Moving classroom etiquette

[GreatWhites]

What do you do with your personal resources that are too babyish for the new class but too bulky?

I have been in infants for a long time and I'm moving all the way up the school. A lot of the toys in my classroom are my own things that my DD has grown out of or that I've picked up in charity shops. Things like the toy kitchen, the dolls, a doll's house, Playmobil, train sets, blocks.

So the dilemma is that the infants would be left empty if I took everything and I really don't have the space for everything. I just feel a bit antsy about someone else using all my things. I really will be cross if things end up broken. The woman who is going into the class really isn't known for looking after things. WWYD?

[ladygracie]

Can you have a really good sort out? I bet there will be things tha you don't mind leaving behind & lots that you want to keep. You are well within your rights to take anything that's yours esp if it won't be looked after. As long as you let the new teacher know asap that there won't be much left, I think that's fine.

[Olivo]

When I stopped teaching a subject and someone else started, I explained that many of the resources were my own and that I'd like to keep them at home, just in case I ever needed them again, they were OK with it. I left everything that belonged to school of course, and some of the things which I knew would date too quickly. I think that as long as you explain, it should be fine.

[thebookeatinggirl]

I've been in this exact situation. I think if you leave them, then you are as good as saying they now belong to the classroom, and are no longer your responsibility or concern. You can't leave stuff, but still want ownership of it, and expect others to 'look after it'. I'd hate to inherit a classroom full of stuff that was someone else's personal property. And if it leaves the classroom rather bare, then the school/new teacher needs to be made aware of that beforehand so they can do something about it.

So make a decision. Pack it up and put it in your garage/loft, or leave it and give up ownership. I did a mixture of the two - packed up and stored the 'good stuff' e.g. A massive brio train track, mahoosive marble run, a playmobile pirate ship, and left behind bits that I knew the children loved but which were car boot fodder. Showed new teacher what I'd left, and said I'd clear anything she didn't want.

[MidniteScribbler]

Keep it. Our principal likes us to move around every few years, so I figure that I'm going to end up back in a grade at some point in the future. I have some big tubs in the garage labelled for various school years, so I can always go back to them. Always a good opportunity for a big clean out before pack up.