Hey teachers

[BCDisneyFanatic]

As to whether it's worth getting worked up about or not, I agree this is not the end of the world. But can't you see how it would be easier and cheaper for parents to have this information before school starts?

Yes, I can definitely see that. In an ideal world, the first week of school would run smoothly and seamlessly for students, parents AND teachers!!!

Can I just add, though, that as a teacher who ends up buying a 48 pack of pencils every month because there are always students who can't seem to understand that they might need a writing utensil for class...I am very thankful for parents who make sure that their students come with the requested materials.

 

[deedeetoo]

I teach high school. My students had a 4 days to get a binder with 13 dividers. I guess I'm that "horrible teacher" who told them on Monday and wanted it by today.

Well, if you were my kid's teacher, she wouldn't have it in time. For reasons that I will not go into here, I only can shop on weekends. My daughter is 15 and cannot drive herself to the store. If you ask for something on a Monday, my kid will have it for the following Monday, not before. I hope you don't take this out on your students if they aren't able to get something for reasons beyond their control.

 

[Colleen27]

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.

Yeah, we had two of those over the years. Ugh. They didn't hand out lists either, they wanted the students to write it down as they went over it aloud. Well, my son is still painfully slow at writing and was worse back then, so I ended up having to call another parent to make sense of some of the partial entries on his list. I had to run all the way to Staples - an hour round-trip - to get graph paper, a purple (she was VERY specific on colors for each purpose) folder, and erasable pens.

Then we had another who gave the list on Tuesday, required the supplies be in by Thursday, and made it a quiz grade. She had some stupid-specific requests and made it clear to the kids that they'd lose points if they didn't have the exact items specified... so another year, another long haul into suburbia for the just-right school supplies. If I'd had that list even a week early I could at least have combined the supply run with other errands, rather than having to make a special trip!

Fortunately we've only had those two really picky teachers out of two dozen, so most years aren't quite so bad. But it would all be so much easier if we could at least get the list at schedule pick up (which is today, actually - school doesn't start until Sept 3).

 

[Colleen27]

On a separate note, when I was in school the supply lists ended, for the most part, with elementary school. I think in middle school they wanted us to have a Trapper Keeper (do they even make those anymore?) and in 8th grade we needed a separate binder for English but other than that we just needed whatever pencils and stuff like that we wanted. In high school the only requirement was a graphing calculator for certain math classes.

I remember it being that way too. By 6th grade, we were allowed to organize our materials as we saw fit. But with my oldest two I've seen that isn't the case any more. The very specific "blue folder for math, red folder for English" type requirements persisted all the way through middle school. This is my first year with a high schooler and I'm hoping that it'll be easier at this level.

 

[NotUrsula]

Actually, I think this complaint is better aimed at retailers. Why on earth have they cleared out all of the school supplies when half of the schools in the area haven't started classes yet?

Retailers are doing "back-to-school" way too early in most areas. Stores here were absolutely FULL of BTS displays on July 1st, and by last week they had switched over to Halloween. The thing is, most kids here went back to school THIS week, and there are at least 3 districts that don't start until next week.

My DS16 has organizational issues, and he finds a large zippered binder to be necessary to keep track of all his papers. He had thought that he could re-use the one he had last year, but the hinge broke as he was walking home from school on the first day. When I went to buy him a new one yesterday, I was lucky to able to snag the very last one that the big-box store I went to had in stock.

I appreciate it when teachers who use color-coding do inform parents of that as early as possible, because it is color-coding that causes the most aggravation when you find out about it too late. If you teach and you use that system, perhaps you can note that on your section of the school webpage. If there are two sections of 2nd grade and you teach one of them, a concerned parent can check and see that the odds are 50/50 that little Jacob is going to need 6 plastic folders with prongs, 2 each in red, blue, and yellow. (FWIW, that came from my DD's supply list.) That way, they can buy them ahead of time to be prepared, and then return them if they are not needed after all.

