Purpose of school supply lists?

[NemoMOm]

I'm sure that will make your ds very popular with the teacher and the other kids. Having 2 in high school now, I have learned there are real issues to call teachers out sometimes - sharing school supplies is not the hill to die on (and become THAT parent so so early in your ds's schooling).

I'm not really worried about that, as I'm THAT parent that they send home 30 plus sheets a week to cut out for some craft

 

[princesskimberella]

I do not mind the list so much, even the brand name item because yes they are better in the long run and right now you can pick everythingup for a reasonable price. What bothers me is if you give me a list then please USE the items that I am spending $ on. Also if you really want one special item such as Visa Vi overhead markers could you let me know when they are readily available and on sale not 3 weeks after school when I have to go to 5 different Office Max stores looking for them and paying full price.

What also bothers me is the list for specific brands of Kleenex, Lysol Wipes, Baby Wipes and special sizes of Ziploc bags ... One of my daughters teachers still had a hufe stash left at the end of the year. And with these items she got a special ticket or prize if you brought them in. Really.. talk about making a kid feel bad, because there parent had just enough money to buy the SCHOOL supplies they needed for everyday use, ... end rant !

 

[disneymomoftwins]

I agree that the brand name supplies do work better. I buy my own pencils for work so I can have the Ticonderoga ones. I am willing to buy anything (within reason) that makes it easier for the teacher to teach my children. If there are a lot of different pencils (for example) kids fight over them and some kids steal from other kids (happened several times with my kids with the decorated pencils). I had rather the teacher not have to deal with all of this and be able to concentrate on teaching the kids. I feel like we are blessed with being able to afford supplies and I am willing to buy what is asked. Some children arent able to buy all of the supplies and that is no fault of their own, but they still need them!
If someone doesnt understand why the teacher asks for certain things, go and stay in your childs class for one afternoon. It will be clear why things need to be a certain way.

 

[MPLsDad]

If someone doesnt understand why the teacher asks for certain things, go and stay in your child's class for one afternoon. It will be clear why things need to be a certain way.

AGREED!As long as they are used that year!

 

[AngieMouse86]

When I was in elementary school (private), we always had a list sent home. I don't recall all the details but I remember it wasn't too lengthy. My younger sister went to public school for elementary and also had a list, but it was very basic and didn't ask for specific brands or colors.

Now my youngest sister is in private school but oh boy, her list each year is out of control! The list of actual school-school supplies is hefty but what gets my mom & I are the quantity they ask for the other things, like baby wipes, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. Can 1 classroom really go through 60 canisters of Clorox wipes?? Especially after we found out last year the baby wipes were for wiping down desks at the end of the day...what are all those Clorox wipes for?!?

Also, it's a private school, so unlike a public school suffering budget cuts, it's questionable that they need the parents to bridge that big of a gap. :/

 

[torinsmom]

Just back from Walmart buying Crayola markers and crayons on sale, mainly for my classroom, because some parents would rather spend $1 at the Dollar Tree for the cheap stuff than buy the Crayolas for the same price on sale. Sorry, but if you buy the cheap brands, you are REALLY wasting your money. We do ask for Crayola crayons, markers and colored pencils, but don't specify brand of pencils. I just separate the good stuff from the cheap stuff and once the good stuff is used up, I send home a wish list. The cheap stuff is rarely used. And please, please, please, do not send in character pencils. They really burn up our pencil sharpeners and are also the source of a lot of drama.

I HATE that our school sends parents a generic school supply list. There are things on there I really don't need. If I were a parent of an elementary student, I would buy Crayola art stuff, looseleaf paper, pencils and glue sticks and wait until Open House to get a better list.

 

[taymorel]

It is funny cause it feels like I send a lot of school supplies at the beginning of the year, but by middle of the year the teacher always runs out of things for the class (like Kleenex, glue, etc). I always send in extras when she asks because I know that there are some students whose parents can't afford to buy school supplies and the schools don't provide as much as they did when I was young.

 

[torinsmom]

It is funny cause it feels like I send a lot of school supplies at the beginning of the year, but by middle of the year the teacher always runs out of things for the class (like Kleenex, glue, etc). I always send in extras when she asks because I know that there are some students whose parents can't afford to buy school supplies and the schools don't provide as much as they did when I was young.

