specific school supplies frustration

[DisneyJen0504]

I am against candy as a reward, but around here it seems all the teachers use it.

That is crazy! In the district I teach in, they have a strict nutritional policy restricting teachers from using and parents from sending in candy or treats of minimal nutritional value.
I use privileges as rewards such as sitting in the teacher's seat for the day, being a special helper, extra computer time, stuff like that.

 

[daisyduck123]

I am against candy as a reward, but around here it seems all the teachers use it.

Not sure which county you're in, but I teach in Anne Arundel Public Schools & we are NOT allowed to distribute candy.

I, personally, have not given out a piece of candy to students in over ten years. I'm done with having any kind of food/treats in the classroom.

 

[punkin]

Not sure which county you're in, but I teach in Anne Arundel Public Schools & we are NOT allowed to distribute candy.

I, personally, have not given out a piece of candy to students in over ten years. I'm done with having any kind of food/treats in the classroom.

Montgomery...I do have to add a caveat that neither of my children attended elementary school here. My knowledge is only middle school (in which candy rewards are the least of my problems) and high school.

 

[MM27]

We are allowed to give out candy in my school. I don't see anything wrong with giving a student a small treat now and then. It's not like we're eating king size candy bars. A little piece of candy now and then is not going to make a child fat. I don't have a weekly reward system where I dish out candy, but sometimes I will hand out a piece of candy to suck on when kids are working. There's even a secret stash that I keep for the custodian.

 

[luvmy3]

We are allowed to give out candy in my school. I don't see anything wrong with giving a student a small treat now and then. It's not like we're eating king size candy bars. A little piece of candy now and then is not going to make a child fat. I don't have a weekly reward system where I dish out candy, but sometimes I will hand out a piece of candy to suck on when kids are working. There's even a secret stash that I keep for the custodian.

For me its not about the candy making kids fat, its the fact that teachers feel they need to give weekly rewards for good behavior. I always thought the reward for good behavior was not getting into trouble

 

[MM27]

For me its not about the candy making kids fat, its the fact that teachers feel they need to give weekly rewards for good behavior. I always thought the reward for good behavior was not getting into trouble

Who said it was only for good behavior? Sometimes I feel like sucking on a lifesaver during the day so I pass them out to the kids as well. Do parents not give their kids candy?

I don't give candy out as a weekly reward. I'm very random with the candy. Sure, if everyone had an awesome day I might be more likely to reach into the candy jar at the end of the day, but it's not because so and so had their homework all week or so and so behaved all week that I hand it out.

The candy jar also comes out when we have grade level meetings in the classroom. Even my principal sticks his hand in the jar.

 

[luvmy3]

Who said it was only for good behavior? Sometimes I feel like sucking on a lifesaver during the day so I pass them out to the kids as well. Do parents not give their kids candy?

I don't give candy out as a weekly reward. I'm very random with the candy. Sure, if everyone had an awesome day I might be more likely to reach into the candy jar at the end of the day, but it's not because so and so had their homework all week or so and so behaved all week that I hand it out.

The candy jar also comes out when we have grade level meetings in the classroom. Even my principal sticks his hand in the jar.

A pp did. (not ONLY for good behavior, but for good behavior)
You offered your opinion on why you don't see anything wrong with giving out candy. I offered mine on why I do. No need to get defensive

 

[Pigeon]

I think teachers having wish lists in general is a great idea. I know how much of their own money they end up shelling out.

A couple of my kids' teachers have wishlists on a sheet at back to school night. I'm happy to supply some of the extras, and what's great about the lists is that I can pick out stuff that I know will be easy for me to get.

 

[MM27]

I think teachers having wish lists in general is a great idea. I know how much of their own money they end up shelling out.

A couple of my kids' teachers have wishlists on a sheet at back to school night. I'm happy to supply some of the extras, and what's great about the lists is that I can pick out stuff that I know will be easy for me to get.

That's right. I don't do wish lists, except for when we have our book fair and the librarian asks us to do a book wish list if parents want to donate a book to the classroom.

Some people like to help out the teachers so it's nicer to see what the teacher actually needs or wants for the classroom so that you can send in things that they will actually use.

 

[MM27]

A pp did. (not ONLY for good behavior, but for good behavior)
You offered your opinion on why you don't see anything wrong with giving out candy. I offered mine on why I do. No need to get defensive

Not defensive at all. Just explaining that not all of us use candy as a reward for good behavior. If a teacher puts it on a wish list and you don't agree...don't send it in. If you don't agree with the teacher giving it out, tell him/her not to give it to your child.

 

[azdizzymom]

Remember that household budgets are being cut too, and in part due to rising school taxes.

Agree, but people need to remember teacher's are those being affected to. Their taxes are raised, their salary not being raised (like most peoples). Why should they have to pay out of pocket and parents not. We are all hit by the economy. Teachers included...when parents fail to buy what is asked then teachers end up buying because they need the tissues, hand sanitizer, paper towels, glue, etc. OUT OF THEIR POCKET and their home situation is the same as everyone else...higher taxes, gas, groceries, less money, etc. We are ALL hit by this and WE ALL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS.

