Teachers buying own resources

[MrsHathaway]

Sorry for the thread title.

I'm sure that around this time last year there was a loooooooooong thread in Primary Education asking teachers what resources they buy for their classes out of their own money (i.e. when the budget runs out or they can't face justifying the cost), off the back of which some parents bought resources and sent them in to school for the new academic year.

Only I can't for the life of me find it. I've used every search term I can think of in Advanced Search and nothing. Can anyone else remember?

For what it's worth, this is the list I exported of all the materials teachers said they had bought for their classes. They also mentioned that by about June they're running out of photocopier paper, handwriting pens and pencils.

antibacterial gel and wipes
board rubbers
books
blu-tack
card blanks
coloured paper
colouring pens
costume material
cotton wool
counters
cushions and blankets, old curtains
dice
drawing pins
glue sticks
hair bobbles and clips
laminating pouches
marking stamps
mounting paper
paper clips
pencil crayons
san pro
sellotape
spare PE kit / uniform
stickers
sticky labels
tissue paper
tissues
underwear
washing lines and pegs

So just to bring this thread back to what I assume was its original aim ...

OP, are you suggesting that we - parents - might buy a few things that the classroom needs and tends to run out of, as an alternative to an end-of-year-gift to a teacher (if we're in the habit of doing that)? How do you suggest we go about finding out what's needed by individual classrooms/schools? It's a potentially awkward conversation to have with a teacher/head/administrator. I'd like to do this, just not sure how to go about it.

Last year I simply asked but it was a gift to the class in September, rather than a parting gift. Each teacher named a few things (off the top of my head, board markers, biros in specific colours, and of course Pritt Stick) and I added some things from the now-lost thread including post its and hair bobbles.

The June box of handwriting pens was ad hoc and in response to DC saying they were working in pencil because they'd run it of pens.

That's what I did. In general I think it's a disgrace that schools aren't swimming in HLTAs and branded glue sticks, so I wouldn't go so far as to say that anyone ought to do similar.

Having said that, don't throw away curtains, big boxes, outgrown PE kit, etc without giving school first refusal!

My last UK primary job: £50 a year budget for all classroom supplies except paper and display rolls, which were bought for the school as a whole.
My overseas job: £500 classroom, £150 art, £150 petty cash for incidentals through the year.
I nearly passed out when I was given the catalogues the first year I was here!

£50 a year ... ?!

So once you've bought a couple of class sets of handwriting pens and glue sticks you've got about two and six left for absolutely everything else.

Yup! I was spending £50+ a term (thank God for Poundland craft supplies!), probably more when you took into account stuff for cooking.

Another vote here for glue sticks!

Also white board pens, pencil crayons, sellotape and masking tape, post it notes, sheets of white sticky labels, reward stickers, (stars, smiley faces, etc).

My stash thus far:

Laminator pouches
Post-its
Whiteboard pens
Hair bobbles
Dettol wipes

£1 each so not breaking the Hathaway bank.

I remember Blu-Tack and drawing pins being particularly popular before. Primary expects lots of displays, yes?

I wouldn't be buying laminator pouches or dettol wipes - both are bad for the environment.

What are the children doing that require 5 Pritt sticks per child??

My children's books have lots of slips of paper glued in which DC2 informs me are called "can I" and replace what in our day would have been the teacher writing on the board and the class laboriously copying before the work could begin. Then there's photocopied worksheets, spellings lists, homework etc all glued in, saving probably hours per week of children's time in a school day bursting at the seams with curriculum.

But by "laboriously" copying work from board to exercise book the children are gaining vital hand eye co-ordination skills and getting the opportunity to think about the task.

Likewise with spelling lists - a good way to learn them is by copying them.

And I thought work sheets were considered "bad practice"?

It seems such a waste to print/ write stuff on one piece of paper only for it to be stuck in another piece of paper - using all those ruddy Pritt Sticks!

£50 a term? I spend at least that a fortnight on resources, if not more.

I've had to buy my own laser printer and toner, laminator and pouches too, due to the new laminating and photocopying rule at my school. Add to that stationery, lesson resources, things for after school club, enhanced provisions and things like water bottles for the children whose parents refuse to provide, snacks for those who would otherwise go hungry, spare pants and socks and the odd pair of shoes for those who don't have them and I spend a fortune. More than I spend on my own child.