We have to ask for more around January or February, mainly because some parents don't send things in and the kids use it all up by then. Luckily, I have had really great parents who will send in a big pack of glue sticks or a couple packs of markers, so I don't have to use a lot of my own money.

Our school supplies next to nothing. We can get dry erase markers and ink pens, and office supplies like staples and paper clips.

 

[Karlzmom]

In elementary schools, the teachers sometimes collect all the supplies and then have bins of pencils or crayons for groups of students to share, instead of each child having their own supplies. I imagine it helps keep the class moving along when the teacher knows that the students all have these supplies ready to use (and the less organized child doesn't fall behind while searching for a pencil or crayon in their desk).

It also never teaches a child to take care of their own property and be responsible. It instills the notion that *someone* will take care of them and make sure they have what they need when they need it, with no effort on their part. It teaches the nice things just appear, and if you lose or don't take care of your things, that's ok....someone will give you a new one. Then again, personal responsibility *isn't on the test*, so I guess it doesn't need to be taught anymore.....

The funniest part is that even some of the grownups think that someone else will take care of it.....

 

[luckygirl539]

We are in the same boat-down to a specific brand of erasers. Which are a dollar a piece and I have only found them at Staples. I have spent about $50 bucks this year for my second grader. The thing that really chaps me is that they ask for specific brands, but do not list where to find them. Last year I went to 5 stores looking for different brands.

Even better? My son does not get to keep the supplies I bought!! The teacher throws them together and randomly hands them out. It ticked me off cause last year, someone did not buy the right folders and he got one.

So, this year? I bought a sharpie and everything has his name on it, which they ask us not to do. But if they don't like it they can provide the supplies. I don't mind spending more for his supplies but it makes me angry when he gets someone's cheaper supplies.

Ok done venting

Okay- as a third grade teacher- I need to weigh in. Teaching has gotten very demanding. I agree with the earlier response about budgets going to technology and such so we have to ask for parents to supply the basics. in our district, we don't ask for specific brands, maybe colors.

There are some supplies we throw together and here is why:
Folders- I can redistribute them according to color and subject. Much easier when asking them to take out their math folder and they are all purple and I can save time by looking around quickly to see if they all have them out.
Pencils- you may buy 100 pencils in the beginning of the year, but they seem to run out after a few months. If I collect them all and everybody keeps 2 at their desk and 2 in their "take home pencil pouch," they are going to last way longer
Dry erase markers- they each get 1 until it drys out OR they would be picking a new marker every other day because kids like the newer stuff! Oh- and teachers prefer black or blue, because the kids will fight over the pretty colors. And this all takes away from the real reason they are there- TO LEARN!

These are just a few examples. Teachers are just trying to make the learning environment flow and focus on education. It drives me nuts when parents write names on folders and things. But- I respect when a parent has bought something special, and I will make sure that child receives that item when redistributed.

Also- it is true that some supplies do not get used during the year. We do our best as teachers- the supply lists are due at the end of the previous year, so a teacher has to guess what will be needed. Curriculum and resources are always changing. For example- we adopted a new science curriculum and thought we would need a separate science binder, but really, it was too much for third graders to keep track of, so we never used them. Students can keep them for the future.

Bottom line- teachers are not doing any of this to be difficult; it is truly for the students. We honestly probably spend more of our own $ than you could ever imagine. When my students ran out of pencils and dry erase markers- my requested for more were ignored, so I went and bought them. We needed them. Hope this helps to understand why teachers do what they do!

 

[Granny square]

It also never teaches a child to take care of their own property and be responsible. It instills the notion that *someone* will take care of them and make sure they have what they need when they need it, with no effort on their part. It teaches the nice things just appear, and if you lose or don't take care of your things, that's ok....someone will give you a new one. Then again, personal responsibility *isn't on the test*, so I guess it doesn't need to be taught anymore.....

The funniest part is that even some of the grownups think that someone else will take care of it.....

Darn those little kids for trusting. Lord knows that they should be taught early that there are "have" and "have nots!"

