tell me what a low income kindergarten class teacher need for her class? any ideas?

[furb & dez]

I could understand prize items are extra so the school won't supply it, but why the school don' t provide the teacher with erasable markers, erasers or copy papers? These are necessary classroom needs.

I grew up in a developing country. We only have free education up to junior high. However, as long as they put up a school, the teachers will be provided basic school supplies.

Instead, in US, why do teacher need to provide for their own classroom? I ask this not because I don't support the teacher or have a problem with her.

It's because people in the US don't value education at all. It gets in the way of their indoctrination

 

[MomtoGKC]

This is so sweet of you! I agree with almost everything already mentioned. I love the idea of sending some gently used books (library sales, used book stores, garage sales) to help with her library.

Tell her about www.donorschoose.org- it is a great website where teachers can post what they need for their classroom and people can go on and donate to help fund their project. It can be anything from a small $50 project to a huge $800 overhead projector or classroom rug.

 

[bethy]

I would have never in a million years thought about food! I don't have any experience with kindergarten, low income or otherwise, and it's been so long since my kids were in Kindergarten! I will jot that on my list.....

Food was the first thing I thought of. I have a friend who teaches K in a very low income area and her kids come to school very hungry all the time. she can't bear to see it and so she stocks tons of filling Costco snacks in her classroom.

 

[MickeyP]

Teaching is one of the lowest professions, yet look how much they tend to spend of their own money.

 

[crisi]

I am going to ask a question. It might be ignorant and I don't meant to offend anyone. It's just something I am having a hard time to understand.

My son just started K. His teacher gave us a wish list. Things included are treasure box items, markers for white board, and copy paper.

I could understand prize items are extra so the school won't supply it, but why the school don' t provide the teacher with erasable markers, erasers or copy papers? These are necessary classroom needs.

I grew up in a developing country. We only have free education up to junior high. However, as long as they put up a school, the teachers will be provided basic school supplies.

Instead, in US, why do teacher need to provide for their own classroom? I ask this not because I don't support the teacher or have a problem with her. I bought in bulk from costco almost everything she put on the list. I just think the teacher should not have the trouble of handing out the wish list to get basic supplies from parents. What if nobody donates? Would the teacher have to buy everything out of her own pocket? That's sounds really unfair to me and I would absolutely feel bad for the teacher.

We underfund our schools. And the money that we do give them ends up getting spent on mandates instead of copy paper.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

There is a book called Mrs. Spitzer's Garden. It parallels a real garden and a kindergarten. It's beautiful and makes every teacher cry.

thank you and if anyone else can recommend book titles that are appropriate for a K class, tell me please. All I know are the Dr Seuss books from such a long time ago!

 

[GatorMama]

thank you and if anyone else can recommend book titles that are appropriate for a K class, tell me please. All I know are the Dr Seuss books from such a long time ago!

My Kindergarteners LOVED "Bad Kitty"! Eric Carle (sometimes with Bill Martin Jr) is an excellent choice for the youngsters too.

 

[Cindy B]

I work in a low income district.


I would caution against certain books and styles of books. Please let the teacher find out if "outside" books are permitted.

In my districts, we have a curriculum (even for Pre K) that needs to be strictly followed. We use the curriculum books, curriculum manipulatives, curriculum handouts.

We would be in violation of district policy if we devaiated from the curriculum.

 

[shortbun]

Money for books. If there was a way you could give her a Scholastic gift certificate. She needs to be the one to select the books. Copy paper is often a commodity in a room with few resources. Math manipulatives. These would be found in an education resource store or on line and they are wood or plastic shapes that can be sorted or put together to make designs-different colors and sizes of triangles, polygrams, circles and so forth. Huge container of Hand sanitizer if she doesn't have a sink, foaming hand soap if she does. Glue sticks-the big ones. They are expensive and kids go through them fast.

 

[shortbun]

thank you and if anyone else can recommend book titles that are appropriate for a K class, tell me please. All I know are the Dr Seuss books from such a long time ago!

She needs to select the books. Most reading programs follow a certain criteria and have prescribed collections.

