To be really pissed off about constantly having to replace stuff?

[Opalsandemeralds]

Black pens. Purple pens. Whiteboard markers. Rulers. Glue. Pencils. I am a teacher.

I’m fucking sick of it (grouchy rant) and while I’m no Boris fan, it’s been like this since I started teaching so it isn’t a political rant, it’s kids being dickheads rant. For some reason it’s really got to me today.

In what way are the kids being dickheads? Are they stealing them?

Nice.

Secondary or Primary? Maybe we can help with some control measures?

Are children stealing classroom items and you are having to pay to replace them out of your own money?

Yabu.

YANBU

I remember once a student said something like "it's only a 10p pen, chill out" and I thought that summed it up. They genuinely couldn't see why them breaking pens or not looking after resources might be a problem. They seemed to have no regard for other people's property or having a duty ro look after equipment for other students to use.

Then it dawned on me. Some adults in life have no concept of responsibility or looking after things unless it's their money. It's hardly surprising that some students also have those views too.

What’s ‘nice’?

Secondary. I think it’s a combination of stealing and sometimes just wandering off. Or misusing them (using half a glue stick to stick one piece of paper on another, for example.)

We have to provide our kids with their own stuff (y4) and replace when needed, we get sent a message. So YABU for doing it out of it own pocket

What am I supposed to do?

What happens if you don't replace it? Little jonny doesnt have a pen, isn't that jonnys lookout?

I sympathise. When my son was at school he started every term with a new full kit of those supplies and was continually losing them - along with other things, items of clothing, etc. I was forever buying because they had to be replaced. It's really bad that teachers now have to purchase essentials for their pupils.

@Opalsandemeralds

What am I supposed to do?

Are they working in groups with these materials? Or are they supposed to have their own and forget so you lend?

Can't you count things in and out?

The school Ds's went to had a pencil vending machine, If you forgot to bring one in you had to go and buy one. No money the teacher would loan one in exchange for something you had and give it back when you returned the pencil.
They also put out a list of things they needed. So anyone who had extras or was generous would bring in supplies that were used for the whole class. White board markers were always on the list.

Wow. That's not fair on you at all op

@Chickenpoxtwins

What happens if you don't replace it? Little jonny doesnt have a pen, isn't that jonnys lookout?

And then Jonny has no work in his book, so I get my P45!

Theoretically I could count pens in and out but it is very difficult to do that in practice. Even when I start the lesson with ‘who needs a pen - one, two, three …’ someone always doesn’t listen and says ten minutes in ‘I need a pen.’

Then someone’s runs out.

Then someone treads on it and breaks it.

And with things like glue it’s misuse. Bloody annoying.

Problem is @NoLongerTroels that just quickly turns into a game of going in and out to the vending machine.

Have your own for "hire".
They can use such items in your lessons but surrender something of value to them while using it. They get the item back when they return yours in good condition.
Items they surrender could vary from school to school but ideally something named such as lunch or student id card.
I've known of teachers making a student surrender a chair while using something they should have brought to the lesson themselves.
Will work with some schools but could cause too much disruption in others I guess!

Why they cannot have their own pencil case with all the pencils, pens, ruler etc in it, therefore their responsibility to look after and replace it if needed?

Organising something in return for the pen would lead to arguments (they don’t actually care if they have the pen or not!) and more disruption.

‘What? My phone? I’m not giving HER my phone.’
‘I’ll just switch it off.’
‘I’ll just turn it on silent.’
‘I’ve got a calculator.’
‘I ain’t even GOT a phone.’
‘He’s lying! Miss, he’s lying!’

Arghh, that’s stressing me out just thinking about it!

@Opalsandemeralds

What am I supposed to do?

If they borrow a pen they give you their tie/shoe/bag. They get it back when they return the pen.

Is a fully stocked pencil case on the list of stuff the students need to bring? If so there should be consequences for not having. What would happen if they consistently didn't bring their pe kit?

It depends on your relationship with the class and the overall school culture to be honest OP.

I had a 'help yourself' jar at the front of my room and students could come in, borrow whatever they needed as long as it was returned. Sometimes students walked off with a pen without asking, but usually if they needed to borrow one then they'd ask me and I'd say yes. Sometimes they came back, sometimes they didn't, but the overall culture in my classroom meant that I rarely went through huge amounts of equipment because students knew that one day they might need to borrow something. Other staff had some of the problems you mentioned, but because the general school culture was nice my approach worked well.

In another school I had a class where students would willingly break things and seem to enjoy the confrontation when challenged. The culture culture students in this school wasn't as good. I was relentless with sanctions until they understood that I had expectations. I didn't stay long because I felt I was endlessly firefighting.

I worked mainly with kids with severe ADHD and PDA, so my pens were swiped pretty much every lesson. Poundland was my best pal.

I can guarantee most aren't stealing them on purpose, most are wandering off with them.