Boy I can't believe adults can be so mean about crayons. And we wonder where the bullies in the schools come from!

 

[princesskimberella]

I HATE that our school sends parents a generic school supply list. There are things on there I really don't need. If I were a parent of an elementary student, I would buy Crayola art stuff, looseleaf paper, pencils and glue sticks and wait until Open House to get a better list.

I would love to live by this advice but to be honest it seems like all the stores have already cleared out the school supply area and are done with all the deals by the time Open House rolls around.

We have several teachers in our family so I do understand that teachers spend a ton of thier own money on supplies and every little but they get from parents helps !

 

[princesskimberella]

.

Now my youngest sister is in private school but oh boy, her list each year is out of control! The list of actual school-school supplies is hefty but what gets my mom & I are the quantity they ask for the other things, like baby wipes, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. Can 1 classroom really go through 60 canisters of Clorox wipes?? Especially after we found out last year the baby wipes were for wiping down desks at the end of the day...what are all those wipes for?!?

:/

yes our school also asks for a ton of wipes, with budget cuts our rooms are only being cleaned every other day, and the teachers can not clean them due to contract and union stuff. So the kids clean the desks daily with the Clorox/Lysol wipes. Baby wipes are used to for quick hand clean up like glue paint, imagine a line of 30 kids washing thier hands and how much time it takes..
I dont mind getting these items, it is when they ask for 3 containers per child that gets me, I have 3 kids so that would mean i need ot have 9 cans to bring the first week of school

 

[Jenngoofys]

I will put my 2 cents in I guess!! Here goes I find it sickening that our children have to rely on a school budget that gets voted on yearly, when prisons have what seems to be an endless supply of anything the prisoners need/want Cable check, TV check, free education check, gym equipment check, full basketball court check, I mean really!!! Let's start funding our kids in school then Maybe Just maybe The prison populations wouldn't be so big!!! Then we could use the extra money for more things for our kids!! There done this is my biggest pet peeve kids having to bring in supplies and do fundraisers just to keep basic programs in the schools!! Gym, and sports are the hardest hit and here we wonder why Americans have a larger body!! Really what good things did the prisoners do that our kids get less funding than them?

 

[Karlzmom]

Darn those little kids for trusting. Lots knows that they should be taught early that the are "have" and "have nots!"

Boy I can't believe adults cab be so mean about crayons. And we winded where the bullies in the schools come from!

Wow! Sounds like I touched a nerve. It has nothing to do about being a bully. Thank you very much....I raise my children to be kind to others and personally responsible for their own property and behavior. It also has nothing to do with "haves" and "have nots". I was raised with very little, but somehow my parents figured out how to budget for what I needed and I was expected by my parents and teachers to take care of my own things. Somehow no one went *without* but there wasn't an expectation that someone was going to helicopter over you and make sure that your every need and whim was taken care of with a shiny new object when you lost or broke the one you had. Thank you anyway for making an assumption about me and being nasty all at once rather than discuss the merits of teaching personal responsibility

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Bottom line- teachers are not doing any of this to be difficult; it is truly for the students. We honestly probably spend more of our own $ than you could ever imagine. When my students ran out of pencils and dry erase markers- my requested for more were ignored, so I went and bought them. We needed them. Hope this helps to understand why teachers do what they do!

I snipped out this little part of your quote to comment on, last year my ds's second grade teacher had a reward program where the kids earned fake money to buy privileges in the classroom (like wearing slippers/fuzzy socks) and when she needed additional supplies she would send home a request AND tell the students that if their parent sent those supplies in they would get a fake dollar or whatever. My DS may not have remembered anything else about his school day, but he ALWAYS reminded me to buy glue sticks or whatever the teacher needed, lol. Just an idea.

As far as the school lists go, I'm happy to buy what my children need in their classrooms to be successful. When a teacher asks for 4 packages of pencils (for example) I don't send in 4 packages of pencils, but I buy them while they're on sale. Then I dole them out to my child as they need them. I only send in what my child needs at the beginning of the year (ONE box of crayons, ONE box of tissues, etc.), mostly so their backpacks aren't so heavy. Then after they get settled in I send in extras or drop them off when I'm at the school for something.

