School Supplies rant

amother

Fri, Sep 05 2014, 9:52 am

LittleDucky wrote:

What's with the communal class supplies? I bought special items for my child and I want him to be used by my child. It's one thing to ask for tissues. Sometimes you don't know you will have allergies that morning.
Soap should be provided by the school. If there is a sink, there should be a built in dispenser. But taking all the carefully picked out supplies tha makes my kid excited the first day- given to someone else?

I taught pre 1a for 12 years. We always took all the markers, crayons, pencils, scissors, and put them away to use slowly throughout the year. If each child uses his own, then after one month no one would have markers. This way I don't have to ask parents to replenish supplies.

In our school basic supply list are give at the end of school, with a p.s.,if there are any special projects supplies maybe needed. For example, before Pesach each child needs to bring in a pillowcase. All teachers have a routine and know what students would need daily for the year.

For my class I asked the parents for markers, crayons, scissors, chubby pencils, smock, composition notebook for HW, printer paper, board markers, backpack, change of clothes, and recyclables that can be used for arts and crafts. I also asked if anyone can donate extra supplies it would be appreciated. Tissues, soap, TP, are provided by the school.

Not all teachers ask for such basic supplies, but I understand that it gets expensive, especially if you have a large family. If you are told at the last minute, you can't take advantage of sales when they pop up in the summer, or you end up buying extra things you don't need.

BrachaC

Fri, Sep 05 2014, 12:04 pm

For the last few years I have pooled all of my kid's lists and had my in-laws do the school supply shopping as an activity in those weeks between camp and school. With three kids the list usually totaled to over 200 very specific objects!! This year, my older two are in high school and middle school and get to pick their own supplies. For my first grader I signed up for the school's service where we signed up in July and they bought kits. I thought that was going to be amazing. Except the school did not deliver them to their classrooms, so my first grader still looked like she was going to keel over on her way in with a bulging backpack, and a large cardboard box... My husband threatened all summer to just have a case of tissues delivered from Amazon to the school and to tell our 3 friends to not send in tissues!

Anyway, the kit thing didn't really work out for us, because we switched her class in August. I lost my mind last Sunday- to me it was just another way the whole feeling of "if you don't fit exactly into our little mold than you don't belong here." Like if you can't handle getting a blue, orange and 2 red folders you just are too dumb for us...It was my transition back to school- let the easy, mellow summer go and get ready for the intense, narrow school year! It always makes me question our school choice and life-style choices....

LittleDucky

Fri, Sep 05 2014, 12:52 pm

amother wrote:

Do you let the parents know not to buy specifically for their child and that they will be communal supplies? I will buy better name-brand crayons, erasers etc as I know they will work better. But I don't want the extra expense if it will go to another kid (and one who didnt bring in supplies-there are always those families! I drive myself nuts getting supplies but there are those who dont bother, knowing someone else will provide!)
And I get annoyed with the teachers taking supplies... From my experience working at a school camp, the "morah" (who was the class teacher during the year) would ask for stuff, collect it, and not give it all out. Like shabbos party snacks. Not sure if she took it home but I saw parents bring in snacks and it not brought out.
That isn't to say it isn't helpful in the younger grades but let the parents know! And I don't mind if the principal asks for a collection for a few specific needy families-I'll gladly give, and do give, even name brand/fancy stuff. It's good chinuch and just the right thing. But my kids stuff that they picked out and not getting-they'll feel crushed.

dr. pepper

Fri, Sep 05 2014, 2:38 pm

LittleDucky wrote:

I think you've summed up issue number 1...or was it 2 (I can't remember which order)

If the teachers are going to pool the supplies, that's fine....but let me know!

I absolutely will buy the cheapest brand crayons/folders knowing that it's not for my kid for sure. I don't have the same vested interest/ worry that some savvy obnoxious kid will make fun of mine for having the 'wrong" type of crayons...

In terms of when to send the supply list, I see some are worse off than me; getting them when school starts! What are these staff members thinking!