 

[torinsmom]

Here is the issue I am having...May seem petty, but it is SO strange to me.

The crayola 24 pack are on sale at Wal-Mart for 40 cents. My kids'(Pre-K) list specifically says the 8 pack which is not on sale and costs 70 cents.

I feel like I HAVE to get the 8 pack, even though the 24 pack is a better deal.

We don't use the other colors in our classroom. The 24 packs have a few colors that look like they are blue or red, but then the kids start using them and it is indigo or violet red. I keep the crayons in the pack when we get 8 packs, but when we get 24 packs, I take the appropriate ones out and put then in a ziploc. Obviously, the ones in the pack are less likely to get broken.

the $1 a pack pencils are junk. Plain and simple. they constantly break. Asking for American made is not about politics at all, it is about getting a decent quality pencil so that 30 kids don't have to sharpen them 4-5 times a day. You can also get by with fewer pencils becuase they are not constantly being sharpened to a numb. One or two 12 packs of good pencils will get a kid through the year. With the chrap ones, you are using that many in a month a lot of the time.

I can also tell you whay they ask for specific colors. If all the homework folders are yellow, they are really easy for the kids to find. No one is spending 10 min looking for it becuase they cannot remebmer which one is which. It also keeps the kid whose parent cannot afford the "cutsey" folder form getting teased. It just makes the classroom run mroe smoothly to make everything uniform. I don't see why it is uch a big deal to get the colors asked for if it makes your child's day run more smoothly??

I donate cheap pencils; they don't even go into our communal supply. The lead breaks off inside and so much time is wasted sharpening those things. They also don't write as dark or smooth as the better named pencils. Doesn't have to be Ticeronda; Dixon and Papermate work just as well.

Quick question from one without kids...what would happen if you ignored the supply list? What if you just bought pencils and crayons etc for your kid and ignored the ziploc bags, tissues etc to supply the classroom?

Pencils and crayons are pooled in our class. If we don't get enough crayola crayons and good quality pencils, I go and buy more with my own money. I don't keep track of who brings what, because some can't afford to bring things in. It is all pooled, but noone gets the cheap stuff. I either donate it, or I give it to kids who I know have nothing at home to use.

I get exasperated, because our school only does one general list for all the preK/K classes. I don't need the same things as other classrooms. I let my returning students(who were preK last year) parents know that they can wait until after school starts to buy things. We have so much of some things left from last year that we don't need anything to start the year. I wish I had my new parents' emails and I would do the same. We don't have a lot of storage and I dread the amount of kleenex and ziplocs that will come in. I would tell some parents they could return it for a refund, but after they spend time shopping for it, that would not go over well. When we start needing things later in the year, I'll send out a wish list.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I swear, the three prong, plastic folders with pockets are going to be the death of me.

Thanks for those who gave advice! We did the bulk of the back to school shopping yesterday, but I've only tried Walgreens and Target so far. Unfortunately, both were a no-go. Walgreens had plastic folders without prongs, and Target had no plastic folders at all, though they had paper folders with prongs and pockets. Also missing from Target: construction paper. Looks like I will have to brave Walmart again this year.

By the way, apparently so many kids bring the Rose Art crayons that DD thinks those are the cool ones to have. I've always bought Crayola for the quality, so she has never had Rose Art. I didn't give in though - she is bringing Crayola crayons, but I let her get one package of the Rose Art markers. When those run out, she'll still have a package of Crayola's to fall back on.

 

[torinsmom]

Thanks for those who gave advice! We did the bulk of the back to school shopping yesterday, but I've only tried Walgreens and Target so far. Unfortunately, both were a no-go. Walgreens had plastic folders without prongs, and Target had no plastic folders at all, though they had paper folders with prongs and pockets. Also missing from Target: construction paper. Looks like I will have to brave Walmart again this year.

By the way, apparently so many kids bring the Rose Art crayons that DD thinks those are the cool ones to have. I've always bought Crayola for the quality, so she has never had Rose Art. I didn't give in though - she is bringing Crayola crayons, but I let her get one package of the Rose Art markers. When those run out, she'll still have a package of Crayola's to fall back on.

Roseart Markers aren't too bad. Walmart had some brand for cheap last year that worked really well. I don't think it was RoseArt, but I can't remember the name.

I didn't realize this was the week for the 1cent pencils at Staples. I better get over there tomorrow and buy some. I think there is a higher limit for teachers.

 

[sssteele]

I'm confused - school taxes are being raised while school budgets are being cut. That does not compute. Where's the money going? Aha! The teachers' platinum retirement funds I'll bet. (note sarcasm)

 

[luvmy3]

Agree, but people need to remember teacher's are those being affected to. Their taxes are raised, their salary not being raised (like most peoples). Why should they have to pay out of pocket and parents not. We are all hit by the economy. Teachers included...when parents fail to buy what is asked then teachers end up buying because they need the tissues, hand sanitizer, paper towels, glue, etc. OUT OF THEIR POCKET and their home situation is the same as everyone else...higher taxes, gas, groceries, less money, etc. We are ALL hit by this and WE ALL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS.