I wish there was a solution to the problem of the lists being inaccurate, as a parent it's frustrating to buy things then find out your child doesn't need them. I bought my DS all of the basics, crayons, pencils, etc. that were on his list last year only to go to open house and be told that the teacher prefers to supply those to her classroom and his list actually was headphones, a thumb drive and a binder. But I also see the teachers' side where they're asked to provide a list so parents can shop sales, but they aren't actually ready.

I don't really understand the "budget" problem of buying supplies for your child when you can afford it, but don't like someone telling you what to buy. That sounds so spoiled to me, how on earth could a parent know what the child needs in the classroom if the teachers don't tell them? I love it when I get requests throughout the year to send in different things like googly eyes or marshmallows because it means that my child is doing something creative. They would be so bored if all they needed was pencils, paper and crayons.

It makes me a little sad that people get upset over buying extra supplies so someone that can't afford them can have them. I would like it if teachers disclosed on the list whether or not supplies are pooled so the kids don't get their heart set on a certain color or something, but I don't think they should say that there are extra supplies to help other kids because our society has become so selfish that the skeptical side of me doesn't think many people would send extras in. And honestly, the way children think, if your child saw that one of their friends didn't have any crayons they would most likely share theirs anyway so why not spend an extra buck to make sure there are enough?

 

[beaucoup]

I have been out of school for 30 years. We did not have lists.

I only remember HAVING to buy a certain calculator model for High School calculus and my dad was NOT happy about that at all. He thought I should learn to use his engineering slide rule instead.

Only other thing I remember teaches insisting on was typewriter onion skin paper with the red margin lines. Remember that stuff? There was no requirement about it being in a folder. Some people did. Some used a clear cover. Some just typed a cover sheet. Only requirements were about typing it double line space & how many pages.

I don't recall any teacher specifying how many notebooks you needed. And no one ever collected notebooks. You could use a binder if you wanted or just a spiral notebook. It was up to us kids to be prepared for class with pens & pencils. Bring tissues for ourselves. Learn to be organized ourselves.

No one did the organizing & supplying for us. We learned to do it ourselves or suffer the consequences of being unprepared. Taught responsibility & organization that worked for ourselves. Not someone elses method of organiation.

 

[akcire]

yes our school also asks for a ton of wipes, with budget cuts our rooms are only being cleaned every other day, and the teachers can not clean them due to contract and union stuff. So the kids clean the desks daily with the Clorox/Lysol wipes. Baby wipes are used to for quick hand clean up like glue paint, imagine a line of 30 kids washing thier hands and how much time it takes..
I dont mind getting these items, it is when they ask for 3 containers per child that gets me, I have 3 kids so that would mean i need ot have 9 cans to bring the first week of school

It is more concerning to me that the kids are wiping their own desks. Then it sounds like they do not have an opportunity to clean their hands with water. Kids need to wash with water often. Certainly any time they touch a caustic cleaning product, many that contain neurotoxins. I'd rather my kid have a "dirty" desk for one day than to use a lysol wipe.

 

[Sparkly]

When I was in school, I don't remember being asked to bring in anything other then what we needed for our own use- pencil, ruler, eraser, pencil case, coloured pencils or felt tips, calculator, various other stuff needed for GCSEs. I LOVED shopping for pencil cases in secondary.

 

[Granny square]

argh, i shouldn't type on the phone without my glasses. My feelings remain the same. If adults can't look out for those in need in our society, those suddenly without jobs in this crappy economy, those being raised in single parent homes, how can we expect our children to learn compassion, kindness, and that we don't stomp people when they are in tough times. You never know when you might have that medical emergency that dessimates the savings, or the loss of that job that should have been recession proof.

Considering the statistics on race and poverty I wonder how much of the descrimination is really just bigotry disguised.

We don't even use the public schools but donate items to the community action supply drives. We are smart enough to know that by taking care of our weakest members we give them a better chance at growing up in better circumstances.

There is also the far less existential reasons that teachers combine supplies. If it makes life easier for them, or gives more time for teaching and less time helping susie find her box of crayons, that would be an obvious positive. Don't people want more teaching and less housekeeping?