LittleDucky

Fri, Sep 05 2014, 6:59 pm

dr. pepper wrote:

A friend just told me she has to go out shopping for supplies. Her kid came home from school with homework: her school supply list. Crazy!

Frumdoc

Sat, Sep 06 2014, 8:18 pm

amother wrote:

Printer paper and board markers?

Aren't they for the teacher to use, not the student?

I'm not really understanding this concept of you all pay thousands of dollars for tuition, and the school still doesn't supply basics like tissues, soap, pencils, basic notebooks, photocopy paper, glue etc.

I am used to the school, certainly until high school, supplying notebooks for all different classes, pencils, art supplies etc, not for the parents to have to buy the teacher's board markers or paper for worksheets shock

Even in my high school we were given notebooks to write in, or a ream of paper (1000 sheets) to keep in our own looseleaf files. We did bring our own pens, but that was all personal choice. All essential textbooks were provided and loaned to us for the year, except chumashim or any sefer we were learning inside, but any version was ok, and they had second hand ones to buy or loan for those who couldn't buy.

Our first week homework was always to cover our notebooks to make them last longer, with wrapping paper, I remember how my mother wanted to get Xmas paper as it was on special offer one year, but my sisters begged her not to humiliate them.......

granolamom

Sat, Sep 06 2014, 11:00 pm

I didnt read this whole thread but you dont have to buy everything on the list. I no longer do. I send my kid with what *I* think he will need and if the teacher really thinks he needs a red folder for example, she can send me a note and I will procure it.
to date, I have only gotten a few specific requests (a red folder, index cards on a ring for sight words, and a special bag for 'tickets'). no one has come after me looking for the 6 two pocket folders in various colors, two subject spiral notebooks, or dry erase markers. my friends tell me that much of what they bought (as per 'the list') goes unused.

as for pencils, I always make sure my kids have sharpened pencils in their bag and I'm always replenishing. turns out, my well stocked kids are supplying the kids whose parents forget to send in pencils. this seems to happen with water bottles and snacks too. I'm not sure what the answer is here.

ElTam

Sun, Sep 07 2014, 1:23 am

I did something different this year. I did not send everything on the list. Stuff they clearly needed: yes. Items that there was logic to: yes.

Examples of what I didn't send:
three packages of loose leaf paper per child. I have two binders full of looseleaf paper that came home at the end of last year unused. I bought each kid one package of paper and showed them where the extra is.
three composition books for a third grader. Compostion book from 2nd grade is not even 1/4 written in, including pages she doodled on. I bought three, sent one to school, kept the extras at home. Ditto for requests for 8 glue sticks for one kid, 56 pencils for one kid (the school year is 41 weeks long, how are they going to use more than one pencil per week), etc.

I do have extras for them to restock, but I saw so much waste last year of doodled on papers, etc. I think sending 56 pencils is just encouraging kids not to take care of their things and to waste. I regularly see pencils, erasers, etc. lying around in halls, on chairs in the auditorium, etc. because kids know there are 50 more where that one came from.

I have not heard a peep from any teacher, and I did buy extras when stuff was on sale, so we have if they need. Most likely, it will be used for next year.

amother

Sun, Sep 07 2014, 1:51 am

I am the amother that taught pre 1a for 12 years. I ask parents to buy Crayola markers ($.79-$.99), Crayola 64 crayons ($2-$3), The crayons and markers are pooled together. I find that if each kid uses his own, that by the end of the first month no one has markers and crayons and parents need to replenish their child's supplies. By pooling them the class has fresh markers and crayons every couple of months and the supply lasts till the end of the year.
The printer paper and board marker (1 per child) is a school policy I have no control over.
All other supplies is the child's, and his alone to use and keep.

