Hey teachers

[jrmasm]

It's not cute to withhold your required school supply list until after school starts.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

It's not cute to withhold your required school supply list until after school starts.

I doubt that any teacher was being "cute" by witholding the school supply list, but there are a variety of reasons why a list would not be given last day of school. For example, a change in program, a change in administration, a change in staffing or a change in policy would result in not passing out information at the end of the year. All of these situations happened in my school sytem and let me assure eveyone, no one was trying to be CUTE! It would be great if all the students showed up first day ready to hit the ground running, but things happen both inside and outside the classroom which might interfere with the ideal beginning.

Contrary to popular belief, teachers are you friends not your enemies.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

My cousin is a teacher. They start back to school on Sept. 3rd. She has not even been told if she is teaching pre-k or 1st grade yet. Many things are up in the air behind the scenes up until the last minute. Clearly her class will not get a supply list before school starts and that is the least of her worries.

 

[jrmasm]

Oh please, teacher teaching the same grade as last year. School starts Monday. She knows exactly what size binder she wants the kids to have and what color folder for each subject. It's probably the exact same as last year.

I suspect when her daughter is in school she understand that running around looking for orange folders after school starts sucks.

 

[luvmyfam444]

actually I'd prefer to get the list on the first day - or on meet the teacher day (about 3 days before school starts).

our list comes out the end of the previous year. and there is ALWAYS more supplies to get...which bugs me.

I would much rather buy the supplies MY teacher wants, instead of what the whole grade level wants

 

[marius97]

Contrary to popular belief, teachers are you friends not your enemies.

I love this statement. I have never understood the us versus them mentality of so many parents (this is more a statement on other people than this specific thread.) I grew up in a family of teachers so I see them as a valuable member of the team educating my kids. DW grew up with "one of those parents" that teachers hate because everything was a personal affront to their child. Teachers aren't having fun by withholding supply lists. Maybe, just maybe, the teacher doesn't feel a need for the folders to be had that first week or she doesn't need sixty boxes of tissues on the first day. If your kid is not in trouble for not having supplies from a list that they didn't get until school started, then just roll with the punches and head out to Office Max this weekend.

 

[mom2rtk]

I
Contrary to popular belief, teachers are you friends not your enemies.

So true. In most instances. But we have also had our share through the years who thought parents just got in the way of them doing their job. It cuts both ways. I'm just thankful for the really great ones we've had the pleasure of getting through the years.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

I love this statement. I have never understood the us versus them mentality of so many parents (this is more a statement on other people than this specific thread.) I grew up in a family of teachers so I see them as a valuable member of the team educating my kids. DW grew up with "one of those parents" that teachers hate because everything was a personal affront to their child. Teachers aren't having fun by withholding supply lists. Maybe, just maybe, the teacher doesn't feel a need for the folders to be had that first week or she doesn't need sixty boxes of tissues on the first day. If your kid is not in trouble for not having supplies from a list that they didn't get until school started, then just roll with the punches and head out to Office Max this weekend.

I agree!! My sister in law is a teacher and she said she's had times when she's had to discipline a student and then the parent gets mad that their child was disciplined by the teacher. With the way a lot of kids act now days, it's obvious the parents are trying to be a friend first and a parent second.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[MichelleVW]

Oh please, teacher teaching the same grade as last year. School starts Monday. She knows exactly what size binder she wants the kids to have and what color folder for each subject. It's probably the exact same as last year.

I suspect when her daughter is in school she understand that running around looking for orange folders after school starts sucks.

eh...not a big deal. You should know basically what they need and buy that beforehand. And I never freaked out about finding the right color, I sent in basically what they asked but I couldn't find a 1 inch orange binder they got a 1 1/2 inch purple one and dealt with it.

 

[jrmasm]

actually I'd prefer to get the list on the first day - or on meet the teacher day (about 3 days before school starts).

our list comes out the end of the previous year. and there is ALWAYS more supplies to get...which bugs me.

I would much rather buy the supplies MY teacher wants, instead of what the whole grade level wants

What I'm asking is that I be provided with a list of ALL supplies required before school starts. I've got the boilerplate list but I know there are more things required. Shopping for supplies the first week of school sucks.

I love this statement. I have never understood the us versus them mentality of so many parents (this is more a statement on other people than this specific thread.) I grew up in a family of teachers so I see them as a valuable member of the team educating my kids. DW grew up with "one of those parents" that teachers hate because everything was a personal affront to their child. Teachers aren't having fun by withholding supply lists. Maybe, just maybe, the teacher doesn't feel a need for the folders to be had that first week or she doesn't need sixty boxes of tissues on the first day. If your kid is not in trouble for not having supplies from a list that they didn't get until school started, then just roll with the punches and head out to Office Max this weekend.

