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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

182 replies

Opalsandemeralds · 16/02/2022 13:10

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.

OP posts:
starfishmummy · 16/02/2022 13:59

Not that you should have to but the "bookies" half length pens are £3 for 50 on ebay. They're also not very nice If they are unattractive, kids might not be so inclined to steal them.

We used to buy them at my office as decent pens would be pinched by the customers

Whydoesthecatalwaysdothat · 16/02/2022 13:59

I'd put a wanted ad for pens on Freecycle. I'm sure you'd get lots of offers. We have hundreds in the cupboard as DH gets all the promotional ones.

I agree with keeping something of theirs though either a shoe or a school bag (something visible they can't deny they have).

Being a teacher sounds like utter ballache these days. Hats off to you!

LividLaVidaLoca · 16/02/2022 14:00

I've had three projector clickers stolen since September and I teach in a v good school.

£20 each. Yes, my own sodding money.

I now have to sit in the way of the board to manually press the keyboard and it gets on my tits.

(If anyone sees clickers that attach to lanyards, link me up).

Bromse · 16/02/2022 14:00

*Opal, ask for donations. There are many people who have all sorts of old stuff in drawers that they never use (I have). I'm sure a lot of people would have a clear out and even a couple of pencils and a ruler would help, things would soon add up. Ask amongst your friends and relatives first off.

Fink · 16/02/2022 14:01

It's the time it takes that gets me. Yes, I could implement a system of taking a deposit of some sort for each item loaned, but if you're in a school where students habitually don't bring their own stuff and it's an ongoing problem, that could be 15 minutes out of each lesson organising a stationery deposit scheme. And see what that does for your performance related pay/evaluations/observations/general atmosphere in the classroom!

Then you might give sanctions to pupils who don't bring stuff or don't look after it, but then guess who has to use their 30 minute lunch break to supervise the detentions given, chase up the students who don't turn up and then doesn't have time to pick up the photocopying?!

BeMoreGoldfish · 16/02/2022 14:02

You have my every sympathy OP - I left teaching a couple of years ago but I lost count of the money I spent on resources and the total lack of respect shown by children about their possessions and the possessions of others.

The problem with demanding they bring their own is there were always at least 4 or 5 kids in my class who didn't come to school with a full stomach let alone a full pencil case Sad.

MrsTophamHat · 16/02/2022 14:03

@Cherrysoup

Yup, swap phone or shoe for pen. Guaranteed you get your stuff back. What sort of school is it? As form tutors, we check equipment every am reg. Kids without get points. If it’s persistent (and we’ve checked that it’s not a PP child or that there’s not some genuine reason for the lack), they get detention.
There was a thread on here once where that was described as humilation and bullying.
phishy · 16/02/2022 14:04

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

Good idea. Have you tried this, OP?

bowlingalleyblues · 16/02/2022 14:05

Seems like you could set up a slide line selling stationery - most obvious thing to exchange for a 10p pen would be 10p (only half-joking).

KindergartenKop · 16/02/2022 14:09

The loaning things out is a good system but when you have 3 kids without pens who argue about loaning and also you have stuff to give out and also little Alan has a report card and Sally wants to ask you about moving places etc etc. If you only have a 45 min lesson you just want to get on with the work!!

elbea · 16/02/2022 14:10

This is why the American system of getting a daily participation grade often works. If you forgot a pen/paper etc… you were marked down for the days lesson and it had consequences for your overall years grade

junglejane66 · 16/02/2022 14:10

All this pen obsession sounds like Pauline, 'Okey cokey, pig in a pokey' Campbell-Jones

00100001 · 16/02/2022 14:12

Aren't your pupils sanctioned for not being equipped to learn?

SunnydaleHSAlumna · 16/02/2022 14:12

Yes OP, could you charge for them? The really cheap ones, just to cover costs. Surely most kids would come to school with 10 or 20p? Buy a bulk box, make them buy them?

