting discouraged.

School starts in 2 weeks!!!!!

~Melinda

 

[Grendalynn]

I think we all have to just agree to disagree. This has been going on for years and years.... the folks that are really invested in their childrens educations and others who dont make it their top priority. I am not so much talking about what teachers requests what supplies - as I think that is a huge variance acros the board. But more about the 'community' vs 'labled' supplies. Lets face it - there are families/kis who just dont bring stuff i - weather it be lack of parental responcibility, finances or whatever. Its usually the same parents who dont contribute to bake sales, school functions or whatever else. This has been happening for years and years. Its life. I am happy to help contribute to other childrens learning and education anyway possible.

About the supplies - speak to our teacher - be involved and find out why such things are being requested and what the classroom philosophy is. I am not so much worries about who isnt bring what in, in who is using MY child's stuff - more impotantly - is MY childing doing and learning what he is supposed to? Is MY child prepared and has the supplies HE needs (beit shared or individually) to be successful? Is MY child sharing and creating relationships within the classroom?? Those are the important questions.

 

[powellrj]

for people complaining about how expensive school supplies are, if you ever move, make sure you check to see if your school system also has book fees. I know in Indiana, in addition to school supplies, you also pay book fees of anywhere from $50-$300. No you don't get to keep the books, you are paying to rent them and no, its no guarantee you even get the use of a book, because many classes don't have enough for everyone.

I have lived in Indiana all my life, so I assumed everyone paid book fees. It wasn't until I started posting on message boards that I learned it wasn't the case. I know there have been years that between book fees (DSs were $286 last year), supplies, fees for things like parking passes and gym lockers I have spent almost $1000 just to get the kids in school for their free public education.

 

[wdwmaw]

for people complaining about how expensive school supplies are, if you ever move, make sure you check to see if your school system also has book fees. I know in Indiana, in addition to school supplies, you also pay book fees of anywhere from $50-$300. No you don't get to keep the books, you are paying to rent them and no, its no guarantee you even get the use of a book, because many classes don't have enough for everyone.

I have lived in Indiana all my life, so I assumed everyone paid book fees. It wasn't until I started posting on message boards that I learned it wasn't the case. I know there have been years that between book fees (DSs were $286 last year), supplies, fees for things like parking passes and gym lockers I have spent almost $1000 just to get the kids in school for their free public education.

Every place is different. Here in Ky where I am at we don't have book fees, we just don't have books. We copy information that is needed and children look at overhead when being taught from the book. I spend most of Friday mornings making copies of workbooks to make packets for the next weeks learning. One workbook is over $50. We do buy the one workbook for each classroom and make over heads of the text book.
Here in Ky we pay alot of taxes but our tax base is not what it is in other parts of the county.That really affects our schools. Our funding is very little percentage wise and Ky has been trying to get teacher's saleries and insurance up to compete with some in other states.

Yes, agree to disagree but know that every state, district and school is different and feel for some of the situations this has put families in.

 

[jamieT]

I've never had a great need to be greedy over crayons.

Well there is not only a price difference over crayons, but really a quality difference. I truely have enough of my own bills, and although crayons don't seem like a big deal, is it necesary that my school list this year requires me to buy 5 boxes of crayons? 3 twenty four count and two 8 count boxes. I mean come on!

 

[tycopj]

I haven't had time to read all the posts yet, so if someone mentioned this, I guess I agree

What bothers me about sending 3 boxes of crayons, 2 boxes of markers, 3 bottles of glue 48 pencils, etc is that my son would never on his own go through all these supplies on his own. If he did he would be wasting and we would be talking to him about being wasteful. I don't think the kids learn to respect things when there are dozens of replacements in the middle of the table.

If my son had a supply box in his desk to use when needed, he would be responsible for those items. When he needed new crayons because his were gone/broken (what happens to all those crayons anyway?) he would be sent home with a note for me to replace them. THEN I could send in another box, and discuss with my son WHERE did all those crayons go

I'm not greedy over crayons, but I don't understand the quantity that they want me to send to school. The amount of items they want is crazy.

 

[DRRluvsWDW]

I bought 50 boxes.
DD will be bring crayons in for Valentines!

Love this idea! I am totally "copying you!"

However, it does get annoying-"I need a new red marker because so&so borrowed it and lost it" I do label everything I can because it makes it easier for DD to keep track of her things. She has papers that are not completed at school because she didn't have a certain color.

Denise

 

[noodleknitter]

Well there is not only a price difference over crayons, but really a quality difference. I truely have enough of my own bills, and although crayons don't seem like a big deal, is it necesary that my school list this year requires me to buy 5 boxes of crayons? 3 twenty four count and two 8 count boxes. I mean come on!

Considering the crayola 24 count is $.25 I still don't see the issue. If it is easier on the teacher to not have to deal with, the more time he/she has to deal with the real stuff of education.

I've had many issues with the educational system, but the teachers are not hoarding tissues for home, or selling crayolas on ebay.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

This topic has also been covered here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1885137

Just thought I'd post so you can get some other thoughts on the topic.

 

[lntsmom]

but I can say, this differs vastly from district to district.

I taught for 10 years in the inner city. There we never asked or expected the kids to bring anything.

Now I live in a wealthy bedroom community. The supply list is miles long...and specifies such things as only Prang paint ($3 vs Crayola that is .88) They want name brands and even require things like jump drives. Last year DS1 had to have a scientific calculator. Guess what, it came home in the package because they don't ALLOW calculators.

That is what peeves me...the arrogance. That wasn't the first time that I was required to purchase something that was never used.

As to the question of shared supplies: yep, that happens in some districts. My sister's kids attend a district that won't let them label anything...and they have "community supply chests". Yes, that does mean that parents who don't supply anything ride on the coattails of those who do.

I've taught in a variety of districts and schools. Some didn't ask for anything. Some asked for things as far fetched as film and drinking cups. Some let each teacher decide how to distribute supplies. Others required each grade level to make a decision and everyone had to do the same thing.
Some have supply lists for each school, some have generic district lists. The worst one had both...they expected you to supply everything on the generic list before classes started, then gave you the "real" list and expected you to go buy more.

Believe it or not, the district where I'm at now requires fees for classes, even for elementary kids. My second grader has to pay a $5 technology fee. Why? Because they print some of their projects. Last year it was about 1 per quarter. That is some spendy printing!

As a teacher, though, I commend those who send extra. I always say that the best teacher gifts are things for use in the classroom...games, manipulatives, bags of supplies. Because, as much as parents supply, there are always kids who don't have what they need. I have 80 theme books in my trunk right now...figuring it was easier to buy them now at .05 each than to beg parents for them after school starts. I taught in one district that actually had building supply rooms so teachers didn't have to purchase supplies out of pocket. Little did I know then that when I moved I'd never see that situation again!