I spoke with my principal today and he said that each teacher can decide what to put on their supply lists. I got to see my classroom and talk to the custodian and my school does provide some basic supplies -- lined paper, stapler, paperclips, whiteboard markers etc but the custodian said that supplies are hard to get at the end of the year + they seem to be pretty stingy with them! I also have a supply closet filled with different types of math manipulatives, student whiteboards, etc. I teach in a low income school so I am trying to figure out if this supply list is reasonable. This is only for one class (math) and I assume that kids would need supplies for the rest of their classes. My principal also said that if a child is having trouble getting supplies, he will provide them. -One binder (one inch) -Lined paper -One notebook -Pencils and pens -Markers or colored pencils -Two glue sticks -Two whiteboard markers Does this list seem reasonable for a 6th grade math class? Also, it is ok for teachers to ask for things like Kleenex and Clorox wipes? My school does not provide them.
This is what my classroom looks like. The custodian helped my find bulletin board border and paper. The previous teacher also had a bunch of posters but they're a bit dusty. I'm trying to figure out how to decorate without breaking the bank! Classroom by Ms.Holyoke posted Aug 10, 2018 at 3:50 PM Classroom3 by Ms.Holyoke posted Aug 10, 2018 at 4:02 PM
Is there a reason they need a binder with paper AND a notebook. Can't one or the other achieve the same purpose? Also, will you be doing so much gluing in math class that not one, but two glue sticks is necessary? Finally, is it possible to just get a class set of markers or colored pencils? Unless you will be coloring daily, one of those class sets should last a couple years. Maybe it's just the high school teacher in me, but I always feel less is more. My supply list is: Something to write with and something to write on. Just no red pen please. I have a class set of colored pencils and a class set of glue sticks that have been with me since my first year (and I am going into year 7). I bought them with my own money, but I probably could have got my supervisor to buy them if I tried. That said, I really only use them maybe 3-4 times a year tops.
^ I think the notebook paper is redundant! You're right. I was thinking that maybe the other 6th grade teachers would ask kids to bring markers or colored pencils as well in which case they could use the same supplies in all their classes. I'll ask when I meet them.
I want to agree here. I get students to get a three ring binder and a spiral notebook (with the three holes punched). The notebook is for note taking and the binder is for graded assignments. Rulers for drawing graphs and tables but those three things I always have extra of in case a student doesn't have any.
I also realized I don't have a class set of scissors! Do you think I should just purchase it or put it on the list?
Well my question is how crafty do you intend to be? You've got glue, coloring devices, scissors... Are you going to be particularly crafty and use these things on a regular basis? If not I'd just get a classroom set. For instance I have scissors we might use once a semester.
I think we would use glue/scissors once a week. It's good for matching activities for math. Markers and colored pencils would be for color coding notes and projects.
I always furnish scissors, markers, glue, etc. for the kids because I refuse to lose instructional time for six kids whose scissors have vanished into the bookbag black hole.
But... I also have my desks arranged as tables. Each table has a caddy holding a box of tissues, scissors, stapler, markers, and glue sticks.
I actually do several matching activities, like the ones you are describing, in my high school math classes. The cutting and gluing part of it is generally a waste of instructional time. (I used to actually have them cut and glue the stuff, but started to just have them fill in a table with the matches instead---they get the same learning experience in half the time.)
I do scissors, glue, colored pencils, and markers as just a classroom set. I have a three drawer organizer tote thing that I keep it all in and the kids know they can help themselves to anything in there. I teach HS English and my supply list for them includes a binder, paper, notebook, pens, index cards, highlighters, and an independent reading book (which I go over with them but include in supplies because they need to bring it daily). I do like having the paper and notebook separate because I find the notebooks get too messy when they're constantly ripping pages out and they never tear off the edges either. Everything I ask for I do also keep supplied in my classroom for kids who forget, run out, lose something, etc... it's just much easier that way. My kids are overall very responsible though so one box of pencils and one package of paper will last me a whole year.
My 8th grade students (ELA) need paper to use for assignments, a spiral notebook or composition book that stays in the room (journal), pencils, and a folder. Math teachers require a 1” binder with 8 index tabs, notebook paper, pack of copier paper, graph paper, pencils, folder, and calculator. We use highliters, dry-erase markers, colored pencils, scissors, and glue sometimes, but it’s easier to have a class set. We can’t require things like tissues, sanitizer, and wipes.