Am I missing something though, why do you have to provide children with supplies? What does the head teacher recommend to do about the issue? It's not fair to expect you to foot the bill for students not bringing in pens, surely?

00100001 · 16/02/2022 14:13

@phishy

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

Good idea. Have you tried this, OP?

People will claim this is degrading.
Proudplantowner · 16/02/2022 14:13

@bowlingalleyblues my mum did this when she was a teacher! She would ask for £1 for a pen which they could keep. Funnily enough most remembered to bring their own in!

ElliotGoss · 16/02/2022 14:14

I feel ya OP. My class treat our room and our equipment awfully. It does grind you down because you are constantly (and now at 35 weeks pregnant) picking up after them and making sure their learning environment looks nice just to have them mess it up again.

rifling · 16/02/2022 14:14

I didn't even know that schools provided pens. Surely it should just be on the students to bring in their own?

MrsTophamHat · 16/02/2022 14:14

@bowlingalleyblues

Seems like you could set up a slide line selling stationery - most obvious thing to exchange for a 10p pen would be 10p (only half-joking).
And if they don't or won't pay?

Lots of people on this thread have never worked with teenagers. There are classes who would be absolutey made up if the lesson descended into a stand off about pens.

The answer is that when the kid says they can't do their work because they haven't got a pen, you give them a pen, and crack on with the lesson. The downside is that someone has to pay, so either the teacher does or they send a letter home (cue the mumsnet thread "heavy handed, only 10p") which creates admin in chasing it up.

Alternatively, you give detentions for lack of equipment. Students on low incomes could get free equipment from pastoral but they'd need to take the initiative to ensure they had what they needed same as everyone. Cue again "heavy handed, only a pen...", and also takes up teacher time and admin.

SunshineCake1 · 16/02/2022 14:16

Maybe try explaining to the kids how to use things correctly and put them back where they belong.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 16/02/2022 14:16

I’ve always provided my dc with everything they need for school but I know not everyone does. Eg, when I queried why a Glue stick was only lasting a couple of weeks, it turned out it was being passed around because it was the only one on the table so there was 8 of them using it. School have a blanket ‘we do not provide stationary’ rule, which I don’t blame them for at all. School budgets don’t stretch far enough and Why should teachers be paying for it out of their own money.

This ^ My DD always has plenty of pens etc. and other kids are always borrowing stuff, sometimes she doesn't get it back. I had very little sympathy for the boy who borrowed her stapler last week. She was involved in her work but the next thing she knew he'd gone to the loo. And then a different boy came back from the loo to say that stapler boy was being taken to A and E to have his stapled hand seen to. Apparently he arses around a lot in lessons.

MadameMinimes · 16/02/2022 14:17

I teach secondary and never lend pens. In the classroom I usually only have one fountain pen of my own with me that has coloured marking ink in it. On the really rare occasion that there’s nobody with a spare pen they are willing to lend, someone will have a pencil they can use.
I decided many years ago to just leave them to sort it out themselves and so far nobody has ever genuinely ended up without anything to write with.
I’d honestly just try not replenishing your supplies and telling them that you don’t have any to lend when they ask.

SockFluffInTheBath · 16/02/2022 14:17

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

Good idea. Have you tried this, OP?

People will claim this is degrading.

The top part is me, I used to do it as a teacher and the students doing the borrowing thought it was funny, maybe the occasional eye roll. It depends how you present it though- it’s not a punishment, it’s a silly way to get them to remember to return the pen. It probably depends on the school though.

MrsTophamHat · 16/02/2022 14:19

@SockFluffInTheBath i agree. There are students I teach who would be able to have a laugh with me about this, some who would derail the lesson completely if I suggested it, and some who would be utterly mortified. Hard to have a consistent approach i think.

Pinkflipflop85 · 16/02/2022 14:19

@SunshineCake1

Maybe try explaining to the kids how to use things correctly and put them back where they belong.
Oh well that solves it all. Bet the op never even considered it... Hmm
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