Why are we forced to share school supplies

[Anonymous]

The funding goes to a very bloated central office and administrative staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought it was a logistical reason. Much easier to have, for example, 7 communal caddies of school supplies on each table, than 27 baskets for each individual kids.
Younger kids sit at group tables, not desks where there is storage.

+1
Pretty much every ES classroom I've ever been in is set up with group tables, with the kids rotating among the tables to work on different things. It's much easier to have the supplies pooled, with the appropriate supplies sitting on each table, than to have kids carrying their individual supplies around. Also, with things like group projects, supplies are going to get mixed up. And you don't have to deal with a kid losing their red crayon or breaking their pencil and having to borrow/find a replacement so he can finish his work. I have no problem with it. I just don't think of it as my kid having to share "her" supplies, it's just providing a share of the classroom's supplies. She has plenty of her own stuff at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other than glue sticks and pencils and tissues and baby wipes, my children have always kept everything we have bought in their desks and/or put their name on it at the Open House.

My kids have never had "their" desks. They have tables, which are moved around as needed to suit the day's work. They would have to keep things in their cubby/locker, and it would be a pain if every kid had to got whatever stuff they needed from their cubby every time they needed something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than glue sticks and pencils and tissues and baby wipes, my children have always kept everything we have bought in their desks and/or put their name on it at the Open House.

My kids have never had "their" desks. They have tables, which are moved around as needed to suit the day's work. They would have to keep things in their cubby/locker, and it would be a pain if every kid had to got whatever stuff they needed from their cubby every time they needed something.

Pp here. They only had tables in K and yes then they had a cubby with all their stuff in it. By 1st they had storage desks. My kids like choosing their folders/binders/notebooks, having their own scissors, crayons, etc. They take care of their stuff so I think communal supplies are unfair for things like scissors and crayons that can be abused. I guess pencils and notebooks are okay because they are new when you take them from the bin. But some kids ruin glue sticks. I’m amazed how many kids don’t have manners/good sense by K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does my 1st grader still have to share his school supplies with all he’s “friends”?
Personally I don’t like it. Do you?

Personally I don't like it when people complain that they have to contribute school supplies for the whole class instead of just for their own first-grader.

Even better would be if school supplies were school-funded, but we don't get to have such nice things here.

Our schools and school system ARE well funded. Its how the schools and school system choose to use the money. I have no issue buying my child school supplies and buying extra. If you can afford it, is it really that hard to contribute a bit more for another child whose parents cannot or will not buy.

Compared to what?

Our teachers and staff are well paid compared to other locations in the us especially given they work 10 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because when Larla loses her blue marker, she has trouble completing certain assignments the rest of the year. Hard to draw a blue triangle, or whatever without the blue. As a teacher, I cannot remember which Larlas have lost what supplies when I’m grading. Communal supplies are easier when the kids are younger and less responsible.

I label everything down to markers and crayons. I donate extra to cover list supplies. Give out the extra donated supplies or email the parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does my 1st grader still have to share his school supplies with all he’s “friends”?
Personally I don’t like it. Do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does my 1st grader still have to share his school supplies with all he’s “friends”?
Personally I don’t like it. Do you?

“Forced”
“Still”
“Have”
“‘Friends’”

???

Your kid has more issues than school supply sharing and it starts with his parent.

[Anonymous]

Because kids leave shit everywhere and lose things like it's gong out of style. Because by sharing they are able to go through less stuff when resources are pooled. Because the last thing I want my teacher spending her time doing is trying to figure out whose pencil this is or managing disputes about kids who both say the blue marker is theirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because when Larla loses her blue marker, she has trouble completing certain assignments the rest of the year. Hard to draw a blue triangle, or whatever without the blue. As a teacher, I cannot remember which Larlas have lost what supplies when I’m grading. Communal supplies are easier when the kids are younger and less responsible.

I label everything down to markers and crayons. I donate extra to cover list supplies. Give out the extra donated supplies or email the parent.

I'm sure teachers LOVE you.

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me weep for America.

[Anonymous]

GOD FORBID YOUR CHILDREN LEARN TO SHARE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher and don’t love it for germ reasons (I’m immunosuppressed) but a lot of my students come from cultures that have more collectivist than individualistic beliefs, so it’s more within their comfort level. There really isn’t an issue with people not getting things back that they’ve shared so it works and doesn’t make the kids who don’t have enough supplies feel shamed.

We don’t get many parent donations (focus school) so I supplement from my own pocket and it’s less expensive to buy stuff kids can use communally than to make sure each child has their own set of every supply they’ll need.

Thanks for spreading the flu due to your respect for their collectivist beliefs.

[Anonymous]

I was surprised that the kids used their supplies communally, but my kid didn't care. However, his table-mate, Melanie had her own supplies. So it seemed like the teacher made space for all types of needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? I probably wouldn't even know except I hear dcum kvetching about it. WHO CARES? Oh, my goodness, I bought him one brand of pencil but he's using another brand? Once again...WHO CARES?!

Apparently, there's a cadre of parents who believe that their kids shouldn't ever have to share and the teacher should spend hours sorting out pencils and glue sticks. These children will be paying the price for that attitude as they grow up and find out cooperation leads to better outcomes.