I already have calculators, lined paper and graph paper thankfully so the kids don't need to bring that. Copies are also not limited at my school. (I also have 100 boxes of fraction tiles...not sure what I'm going to do with these!) I think I'd be fine purchasing a class set of scissors since I can reuse them every year but I want to wait on the markers and glue and maybe see what the other teachers are doing. Did anyone purchase an electric hole puncher? My mentor teacher had one and it was amazing! I looked up the price on amazon and it was over $100! My scholarship also gives us $200 to spend on our classroom our first year and we'll get the supplies around November. I'm not sure what to buy with this money.
Our copy machine can automatically hole punch so you may want to check if yours can do the same before making that investment.
If I was given a limited amount of money to spend in my classroom, I would focus on necessities that I could use year after year. I bought a lot of bins for organization in my first year and haven't regretted it. My most extravagant purchase was an electric sharpener to replace the manual one in my room. The photocopier at school hole punches things and we have hole punches that everyone can use. I always see punches at Goodwill for less than five dollars. I picked up one for less than that to use at home and the model retails for about seventy-five dollars. It's not super fancy, but can punch a ton of pages at a time. You might like to look there and you'll be able to stretch your money even further. Have you done any year planning or lesson planning? That might help you figure out the supplies your students will need.
I have lesson planned a little bit but not a lot. I have a general idea of what I want my lessons to look like though. I do anticipate my kids needing markers or colored pencils. Maybe glue and scissors isn't a necessity but I would like them to have it. I wanted my kids to have whiteboard markers too for mini whiteboards, but that's also not a necessity (but I do have mini whiteboards). I might put it on the supply list and see what I get. Chart paper would also be nice but my school doesn't provide this. We don't even have the big rolls of paper that I thought all schools had. I'm not sure how I am going to have my kids do posters, etc. It's confusing because these kids have about 6 different classes and they need separate supplies for each. If we had teams, it would be nice to have the kids get one binder for math/science, one binder for ELA/Social Studies, etc. I was talking to a teacher who said that the biggest negative about our school is the lack of supplies and she said she spent about $3000 last year. She taught science so some of it was for labs, which she said that the school had no supplies for! Copies are unlimited which is nice and we do have some basic supplies that are likely limited. I'm also worried about my kids not bringing basic supplies -- like pencils, binders, and notebooks. I asked my principal about supply lists last week and he said that if a kid doesn't have a binder and I remind him many times or can't afford one, he will get one for him. The teacher I was talking to said that it is harder to get the kids in the lowest level classes to bring supplies. I don't teach inclusion, but I teach the next lowest level. I was wondering if it looks bad to ask a principal about notebooks/binders for kids who don't have them. The teacher I was talking to (who spent the $3000) said that she never tried to ask about things like these. I was talking to a friend who also got a job in this district about this issue and we both felt that if we pay $800 in union dues, they should ensure that certain basic supplies should be provided.
If you need a cheap alternative to posters, Target did have big drawing pads for around $5. I used some last year and they worked pretty well and was much cheaper than chart paper. Also, in the Target Dollar Spot, they had a roll of drawing paper for $3: that may be an option. If you have an Ollie's close, look there for the big drawing pads. I found some last year for 50 cents. On the glue sticks, scissors, and whiteboard markers, unless you plan on using them often (at least twice a week?), I would get a class set of them. The kids who want their own will usually bring them and the ones who can't afford them will have access to them. If you do get a class set of scissors, spend the extra money to get the good Fiskars ones; I bought cheap my first year and ended up replacing all of them in less than two years because most of them broke in half. A good way to get student whiteboard markers is at the end of the year, take all of your teacher markers that still work and put them in a bin for student use and start with fresh teacher ones at the beginning of the year. I tell the kids if there's any ink coming out and its writing, you can still use it.
I will look into the drawing paper! I actually realized I bought some smaller drawing pads from office max for a demo lesson. I will use that until I run out. I feel like I can markers & glue for the class because of the sales but whiteboard markers are too expensive for a class set when I have 30+ kids. I think I'll ask the school and/or put it on the supply list and see what I get. I will probably not use whiteboards if I don't get them. I was actually thinking of getting the cheap scissors so thanks for the warning! I might order a class set of fiskars with my scholarship $$ when I get it. I think I could do without scissors if need be.