Amelia Bedelia

Sun, Sep 07 2014, 8:42 am

amother wrote:

Crayola markers are more like $4.49 at least! They can be purchased for $. 99 for non washable or $1.99 for washable on sale if you can find them. Or $. 99 all the time for a cheap brand at 99¢ stores. The cheapest price I found for 64 count Crayola crayons was $2.99, although Amazon had Craz-art crayons 64 count for $1.64 over the summer.

granolamom

Sun, Sep 07 2014, 9:49 am

amother wrote:

I cant find those prices around here. but if you're planning to pool it, I personally would prefer the teacher requesting a check for $5 for classroom supplies such as markers, crayons, etc. or at the very least, to mention on the list that the markers will be pooled.

amother

Sun, Sep 07 2014, 10:52 am

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

By us Crayola markers and Crayons, all brand name school supplies, go on sale at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, even Toys R Us, in the summer. That's why we give out the supply list at the end of the year to the previous year class, and mail it 2 weeks later. Parents have time to look for the sales. The hardest things to buy on my list are the long sleeve smocks, so we sell them in school. The chubby pencils could be pricey though.

LittleDucky

Mon, Sep 08 2014, 10:26 am

amother wrote:

Since you're amother anyway, can you say what school requires the parents to buy teachers supplies? I wonder how high their tuition is...
What if one kid doesn't bring it? I know of one class where every kid had a mini whiteboard and needed their own marker. It was supposed to be for answering the teacher so she could see everyone's answer and not just call on one kid each time. But that clearly isn't the case here. It would be cheaper for everyone to ask for $5 a kid and then the school buy cases of paper. Except we pay tuition so that should cover paper!!!

Miri1

Mon, Sep 08 2014, 11:01 am

I have a real chinuch issue with the supplies list. When a my first grader comes to school with 72 (!) pencils, and a total excess of glue, etc. he doesn't learn to take care of his belongings. I want him to take care of two pencils in his box, and keep track of his glue and markers, not go running to the extras.
The kids get used to the idea that the pencils are so easily replaceable that they can lose them, chew them, break them. I'm really disturbed by the whole thing.

This year I sent two supplies boxes - one with day-to-day supplies, and a second with some extras. And I still kept home a few dozen pencils, a bunch of erasers, glue sticks, etc. I told him that once a month he can make a checklist to see what needs replenishing. This is far better chinuch than walking in the first day with a pathetic amount of stuff which is just begging to be lost!

The whole thing is out of control, and lacks respect for parents' time and money. Instead of each family running out individually to purchase tissues, crayons, folders and dry erase markers (!) etc. and paying premium prices, let them all contribute to a bulk order that will be to the teacher's liking, and save everyone (school included) some money!

I just don't remember any of this from when I was a kid. We took care of our things, and I told my mother when I needed to replenish supplies. If a kid runs into trouble, and isn't on top of keeping himself well supplied, it is a good opportunity for the teacher to address organizational skill with the parents.

asmileaday

Mon, Sep 08 2014, 1:02 pm

I only have boys so their lists are not complicated at all-just the basics at normal quantity (3 pencils 1 glue etc...). I'm reading this thread and my mouth is just hanging open! I never heard of these ridiculous amounts!
And my kindergartener brings nothing but a smock. What's up with parents sending in classroom supplies like markers and paper?! Mind boggling. Maybe it's societal norms? It just sounds like complete chutzpah to be paying tuition and then have to supply the classroom supplies as well. When I was a preschool teacher the school supplied everything from clay to markers to special fancy craft papers. We had a budget and worked within it. We didn't ask parents to chip in! I just don't get it.

chatz

Mon, Sep 08 2014, 2:19 pm

asmileaday wrote:

I also don't get it and am glad my kids (girls) school isn't like this.

They do ask for a box of tissues. I thought that was weird until I read this thread. Now I am thankful Very Happy

.

Nursery: briefcase, change of clothes, box of tissues
Pre1A: briefcase, box of tissues, folder, kriah book
(both: daily tzedaka and mitzvah note. Although last year the teacher just asked the parents to send in a few dollars which was changed to coins for tzedaka throughout the year)