PS: In re: retailers ... I know that corporate sets the schedules and promotions, what I meant was that we need to complain to them, not to the local stores. If enough people sent mail to WalMart, Target, etc. demanding that a certain amount of shelf space remain reserved for school supplies until Labor Day at least, then perhaps we might get some accommodation. After all, these are sales that could be made, if only the merchandise were available. Obviously, items that are likely to fall into the color-coding category should be held over, including folders, notebooks, ink pens (especially erasable ones), and binders. The other thing that is always a problem on the first day here is book covers; we have over 30K students in parochial schools, and every single one of them is required to have their books covered by the end of the second day of school, because books that have not been covered are not allowed to leave the classroom. (Books wrapped in paper don't hold up nearly as well as the ones in the fabric slipcovers; kids end up re-doing the paper covers about 3X a semester.)

 

[HeatherC]

I guess we are very lucky here in MA. Our district pretty much supplies what the kids need for the most part.

We buy pencils, notebooks and some folders. A couple teachers may ask for the kids to get a three or five subject notebook instead of a one subject. I just buy a bunch of each at Walmart in early August and we usually have enough for the year.

The teachers then do send home a wish list and parents send stuff in. That is for like hand sanitizer, tissues, glue sticks,etc..

When I hear what others spend on supplies, I am very grateful. I thinkI spent about $35 this year for three kids....one in middle school and two in high school.

 

[traviesojmt]

I guess I should send a thank you note to our school. We receive the school supply list in the mail a few weeks before school starts. Both my children's list (5th and 11th) were complete and accurate. I haven't had to buy anything else since they started school. I will say that I did appreciate being able to shop for school supplies before the masses started.

 

[spacemountainmom]

Actually, I think this complaint is better aimed at retailers. Why on earth have they cleared out all of the school supplies when half of the schools in the area haven't started classes yet?

Retailers are doing "back-to-school" way too early in most areas. Stores here were absolutely FULL of BTS displays on July 1st, and by last week they had switched over to Halloween. The thing is, most kids here went back to school THIS week, and there are at least 3 districts that don't start until next week.

My DS16 has organizational issues, and he finds a large zippered binder to be necessary to keep track of all his papers. He had thought that he could re-use the one he had last year, but the hinge broke as he was walking home from school on the first day. When I went to buy him a new one yesterday, I was lucky to able to snag the very last one that the big-box store I went to had in stock.

I appreciate it when teachers who use color-coding do inform parents of that as early as possible, because it is color-coding that causes the most aggravation when you find out about it too late. If you teach and you use that system, perhaps you can note that on your section of the school webpage. If there are two sections of 2nd grade and you teach one of them, a concerned parent can check and see that the odds are 50/50 that little Jacob is going to need 6 plastic folders with prongs, 2 each in red, blue, and yellow. (FWIW, that came from my DD's supply list.) That way, they can buy them ahead of time to be prepared, and then return them if they are not needed after all.

You make a very valid point, but I really doubt anyone is going to convince retailers to change their ways. Schools in MN start after labor day and most places are already pretty picked over at this point. My son also likes the zipper binders and I kept putting off buying one and was pretty happy to find one he liked when I was out on Tuesday. It's my fault for waiting, but it's sad that there is hardly anything left with two full weeks to go before classes begin.

That being said, pretty much everyone knows that school supplies hit the shelves in July. You'd have to be living under a rock to not know. It's just nuts that schools hold off sending out supply lists until after everything is cleaned out.

 

[declansdad]

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

 

[SLP958]

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

How long ago was this? Things change.

I can't stand when someone references what they did 30 years ago. The school experience today is nothing like it used to be.

 

[mom2rtk]

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

School budgets are tighter than every before. So the lists are longer.

As for the PP saying to blame the retailers..... that's not going to help. They need somewhere to put all those Halloween decorations!

 

[declansdad]

How long ago was this? Things change.

I can't stand when someone references what they did 30 years ago. The school experience today is nothing like it used to be.

It was a number of years ago but the point is that you don't need all the supplies on the first morning of class.

Yes much has changed in schools but we are still talking about the basics supplies - pencils, paper, binders, crayons and such. Pretty much the same.

 

[declansdad]

School budgets are tighter than every before. So the lists are longer.

As for the PP saying to blame the retailers..... that's not going to help. They need somewhere to put all those Halloween decorations!

I know budgets are tighter, DW is a teacher. But as I just posted not having all the supplies on the first day isn't the end of the world.

Agree about the Halloween decorations, they should be going up any day now.

 

[Mkrop]

I am a middle school teacher. Our principal requires each grade level at the school to publish a general supplies list in June. We have been directed to only release teacher specific item lists when students receive their schedule just before the first day.