I can't imagine how often posters are being made in math class? I've never done posters, granted I teach high school math. It sounds like you're expecting to do a ton of projects and activities. I know you mentioned how big your classes are looking. I am just wondering if you might not be able to do as many of the types of activities and things as you may be expecting. I am not saying you won't do any of them, but they are certainly harder to manage, particularly as a new teacher with such big classes, and you may find taking a more direct approach isn't necessarily a terrible idea. Not trying to discourage you at all, but I've just found I've done less stuff like that since my first year, and I've been a better teacher with less need for extra stuff.
I'm teaching 6th grade so I assumed I would have to be a little bit more elementary in terms of the activities that I do compared to older kids. I'm really not sure though. I was mainly thinking about posters for group activities -- ex, show how your group solved the problem to encourage collaboration.
What does everyone think of DonorsChoose? I was thinking about using it for whiteboard markers for my kids and chart paper. I have some extended family that might be willing to donate. My school has over 75% of our kids on free and reduced lunch.
DonorsChoose is awesome! It’s even better when they do one of their promotions and they match your first donation of $50. I used it my first year to get Webster’s Dictionaries. Try it out and see how it goes.
^ Do people ask for things like pencils and tissue boxes as well? My school only provides a limited quantity of pencils.
I’m not sure. Could you ask the students to bring them in? Maybe as extra credit; one box of tissues/pencils for a class coupon.
I'm not comfortable giving extra credit for things like tissues but from what I hear it's hard enough getting kids to bring a binder in. It's easier for the honors classes but I do not teach those. I'm reducing my supply list and just asking for a binder, pencil, and eraser. I will definitely ask for tissue boxes and hand sanitizer but I'm not sure how successful it will be. I am definitely not purchasing these items with my own $$ though -- my backup plan is to put out a roll of school toilet paper from the bathroom. I also realized that I only have a wall pencil sharpener in my room that sucks! I wasn't planning on buying one but I would add it to a DonorsChoose project if I made one.
I have used Donors Choose for pencils and dictionaries before. I would recommend that you check with your admin before posting a project though. Some schools have policies - either formal or informal - against teachers using Donors Choose.
We are not allowed to use Donors Choose. We were told it gives the community the idea that we don’t have money for the things we need, and many people already complain about taxes.
Wow, I had no ideas some schools didn't allow it! I know we are allowed at my school because they told us that a lot of teachers used it at Orientation. I also emailed my mentor to ask her whether we need permission earlier today. I also heard that if you get funded, the items are school property and you can't take them with you if you leave. However, most of what I'm asking for are consumables (except for a pencil sharpener) so it shouldn't be an issue.
So I received confirmation that my school allows Donors Choose projects and they recommend that we run it by our principal. I also found out that the school does not supply tissues...which I'm sure is normal but it is really frustrating. I have decided to email my principal and ask to start a Donors Choose project. I'm not sure how exactly to word the email. Things I am asking for are scissors for the kids, whiteboard markers for the kids, lots of pencils, chart paper, and a pencil sharpener. I was thinking of also asking for tissues and hand sanitizer but I'm not sure if that "belongs." Thoughts? I already purchased markers, colored pencils, and glue sticks for the kids in addition to extra whiteboard markers (on sale) for myself in the likely scenario that my school runs out. I am really hoping that my project gets funded because I do not want to spend more $$. I also had to buy a few bins, trays, crates for storage and I have to pay to get things laminated. I am hoping that it is just the first year of teaching that is so expensive & that I'll be able to reuse a ton next year.
I don't find it normal AT ALL to not supply tissues. I can't imagine that. We occasionally run out of tissues at the end of the school year, but when I send my business ed student to the nurse on a tissue run I always have her grab a few extra boxes so I am stocked up even if the school runs out. I don't know what they expect the kids to do without tissues---I guess just go to the bathroom and use toilet paper.
^ My plan was to just put out toilet paper but I obviously would prefer my kids to be comfortable. The schools I subbed in always had tissues available but the school I student taught at did not.
I mean... I had a student opt to use a sheet of notebook paper as opposed to the tissues I had available.
My district provides all basic supplies for students: paper, pencils, markers, pencils boxes, etc. Heck, lots of companies even provide fully stocked backpacks! The two things I do ask for are: Clorox wipes & Kleenex! I ask at Back-to-School Night and send pleas via the Remind app throughout the year.
I am planning on asking at Back to School Night as well...but I am not hopeful. At this point, I will just be happy if kids can bring a pencil and their binder every day!
After reading these replies, I find it interesting that some of your schools provide tissues! My county and most surrounding counties have tissues, Clorox wipes, Lysol spray, and hand sanitizer on the “not required but appreciated” list. Interesting how things are different depending on where you’re from!