Both of my parents are retired educators.

FYI, I don't view this as a personal affront or a her vs me issue. I just think it's ridiculous that I have to wait to shop until after the teacher goes over her required list with my snowflake on the first day of school. I guess saying "the yellow folder you have is for math" is some how less effective than "the yellow folder your parents need to buy is for math".

And if the teacher isn't interested in dealing with a massive quantity of supplies on the first day, how hard is it to say, please don't bring tissue until Friday or kids with last names starting A-M bring tissues in August and the rest in September? I suspect most people are capable of following directions.

Like everyone else, I'm busy and I have other crap to deal about. And after the week I've had, I have no desire to just roll with stupidity.

 

[Mkrop]

I love this statement. I have never understood the us versus them mentality of so many parents (this is more a statement on other people than this specific thread.) I grew up in a family of teachers so I see them as a valuable member of the team educating my kids. DW grew up with "one of those parents" that teachers hate because everything was a personal affront to their child. Teachers aren't having fun by withholding supply lists. Maybe, just maybe, the teacher doesn't feel a need for the folders to be had that first week or she doesn't need sixty boxes of tissues on the first day. If your kid is not in trouble for not having supplies from a list that they didn't get until school started, then just roll with the punches and head out to Office Max this weekend.

Let me first start off by saying I dont have the us vs them mentality...I value teachers as part of the triangle of my kid's education

but when teachers want very specific items, like the orange folder above or certain size index cards etc, when you head out this late in the game all of that stuff is picked over and near impossible to find...and the lines are absolutely nuts.

We get our lists for grade school at the end of the year...although what bugs me about those lists are they sometimes are too specific or not specific enough...like flashdrive, well how much memory do you want? Netbook case, not many places say it on the bag that it works for Netbooks, some dimensions might be nice.

But DS15's HS does not hand out the list until the first day of school. They have the kids email addresses, why cant they send them a list now...and it is not a big school. Last year Staples was a complete madhouse with lines stretching to the back of the store...all the high schools were there trying to get stuff. This was public, private and parochial. Luckily DS had started the week before with freshman orientation and we had gotten most of his stuff, this was a last minute thing a teacher added that day. Staples did not even have any left so we left...but I would have been furious if I had to stand in that line. I will probably be cursing some on Sept 3. We did purchase some notebooks and folders etc, so hopefully we wont need too much.

 

[nugov2]

I would find that annoying as well. If you want very specific supplies you need time. I was a teacher and I agree with the pp who said it cuts both ways....sometimes the teachers can be as big of a pain as the parents. It can change from year to year. I see no reason why they district can't come up with a grade level list and distribute that. That is not only how the district I taught in did it, but also how the one my kids attends does it. So each teacher doesn't have to know what grade they are teaching, but at the end of the school year the teachers for that grade level get together and decide what they need for their class. All students for that grade level bring in the same stuff and it doesn't matter who your teacher is. Now my dd8 did bring home a note asking for hand sanitizer yesterday(their first day) in addition to the wet ones that were on the required list and I am happy to grab that since she specifically wants it. I do think as the years go on we are bringing in more and more stuff and it is starting to get really specific...only Crayola...folders binders of specific color only....but if that's what they request I will abide by it...just continue to have that list available by the beginning of the summer!

 

[taylor3297]

Oh please, teacher teaching the same grade as last year. School starts Monday. She knows exactly what size binder she wants the kids to have and what color folder for each subject. It's probably the exact same as last year.

I suspect when her daughter is in school she understand that running around looking for orange folders after school starts sucks.

If you know who the teacher is, then send her an email and ask if you can have the list. Explain how hard it is to find certain items after school starts

I taught for 20 years and I had some principals that insisted we don't give out supply lists until the first day of school and some who wanted it posted mid-summer.

Also, even though I may be teaching same subject and same grade as previous years, due to curriculum changes, our supply list would need to change.

 

[SLP958]

I would be ticked at not having a list before school started too. Don't blame you a bit.

 

[jrmasm]

If you know who the teacher is, then send her an email and ask if you can have the list. Explain how hard it is to find certain items after school starts

I taught for 20 years and I had some principals that insisted we don't give out supply lists until the first day of school and some who wanted it posted mid-summer.

Also, even though I may be teaching same subject and same grade as previous years, due to curriculum changes, our supply list would need to change.

Teacher assignments arrived last Friday. I checked her website this week looking for a list of additional required supplies. Since I couldn't find a list, I emailed yesterday and asked what additional supplies she required. The teacher responded that she did require additional materials and that she would go over the list in class.

