Back to school time is scary, stressful, and exciting. I still get super excited once they start clearing out summer stuff to move in the Lisa Frank folders and mountains of Crayola products flooding the aisles. It was always special those moments before school started when my two sisters and I would spread out our fresh finds all over the living room floor and watched our mom write our names inside each folder and notebook our names in a special calligraphy pen and our own acronym messages that were just for us, like our own special secret that kept her near us while we ventured out and learned.

I don’t get to write my daughter’s name on everything this year for first grade. I won’t put a small piece of masking tape on the edge of her Fiscal scissors and neatly write her name with little dots on each corner like she likes it. This is because instead of buying her one large box of crayons for just her, I am buying 4 small ones to be collected and dispersed out to each child when their box is wearing out. Instead of preparing a school box with anything and everything she needs, even special sparkly pencils, I am just going to send 24 standard pencils and an unopened back of scissors to go in a bucket to share.

Though I am a little disappointed I won’t be practicing my calligraphy skills as much as I would like to and my children will not share the same experience that I had 20 years ago, as a teacher I know that the classroom is completely different than it was when I was her age and as a parent, I need to support that instead of blasting it. There are supplies on her list I never had to get as a kid, but this is not 1991 when I was entering first grade.

I cannot help but notice how many parents are taking to social media to blast their children’s teachers for asking for certain supplies and making accusations about their children’s teachers when, according to Forbes, teachers spent an average last year of $513 on their classrooms last year alone. This does not include what the schools supply as well; however, funding is getting more limited than ever and teachers have to be resourceful, especially when they are trying to create and teach innovative, interactive, and interesting lessons for their students.

In the world of education, there is a push to change the classroom, to flip it and completely eliminate the “Old School” way of teaching and push for 21st Century Skills. This means the classrooms are not the same as when we were kids, so the teachers are asking for different items.

Here is a list of items I have noticed have been in question that are common on school supply lists.

Baggies

Contrary to many accusations I have noticed on Facebook, these are not for the teachers’ lunches. In fact, there are no supplies that are asked for by teachers that are for personal use. If your child is in the lower grades, they are most likely using them for cut outs and interactives. They will cut out different things and store them in the baggies so they can go back to them and practice with them.

In the upper levels, they are used to keep smaller pieces from projects.

Wipes

Usually, in a building there are only 2-3 janitors working, so they cannot come in and wipe the desks every class. Germs spread fast in the schools and these are used for the teacher to wipe the desks when they become soiled and full of germs. Also, they are good to hand to an individual student when they have found the booger left behind by the kid I the class before.

Tissue Boxes

You would not believe how quickly a box of tissues goes in a class, especially during sniffle season. Last year, I had tons of boxes donated by parents and by March, I was begging other teachers for a box for my 8th graders with the sniffles.

Red Pens

It has been studies and proven that kids learn more when they are made to look at their mistakes and correct them. Kids feel special when I place a red pen in their hands to edit their paper, or their partner’s paper. It encourages them to pick out and correct more.  These, again, are not for teaher’s person use (Personally, I use more greens and blues to grade).

Sticky Notes

I do love using sticky notes in my classroom. They can be used in editing, organizing, active learning, exit tickets, and I personally have replaced the dreaded index card method for research with a designed outline that they can place facts they have found and written on sticky notes onto.

 

Dry Erase Markers

My 8th graders loved when I pulled out the dry erase markers because this meant they got to write on their desks. We would practice our grammar, writing, and punctuation skills and write on the desks instead of paper.

I also see people doing it on actual boards. Math problems become more fun when you ge to write it on a dry erase board.

Printer Paper

One ream of paper if a mere fraction of what a student will use during the school year, and with budgets getting smaller, we have to be tight with paper. Unfortunately, many students’ only access to a printer is at school and they will need to print out copies of digital work like typed research papers. This is just a nice way to ensure that here is enough for all of the paper demand that school endure.

Remember, most teachers are not like that mean teacher you had all of those years ago, but they are actually very passionate and care a lot about giving your child a great experience and a desire to learn. They are not asking for more than they should and in fact are trying to ask for as little as possible.

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August 7 6:00 am - August 8 4:00 pm

It’s almost time to go back to school which means school supply shopping! For some kids in the tri-state though, shopping for school supplies is a luxury they unfortunately don’t get, and every child should have the right tools for an education, so we need your help with stuffing a bus FULL of school supplies for these kids!

Deaconess and Townsquare media present Stuff The Bus! We will be collecting school supplies for kids in the community.  The school supplies will be going to the Dream Center, the Boys & Girls Club, and select schools around the tri-state that have students that can use them the most!

You can help out by joining us for Stuff The Bus on August 7th and 8th. On August 7th from 9AM-3PM we will be at Deaconess collecting supplies, and on August 8th from 10AM-4PM you can drop off supplies at Target on the East side of Evansville or either Deaconess location collecting school supplies!

If you won’t be able to make it out to Stuff The Bus,  have school supply drop off locations where you can bring by school supplies anytime to Deaconess hospital, DeaconessGateway, or at Townsquare Media’s downtown office.

We really appreciate your help in making sure every child has access to everything they need for a great school year!

 

 

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