 

[scrapquitler]

On a different note, we need new underwear and socks. We also need used (hand-me-down) pants, shorts, skirts, and shirts in sizes 5-7. We also can use used coats, sweaters, and sometimes shoes. Our students have accidents often and NEVER have clothes in their backpacks. It is extremely rare for the clothes to come back. There a good chance your friend might not need these items.

It is great that you want to help. Have fun.

This reminds me of something I was going to mention. When I did my student teaching, the class was 5th grade, also in a 100% free lunch school. During the winter I noticed that almost none of the kids had winter boots, hats or mittens (and a few didn't even have winter coats), so if she is in a cold weather climate, a bunch of mittens/gloves (even the stretch $1 a pair kind), and scarves would be useful.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Books. (They don't have to be new.) I taught elementary school for one year in a rural low income area. I was not given any storybooks for my classroom, but I was expected to send books home with them every night to read with their parents. While most teachers have a curriculum that includes which stories they will read and work on as a class, every teacher needs to have classroom library for their children to use for free reading time.

 

[kimberlym322]

I would say what others have said. But just some thoughts of my own.

1. Dollar tree for stickers, paper awards, charts, boarders, cheap craft things, and cheap prize box things.

2. Look at places like Good Will for things like games, books, baskets, used clothing that could be for "accadent clothing" box.

3. Look into maybe a boy scout/girl scout troop or a church "adopting" the class and send them "goodie" boxies every few months.

4. It would help the whole school not just her class to start a box top drive for them. Also see what stores are around...like Food Lion...that has the program to set your reward card up for the school to get money that way also.

5. Look at target and walmart for the clearenced school stuff.

6. Someone said something about thooth brush/paste for the class. If you look in the paper you can always find coupons for them and if you use the coupon and hit a sale you could get them for nothing to 50 cents each.


there are so many more but cant thing of them right now. Have you maybe looked into one of the programs that "sponcers" the class that what it does is sets up a college fund for each child in the class. I forget what programs that do it, but that might be the best thing you can find for them in the long run, because it is a low income area that may be the only way some of them will be able to go to college.

Good Luck with getting the stuff for the kids!!

 

[ckrum]

I haven't read all of the posts, so forgive me if these were already mentioned. I teach kindergarten, so I have an idea of what she might need.

1. Snacks - an air popper and big bag of popcorn. All the kids love popcorn and it is quick, easy and fun to make. I use mine a lot.

2. Copy paper - white and colored. This can be used for making copies and classroom art work/writing. I go through a ton each year.

3. Stickers - all kinds and sizes.

4. Ink Cartridges - if you can find out what type of printer she has. They are so expensive, but we K teachers go through tons of ink.

5. Digital Camera - just a cheap one. We use ours all of the time.

6. School Supplies (scissors, pencils, glue, water color paints, markers, etc..)

7. Prize box items are a great idea.

8. Art supplies (pipe cleaners, pom pom balls, googly eyes, etc...)

What a great idea to do for this teacher. I'm sure she will love whatever you send.

 

[ckrum]

She needs to select the books. Most reading programs follow a certain criteria and have prescribed collections.

Although the actual reading program will need to be specific books, there is still a need for a good classroom library. I have hundreds of books in my classroom (ok, probably over 1000). Most have been purchased through Scholastic books. You could have her send you a book wish list & then order them from Scholastic to be sent directly to her at school.

Some of my kindergarteners favorite books:

All books by Eric Carle
Eye Spy Books
Chicka Chica Boom Boom
Any alphabet book
Non-fiction (a subscription to ZooBooks would be good too)
Miss Bindergarten Books

 

[KristiKelly]

My daughter is in 1st grade and loves Amelia Bedelia books.
I don't a teacher can have too much hand sanitizer, kleenex, Clorox (type) wipes, Lysol.
Crayons, colored pencils, Fiskar scissors, dry erase markers.
Some teachers want each child to have a dry erase board and marker
Prize box toys, candy, etc.
I gave our teacher last year a Visa gift card and she ordered lots of books from the Scholastic website - don't think public can order from there but not sure.
Might sound silly, but maybe some panties, underwear, and extra shorts, pants, etc. in case of accidents.
This is very thoughtful of you.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Small gift card for photo developing

 

[tkafam]

As a teacher, my most valuable resource in my classroom is my library of books. They are sooo important and can get very expensive. My suggestion is books, books, and more books.