This comes up as a topic every start of school year. How do you have your kids share supplies? The more I teach, the more I want all shared supplies. Shared glue, markers, pencils, scissors, etc. The only thing I really want them to keep is a notebook and a folder. My problem comes up when kids bring in with their supplies at the start of the year the sparkly, scented, unicorn-hair tipped special markers that they don't want to go into the class stash. Or one of those cool, 64-color boxes of crayons with the pencil sharpener. Or gel pens. Or erasable highlighters in 6 different colors. Should I say add it to the stash or take it home? When one kid keeps their "special" supplies off to the side, then they all want to keep them. Does your school tell kids ahead of time whether supplies will be shared? (Ours does not.)
We have it explicitly listed on our supply list -- these supplies will be shared, these supplies (folders) will not. If they bring something "extra special" for the shared supplies, I just send it back home with a smile and say "use that for your homework." It is easier to than making a big deal of it.
I am pretty sure I'll do that this year. The supplies usually creep back in but I want to try not to have that happen this year.
I tend to prefer my kids have their own supplies, but I might give pure communal a shot this year. Even when allowing them to keep their own things, I banned stuff. I had a year of markers... after that, markers were banned.
When our students bring their supplies to school, they automatically go in a shared space - not just for my classroom but for the entire grade level. So, parents see this right away. I believe that this is written on the supply list, as well, so that they know ahead of time. If anyone brings something that doesn't fit the description of what we've asked for, then they are given the option to take it home or contribute it anyway - although, depending on what it is, we may not even want to use it (for example, a folder with a kitten on it instead of a solid color folder, like we've asked them to bring).
I've found that once parents know supplies are shared, they don't sent them. If I have a few without supplies, I can fill the gap, but not when it's half the class.The only thing we share now is pencils. Each student gets a gallon baggie to hold supplies in their cubbies. They all keep pencils, erasers, glue sticks, scissors in their pencil pouch that is kept in a table caddy. Extra fancy, super supplies are sent home in their homework supply kits.
Personally, and it took me years, I stopped worrying about supplies. Shared doesn't work, because it's too much work for me to manage. I let kids have their own things. Most bring in their own stuff and manage it well and treat their personal supplies better than what would be in the shared bin. There are some that don't and that's ok, I keep extra that goes in the shared bin. However most of the time they ask to borrow their friends stuff. I always keep extra pencils because there are those few students who never have pencils.
I had shared glue, pencils, and erasers. Everything else the students kept in their cubbies. The shared pencils worked great because in stead of sharpening pencils all day, I had it as a clean up job and dull pencils were just traded out. Glue was kept in a bin on the cubbies for each table.
They share the supplies I provide. They bring their own pencils, folders, and composition books. I provide crayons, colored pencils, and highlighters.
Have them take the "fancy" supplies home. If they go into the community property bin, they'll fight over who gets to use the different item. Alternately, put everybody's fancy stuff in a bin and break it out occasionally for special projects so that the supplies last and kids treat them well.
I think using and caring for their own supplies helps develop responsibility. I always have supplies for those whose parents do not send them, or if someone runs out. I teach 4th, so I realize this may be very different for primary.
I've tried it both ways, and keeping their own supplies works best for me. Pencils are shared, but if a kid brings their own "special" pencils, they keep them. On the first day of school, we divide everything in half. They keep one half in their desks, and the other half is given out after Christmas Break. I felt sorry for the kids who took really good care of their supplies and got back a crappy half empty box of crayons at the end of the year. And then there's always the handful of kids who want a specific color of scissors, whine when they don't get them, try to trade, etc. Then I'd have to give the sharing speech again. And, I also started feeling sorry for the kids who brought the fancy scissors, pencils, folders, whatever. I've watched them in the supply aisle digging through boxes trying to find the perfect ones, lol.