I could respond with a sob story but have chosen not to because I don't think it will accomplish anything. She said they'll go over it in class and I suspect she means exactly what she says.

 

[Turn the Page]

eh...not a big deal. You should know basically what they need and buy that beforehand. And I never freaked out about finding the right color, I sent in basically what they asked but I couldn't find a 1 inch orange binder they got a 1 1/2 inch purple one and dealt with it.

Count me as one of the frustrated parents this year.

Not everybody knows what their child basically needs. At DD7's school each teacher gets a few hundred dollars, I want to say $250 or so but I could be wrong, to spend on their classroom however they see fit. Some teachers use it for supplies for class projects or teaching aides others use it for standard supplies like crayons, pencils, and folders. For both kindergarten and first grade DD's teachers used the money for school supplies the only school supplies I had to buy her were a couple of glue sticks in kindergarten and a pack of crayons last year. However, I did have to bring in some napkins, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and clorox wipes and things like that.

The school sent a generic list of needed supplies for second grade home at the end of last year that included things like a binder, pencils, and your standard school supplies. I'm not going to buy her any of it until I get a list from her actual teacher (I just found out two days ago who that would be, by the way, after I called the school to find out) because I'm not going to drop fifty bucks on all that stuff only to find out she doesn't need any of that and I have to spend more money on what she does actually need.

DD's class is relatively large. They had to hire another kindergarten teacher to accomadate them that year and another first grade teacher last year. At the end of the year the school sent a note home saying they weren't making classroom assignments for this year yet because they hadn't decided what they were going to do about the space issue yet and it was possible that some kids may be moved to another elementary school in the district. So there I was, two weeks before school starts, and I didn't even know what building my child would be in this year let alone what teacher she would have or what supplies she would need. I was livid. I finally had to call the school and ask. It's not as if they didn't see this problem coming. The school board was dragging its feet big time.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

Oh please, teacher teaching the same grade as last year. School starts Monday. She knows exactly what size binder she wants the kids to have and what color folder for each subject. It's probably the exact same as last year.

I suspect when her daughter is in school she understand that running around looking for orange folders after school starts sucks.

SO just ask someone who had her last year or email the teacher then if you know who teacher is and you know that that she knows what she wants but is purposely trying to be difficult for parents.

It's been nice chatting with you. Thanks for your pleasant response. I was just trying to give an example of why sometimes the supply lists do not get sent early. DD won't get her list until after school starts. She has block scheduling too so come Feb. she has all new teachers with new supply lists and another back to school night. Not really a big deal to me, sorry it is such an inconvenience for you. I hope your child has a great school year and that she doesn't sense the fact that you dislike her teacher already.

 

[becalubob]

I'd be upset as well! I have 7 kids as a blended family... the first week of school is already so busy for me... school activities, open houses... (four different schools!) I've always gotten the supply list for the next year with their end of school year stuff... which is nice, cause I can pick away at the list throughout the summer.

 

[minkydog]

SO just ask someone who had her last year or email the teacher then if you know who teacher is and you know that that she knows what she wants but is purposely trying to be difficult for parents.

It's been nice chatting with you. You seem so pleasant. I was just trying to give an example of why sometimes the supply lists do not get sent early. It's really no big deal. DD won't get her list until after school starts. She has block scheduling too so come Feb. she has all new teachers with new supply lists and another back to school night. Not really big deal to me, sorry it is such an inconvenience for you. I hope your daughter has a great school year and that she doesn't sense the fact that you dislike her teacher already.

I don't think the OP dislikes the teacher, only that she is put out at the moment. Seriously, have you never felt that way toward a teacher? I've been on both sides and I can tell you that some teachers are a PITA from day one, as are some parents. Has the DIS become so politically correct that we aren't allowed to express feelings of exasperation from time to time?

 

[lovetoscrap]

Our high schoolers don't even get their schedule until the first day of school! They get the list and then are pretty much expected to have everything by the next class period. By then the shelves are picked over and the prices are back up.

The middle school puts out a list at the end of each year, it is sent home with the report card. And then you go to open house a few days before school starts and find out that each teacher has their own list that has very little to do with the list that you already bought from. I think the principal did ask them at the end of this year to come up with one list for the grade level and stick with it.

This year I happened to be in Walmart when everything was on super sale so I just bought a whole bunch of stuff and if we don't use it this year we will probably use it at some point in the next 5 years. Or I will just donate it to the schools. At this point I have a pretty good idea of the things they will have to have since older one already went through 8th grade and HS is pretty laid back. Composition Notebooks are always the WORST! By the time school starts they are hard to find and are expensive. I found them for 25 cents and just bought a handful. I actually doubt they will need them this year but at my school teachers are always asking the office for them so I will just donate them.