August 1, 200818 yr You just have to be savvy shoppers people. Watch the ads. Staples routinely offers items for a penny. WalMart had spiral bound notebooks for a nickel. Office Depot and Office Max do the same. Staples had folders for a penny, a box of pencils for a penny, pens and so forth for a nickel. Just watch the ads leading up. I doubt I have spent more than $20 for supplies for two elementary students. Someone has a rebate on dry erase markers where after the rebate they are free. Not a big deal in my opinion. I hit these sales bigtime.
August 1, 200818 yr I know that at one high school each classroom is given so much each year. The teachers usually save about half this for pizza parties and such as that. Now that was about 5 years ago. I don't know if they still are allotted that money now or not.
August 1, 200818 yr My wifes friend is a Elementary Teacher and my wife goes and reads to the kids every now and then and takes a surprise for all the student's in the class that day. The Teacher lines up a different person each month to come and read to the class and they also bring candy treats. Just a thought to some of you teacher's out there and by the way thanks for what you do. JD
August 1, 200818 yr We had anywhere from 4-6 in school each year. When you are a foster parent, and really care about the kids, you spend a ton of money for supplies...not to mention back to school clothes! Back 10 years ago, it was nothing for me and PH to spend 250 on school supplies....I would hate to see it now. But, we always picked up extra stuff....for everything on the list for one child, we would pick up 2 extra for the teacher. We would also pick up jugs of elmer's glue so the teacher would be able to fill other bottles with it. We would not stop for the beginning of the school...once a month, we would ask the teachers what they were running out of and we would try to get these items for them. If every parent would do this throughout the year, the teachers should have an easier time with thier own money. It was our experience that a lot of parents would not donate anything....if they could not, that was fine....we really could not afford it with all of the kids at home, however, it would not break us one way or the other to spend 10 dollars here and there.
August 1, 200818 yr I don't mind buying crayons, folders, paper, notebooks, glue, etc. I have a problem when my child's class supply list has dry erase markers and red ink pens on it. I would have a problem with that also, unless the students used the red pens for someting . No cool.
August 1, 200818 yr I don't mind buying crayons, folders, paper, notebooks, glue, etc. I have a problem when my child's class supply list has dry erase markers and red ink pens on it. I would have a problem with that also, unless the students used the red pens for someting . No cool. Why? You understand that even though the teacher uses them, that the benefit is for the students? I am sure he/she uses the dry erase markers for teaching purposes on the white board - which benefits the students. I am sure he/she uses the pens to grade papers - which benefits the students. With that being said, I can also add both of these things to the list of things that I buy out of my own pocket as a teacher, along with printer cartridges for my computer.
August 1, 200818 yr I am not at that stage yet with my kids....but I know when I was little and now that my sister is needing that stuff...my mom gets things she knows she needs and then has my sister go to school and find out what she really needs and buys it as she goes, and usually things on the list are never even needed.
August 1, 200818 yr The schools need to furnish the supplies for the teachers...chalk, pens, markers, etc....I had never supplied anything for the teachers...for what the children use, I don't mind. I think the schools need to give the teachers needed things and help out some more. It does get expensive. What I always hated was when the teachers sent notes home for the parents to donate money for supplies. Now, we would not do that. We did not know where the money was going to. I think candy is a waste to be on the needed lists. There are some children who can not have sugar. I did not purchase stickers for the teacher either. I know kids love stickers, however, that was not a needed item....smiley faces are fine.
August 1, 200818 yr How about school fees? People talk about free public education.... The fees for books, computers, and planners add up... I'm staring at close to $100 total for one 1st grader and 5th grader, in fees. May be better to debate this in its own thread.
August 1, 200818 yr Anything a teacher needs in his/her classroom the school should buy. I know most schools don't do that but IMO they all should be required to do so.
August 1, 200818 yr The schools need to furnish the supplies for the teachers...chalk, pens, markers, etc....I had never supplied anything for the teachers...for what the children use, I don't mind. I think the schools need to give the teachers needed things and help out some more. It does get expensive. What I always hated was when the teachers sent notes home for the parents to donate money for supplies. Now, we would not do that. We did not know where the money was going to. I think candy is a waste to be on the needed lists. There are some children who can not have sugar. I did not purchase stickers for the teacher either. I know kids love stickers, however, that was not a needed item....smiley faces are fine. I doubt the teacher was using the stickers for his/her personal use. Same with the chalk, pens, markers. Somehow people dont' seem to see how these things benefit the kids.
August 1, 200818 yr I doubt the teacher was using the stickers for his/her personal use. Same with the chalk, pens, markers. Somehow people dont' seem to see how these things benefit the kids. I see how it does benefit the kids, however, instead of stickers, place stars like I got in school...we did not have stickers. Candy is not needed as a school supply. Chalk, pens and markers can be purchased by the schools system. I don't mind buying highly needed supplies for other children when parents can not afford it, but, there are some things that should be supplied in the office and the teachers go and get them.
August 1, 200818 yr Author How about school fees? People talk about free public education.... The fees for books, computers, and planners add up... I'm staring at close to $100 total for one 1st grader and 5th grader, in fees. May be better to debate this in its own thread. $90 for my daughter to play Frosh Vollyball :eek: I know times are hard but wow. I dont want my post to be misconstrued. If the kids have to have the supplies then I am all for buying them.
August 1, 200818 yr I see how it does benefit the kids, however, instead of stickers, place stars like I got in school...we did not have stickers. Candy is not needed as a school supply. Chalk, pens and markers can be purchased by the schools system. I don't mind buying highly needed supplies for other children when parents can not afford it, but, there are some things that should be supplied in the office and the teachers go and get them. Being a high school teacher this was my situation. I was given around $150 a year to spend. I elected NOT to buy school supplies out of my money , but to purchase curriculum materials I really needed to teach my students. In my career, high school teachers did not make lists for the parents to buy. Yes it was my choice to spend the money the way I felt best served my students....but then where did the school supplies come from....my pocket. I felt I put my students first in both cases.
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.