It's ridiculous and heartbreaking but I couldn't not.

Multiple times a day, copying off the board? That doesn't allow for differentiation between groups, or make allowances for SEND, and it's a waste of time they could be spending on the actual activity.

Anyway, I'm not an education theorist so I can't discuss the exact pros and cons.

Anyway, I'm not an education theorist so I can't discuss the exact pros and cons

Well at least think before you raid Poundland for resources which you believe to be essential!

When DC were at their "eco friendly" primary school I could guarantee that at the end of the summer term they would bring home exercise books that often weren't even half full. I never understood why they didn't continue using them and FILLING them UP during the next school year rather than starting new ones.

And I managed to get through my entire schooling without a water bottle or getting dehydrated.

Well at least think before you raid Poundland for resources which you believe to be essential!

If it's school policy where she is, however much she thinks about it won't change it.

As an aside, as an Irish teacher I really don't see the point in sticking in all these learning objectives into copies. It seems to be a Uk thing. Can't see how it teaches them anything useful. But policy is policy

Don’t get kids to copy spelling lists off the board, they need an accurate copy in their book to learn from!

And worksheets are not considered ‘bad practice’.

I was once told not to use worksheets. When I asked why I was told 'because ofsted don't like them'.

The thing is, I don't teach ofsted, I teach my class. I don't care what ofsted think!

Good point about accurate spellings to start with!

Incidentally I'm not raiding Poundland at random (though that sounds huge fun) but picking things up from last year's list when I see them on offer. The whole point of asking in Primary Education was for input from primary staff on what's useful. The answer is overwhelmingly REAL PRITT STICKS and the kind of non-stationery items I would never have thought of before MNers mentioned them last year, such as sanitary towels, hair clips and underwear.

When DC were at their "eco friendly" primary school I could guarantee that at the end of the summer term they would bring home exercise books that often weren't even half full. I never understood why they didn't continue using them and FILLING them UP during the next school year rather than starting new ones.

This is a good point and I'm glad to say my DCs' school does carry workbooks over into the new school year. In July they'll only bring home full, finished books, so in many cases the most recent work could be months old.

Just a request! Please don’t laminate unless it’s really going to get used a lot! All that plastic...

I think they laminate e.g. number lines to use with dry wipe pens, and stuff for the outdoor classroom, mainly.

Lots gets laminated with me, because we use most of it outdoors, or with dry wipes. My school has a rule that all display materials need to be laminated too, titles, work, pictures etc.

My school has a rule that all display materials need to be laminated too, titles, work, pictures etc

What a waste!

It really is an awful waste. We recycle the plastic, but still.

Not a teacher but for those that need cheap supplies it’s worth checking out if you have a scrap store nearby.

They’re great - local businesses donate stuff that they don’t need that they would otherwise have have to pay the council to take away so they’re quids in. The scrap store get supplies they sell cheaply which help them to operate - my local one is run by the local play association that runs lots of free play and craft sessions for kids in the holidays, provide craft huts for schools, run craft sessions at events, and of course run the scrap store.

It’s a treasure trove - different every time but typically there are rolls of white paper approx 80cm x 100+ metres (end of giant rolls from publishers that are too short to run through the big machines) for £3, giant A0 pieces of silver card at 20 for a pound because the silver was missing from a couple of mm at one edge (so couldn’t be sold for £2+ Each in shops due to being imperfect), fabrics, old shop Christmas decorations, plastic and card cones that had been spools of thread, some old lenses from an opticians having a clear out, and so much more; I’m not really doing it justice. The also sell stationery and ‘normal’ art/craft supplies at a discount.

I’ve introduced a friend who is teacher to our local scrap store - she couldn’t believe the prices or what she could get for her money nor could she believe that neither she nor her colleagues knew about the place.

Ours costs £10 a year for personal membership or there are schools etc membership rates too. (Friend’s school is now a member and they get loads of stuff from there; the membership fee pays for itself many times over). Plus there’s the feel good eco factor so it’s a win win all round

Ooh that is fascinating! I wonder if there's one near us.

Our school use a scrap shop - we get all sorts of fantastic paper, card, fabric, ribbons etc.