I don't have a problem paying for my child's school supplies and you are right we do need to take care of OUR kids, but when parents don't why is it okay to expect all the other parents to supply all the classroom supplies, yet its not Okay to expect the teacher to?
I know how much teachers pay for with their own money. I personally haven't met any teachers who weren't willing to provide needed supplies for their class, I just don't understand the attitude that we shouldn't expect them to have to contribute yet its acceptable for the teacher to ask parents to send in supplies to pool them

Now, since this has to do with specific requests, in regards to everyone's shrinking budgets, maybe teachers shouldn't be asking for Crayola over Roseart, or fabric book covers over free paper bags, pr bags of candy, or $12 a box American made pencils I understand the want for better quality, but sometimes people can't afford all those top quality supplies, sometimes parents can't drive all over creation finding them. I don't think its too much to expect teachers to take that into account when making up their lists.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't care where my pencils are made...

 

[Michelle67]

I think the lists just really need to be pared down to what is actually necessary. When I was in school, the supply list was maybe ten items. Scissors, glue, pencils, crayons, paper, erasers, pee chees, and a box to keep it all in. Now it is a full page and my kids have to carry in an extra grocery bag along with their sausage-stuffed backpack on the first day. It wouldn't seem like such a big deal to help supply extra pencils, crayons, and paper for less fortunate students if people weren't spending way too much on items that really are not necessary.

For example, do kids honestly need crayons, markers AND colored pencils in order to function in class? I really don't believe so. Do they really need tri-fold foam-centered presentation boards to do a simple report? Do they really need comp books in elementary and middle school, when a simple spiral would function just as well for journal time?

I think it is tremendously WRONG that our education budgets across the country have been slashed to the point that schools can not buy the supplies they need and have to rely on parents to supply copy paper, dry erase markers, correction pens, etc. And honestly I have no problem helping to supply those things because they really are necessary. But I think that the teachers (some of them, anyhow, who seem to be forgetting that things are tough all over) need to also remember that family budgets are likewise in trouble, and slash those lists down to things that really are NEEDED.

 

[torinsmom]

I don't have a problem paying for my child's school supplies and you are right we do need to take care of OUR kids, but when parents don't why is it okay to expect all the other parents to supply all the classroom supplies, yet its not Okay to expect the teacher to?
I know how much teachers pay for with their own money. I personally haven't met any teachers who weren't willing to provide needed supplies for their class, I just don't understand the attitude that we shouldn't expect them to have to contribute yet its acceptable for the teacher to ask parents to send in supplies to pool them

Now, since this has to do with specific requests, in regards to everyone's shrinking budgets, maybe teachers shouldn't be asking for Crayola over Roseart, or fabric book covers over free paper bags, pr bags of candy, or $12 a box American made pencils I understand the want for better quality, but sometimes people can't afford all those top quality supplies, sometimes parents can't drive all over creation finding them. I don't think its too much to expect teachers to take that into account when making up their lists.

I know you don't know me personally, but I typically spend around $300 on things for my classroom each year. I could probably send out wish list after wish list and get what I need, but a lot of times, the parents who send stuff in are the ones who really can't afford it. The ones who can afford it have the attitude that their taxes should pay for it(and of course they don't). We have one child bring in snack for the whole class each week and last year, there were 8 or 9 weeks where the snack was not brought in. Sometimes we had bits and pieces we could use to get by, but other weeks, I was buying snack for 20 kids for 5 days out of my paycheck. Most teachers have kids themselves, so they are buying for their own kids as well as for their class.

The name brands teachers have learned are the longest lasting and best quality are the ones we request on the supply list. Noone is going to treat you or your child badly if you send in other brands, but the communal supply will run out faster and need to be replenished by someone. Like I said before, I don't even put the cheap pencils and crayons out. And scissors that aren't Fiskar are in the art area, and not used for real lessons.

I know there are varying opinions on pooling supplies. I teach preK/K and I can't imagine having every child be responsible for their own supplies. We tried giving each child a pencil box with pencils, a sharpener, scissors, crayons, colored pencils and an eraser one year, and it was a disaster. We always had to wait for someone to find something, sharpen a pencil, borrow from someone else, etc. We have a pencil holder in our classroom that holds 20 pencils. They are all the same quality and color, and are sharpened each afternoon for the next day. A basket of Fiskar scissors is on the shelf, along with ziplocs of the 8 basic colors of Crayola crayons. Colored pencils(crayola, of course) are on a shelf in holders sorted by color, also sharpened each afternoon. Other supplies are stored away in containers until we need them. It works really well for us, and I think we see less in the way of lost items.

 

[JayhawkMomma]

The only brand specific item on my son's list (2nd grade) was Prang watercolors. They're a little hard to find, had a ton of trouble kindergarten year, but now that I know Office Depot carries them it's no biggie. I have no trouble with it because that brand really is the best and they're not a communal item.

I do only buy Crayola markers, crayons and pencils for my kids. I remember using the off brands as a child and HATED it. I refuse to do that to my kid. They seem to keep those items separate though. Only things that are officially communal are pencils and kleenex. They have pencil boxes for everything else.