I require a $10 five subject notebook for my class. I provide (out of my pocket, not school money) all the glue, colored pencils and markers the kids will need for the rest of the year.

If my notebook was on the general supply list, then all 7th grade students would purchase the notebook rather than just the third of the grade level that are assigned to my class. In numbers, only 150 out of 450 kids need my specific item.

I give families two weeks to obtain the notebook and I make that clear verbally to students on the first day, in the syllabus, on my website and in any communication with parents. If the parents/ students run around from store to store that is on them, I give plenty of time.

I would appreciate the two weeks to obtain the notebook but I could still wind up running all over the place which I dont appreciate if all the stores are out of them and many arent restocking that quickly or at all bc they are onto Halloween stuff.

I have found in our one shopping center that has a Staples, a Rite Aid and Kmart that if we run into the Rite Aid first than we have better luck with the oddball stuff than battling the masses at Staples. I might pay a little more but my time and sanity are worth it.

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

When I was younger, I am 44. The school supplies were not that specific at all so it wasnt that diffiuclt to get the stuff.

 

[declansdad]

When I was younger, I am 44. The school supplies were not that specific at all so it wasnt that diffiuclt to get the stuff.

You guys must all have some strict teachers. I haven't met one her yet that gets upset about a blue binder and they requested a yellow one.

 

[luv2sleep]

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

I know for a fact some districts aren't even allowed to give out lists. Ever. They have to buy their own supplies and only get a $250 tax deduction for it. This is in California.

Where my SIL teaches they weren't even allowed into their classrooms to prep until 7:30 am the first day. They were not allowed access to class lists until 4 days before school started. No time to mail them all out as the class list was avail Thurs and school started Mon

There are a multitude of reasons why lists aren't available early. I only touched on 2.

 

[Colleen27]

Actually, I think this complaint is better aimed at retailers. Why on earth have they cleared out all of the school supplies when half of the schools in the area haven't started classes yet?

I've spoken with managers at two of our local stores (not as a direct complaint, but in passing because we're friendly anyway) and the explanation I got from both is that they don't have local control over those things. Corporate sets the timetables and promotions.

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

Things have changed, though. I don't remember any teacher, ever, demanding a binder be a certain color or specifying plastic folders instead of paper or insisting upon a particular brand of crayons. When I was a kid I loved school supply shopping - as a writer, even back then I had a thing for notebooks and pens and such, and I loved picking out cute folders and fancy-cover notebooks and the right Trapper Keeper. None of my three kids have been in a single class that allows that stuff, which totally sucks the fun out of it IMO - all the teachers around here specify plain, solid colors. Most want binders, notebooks, and folders to be color-coordinated by subject, though some are more flexible on that than others, and even fancy pencils are a no-no.

 

[Mkrop]

You guys must all have some strict teachers. I haven't met one her yet that gets upset about a blue binder and they requested a yellow one.

We have had a mixture and the ones who are strict are usually the ones handing out marks or deducting points and have the oddest request.

I asked one teacher at BTS Night, did we really need blue eraseable pens? I said my DS is a lefty and his hands are covered in blue by the end of the day. She looked at me like I had 3 heads and said of course it is necessary it is what I require. She said maybe my DS had a problem writing And bc I was annoyed I said and we have to have blue...she said yes no black...are you kidding me? Well I did find blue erasbale pens, got the last package at CVS, tons of black available, some kids did not and they wound up with calendar marks(like a demerit).

And last year DS had a wacky priest in HS that was very specific about things he wanted in class and took off homework points for it. This is a Catholic school and it is theology class but he required certain colors and certain types of notebooks. The oddest request was not school supply related but a request for a certain type of Christmas cards so the boys could send them to the nuns in a nursing home...ok nice gesture...except they had to say Happy or Blessed Christmas on them, not Merry, and they had to be blank inside, and he only needed 3 of them. At first I did not think this request would be a big deal, we had two days to get them. Well after the 5th store, we found some with Mary and Baby Jesus on the front, and it wished them Blessed Christmas on the inside very small so there was plenty of space to write a message. He was scared to show them to Fr Thom....Fr Thom looked at them and said they did not meet the requirements....DS said Father we went to 5 stores and he rattled them off, even a Hallmark store. Finally the priest said they were fine but he was disappointed that they were not exactly what he specified. It was a box of 16 cards, boys were offering big bucks for cards bc their parents could not find any acceptable either. DS just gave them the cards.


