School Supplies...Not Just For Parents

School is starting soon and part of the reason I created this blog was so you (the general public) could get a view of what it's really like in public schools these days. I'm sure the days ahead will be filled of posts about different kids, the challenges teachers face making sure their students are learning what they need to know, etc. Today's post is about school supplies and classroom budgets.

Remember going "back to school shopping" with your mom? Our family didn't have much money for that, as we had 4 kids, but I remember it as being an exciting time. It was so much fun to pick out your folders and your pencils and your "trapper keeper." We always got all the supplies we needed and generally one new outfit. I remember staying up late to organize my supplies and the night before the first day back was so exciting. I'd lay out my outfit and all my supplies and imagine my new classroom. It was so much fun.

About 1/2 of my current students don't ever get to experience that. Teachers and schools have to supply not only paper, pencils, crayons, rulers, markers, folders, and notebooks for the students, we also have to supply a fair number of backpacks and winter coats. About 1/2 of my kids come to school without any supplies: the rest of them come in with one pack of pencils when they need 4, they have 2 packs of paper when they need 6 and no crayons or markers or notebooks. None of my students last year brought tissues or hand soap: I had to go buy that myself for our classroom. The school doesn't provide that for each classroom: it's up to the kids to bring it. Then think about the kids who come to school in the middle of the year because they've moved: they hardly ever bring any sort of supplies.

So, you may be thinking, how do these kids have pencils or erasers or notebooks? The teachers buy them for their classrooms. I have a $350 budget this year and I've already spent $200 of it. I went to the sale at Big Lots (most ghetto store ever!) on their "Teacher Appreciation Day" where everything was an additional 10% off and I got crayons and pencil boxes and notebooks and scissors and markers and all sorts of stuff I knew my students wouldn't (or most likely, couldn't) bring. So over 1/2 of my budget is already gone on school supplies that my kids otherwise wouldn't have.

Then I went to the Teacher Supply Store. Remember the alphabet over your chalkboard in 2nd grade? Remember the thing that stuck to your desk that had your name on it? Those are the kinds of things I need at the teacher store. I went there and spent about $80 on supplies I need...and believe me, I didn't get half the stuff I need. Just the absolute basic essentials for the first week. (I'm going to have to go back in September to get the rest of my stuff.)

So, is anyone doing the math? Out of my $350 budget, I have already spent $280: school hasn't even started yet. I still need to get classroom treats for the kids who do a good job, writers notebooks/dictionaries for everyone (they are about $2 each), and I subscribe our kids to a national news magazine that comes once a week that costs about $75. The way I figure it, school hasn't even started yet and I'm already $65 in the hole. That's $65 that's coming out of my own money...before school even starts. Think about the treats, class parties, books I buy the kids for xmas, soap and tissues when we run out, and other random things we'll need throughout the year.

I don't know what the solution is. I know in other "richer" districts, the teachers get about the same amount for their classrooms. EVERY teacher I have ever known has spent an average of about $200 per year for classroom stuff. What other profession does that?

My sister once told me that I knew this about teaching so I shouldn't be mad or complain about it. I don't agree: only by allowing you all to see what teaching is really like and the things teachers go through just to have soap and tissues in their classrooms, will we all step up and demand change. Our students deserve that.