MOST teachers are great and very accommodating but there are a few that ask for that odd size lined index cards that can not be found anywhere, and even if I ordered it online I would have to order a case

 

[declansdad]

We have had a mixture and the ones who are strict are usually the ones handing out marks or deducting points and have the oddest request.

I asked one teacher at BTS Night, did we really need blue eraseable pens? I said my DS is a lefty and his hands are covered in blue by the end of the day. She looked at me like I had 3 heads and said of course it is necessary it is what I require. She said maybe my DS had a problem writing And bc I was annoyed I said and we have to have blue...she said yes no black...are you kidding me? Well I did find blue erasbale pens, got the last package at CVS, tons of black available, some kids did not and they wound up with calendar marks(like a demerit).

And last year DS had a wacky priest in HS that was very specific about things he wanted in class and took off homework points for it. This is a Catholic school and it is theology class but he required certain colors and certain types of notebooks. The oddest request was not school supply related but a request for a certain type of Christmas cards so the boys could send them to the nuns in a nursing home...ok nice gesture...except they had to say Happy or Blessed Christmas on them, not Merry, and they had to be blank inside, and he only needed 3 of them. At first I did not think this request would be a big deal, we had two days to get them. Well after the 5th store, we found some with Mary and Baby Jesus on the front, and it wished them Blessed Christmas on the inside very small so there was plenty of space to write a message. He was scared to show them to Fr Thom....Fr Thom looked at them and said they did not meet the requirements....DS said Father we went to 5 stores and he rattled them off, even a Hallmark store. Finally the priest said they were fine but he was disappointed that they were not exactly what he specified. It was a box of 16 cards, boys were offering big bucks for cards bc their parents could not find any acceptable either. DS just gave them the cards.


MOST teachers are great and very accommodating but there are a few that ask for that odd size lined index cards that can not be found anywhere, and even if I ordered it online I would have to order a case

If I was in your case, I would send in what I could. If the teacher or priest had an issue and took of marks for supplies, we would would be having a discussion.

 

[jrmasm]

My parents managed to get 3 of us through school without having a supplies list, I don't see the big deal. I guess it is just another thing that someone started and now people get all bent out of shape if it isn't provided.

I never experience a supply list until my oldest was in middle. We had bought supplies for her in earlier grades but there no specific requirements (a certain type or color or binder, folder etc) and we were never asked to provide any classroom type supplies. We sent her off with a folder, some pencils and a box of crayons and called it a day. No direction needed. We used our common sense. When she reached middle school she was required to have a very specific list of items (2 2.5 inch binders in different colors, 6 folders one in blue, red, green, orange etc and green pens, red pens, blue pens etc.) By high school we were back to no lists again.

I was surprised when my youngest was entering K and we received an extensive supply list (folders, pens, pencils, dry erase markers, dry erasers, scissors, glue sticks, highlighters etc). These were items that had been previously covered by our schools' budgets. Time change so we bought what was asked of us.

Based on the required items from last year, I assumed my dd would be required to have a certain size binder and certain color folders at a minimum in addition to the clue sticks, markers, erasers, highlighter, scissors etc.

My point is that I don't need guidance in making these decisions about what I feel my child needs, teachers have become very specific about what they want my child to have. And it is my preference (since I have to provide these items) that I be told what is expected before school starts.

You guys must all have some strict teachers. I haven't met one her yet that gets upset about a blue binder and they requested a yellow one.

You know, you're probably right. It is unlikely that my dd will be kicked out of 4th grade for have the wrong folders. But we're rule followers by nature in my house so I generally try to do what is expected.

I know for a fact some districts aren't even allowed to give out lists. Ever. They have to buy their own supplies and only get a $250 tax deduction for it. This is in California.

Where my SIL teaches they weren't even allowed into their classrooms to prep until 7:30 am the first day. They were not allowed access to class lists until 4 days before school started. No time to mail them all out as the class list was avail Thurs and school started Mon

There are a multitude of reasons why lists aren't available early. I only touched on 2.

The teacher emailed me yesterday afternoon. School starts on Monday. She is not a new teacher. I am fairly certain she knew yesterday what color folders she wanted my kid to have.