that I stock up on school supplies really cheaply. Not for me but for the students that come unprepared for class (High school and Middle school).
I have found that if I bring spare lined paper, sharpened pencils, and cap erasers with me it eliminates the disruption in class. Considering I am only there for the day, and my job is to execute the teacher's lesson plan as effectively as possible, this allows things to be accomplished smoothly for only pennies of pocket cost.
Wondering if any others provide such supplies, and stock up as the items go on sale now.
and pencils. Any frankly if I don't get the pencil back I really don't care. I use up all my own kids pencils left over from the end of school and usually buy a bunch this time of year. Think I am also going to invest in a large package of cap erasers.
I find having supplies to pass out cuts down on disruption. Everytime they have to get out of their seats is another opportunity to mess around and talk.
I usually stock up on sale items. The deals haven't been as great this year. I use the items as a daily sub and also used some during my long-term assignments.
I don't spend my own money to buy school supplies for students, nope. Refuse to do it now and I refuse to do it when I'm a certified teacher. If I sub for a teacher that is known to give out supplies then I will pass out his/her supplies but if the teacher doesn't then tough cookies. I have found that when kids tell me they don't have a pencil or paper and I respond with, Well how do you solve that? They tend to come up with the magical solution of borrowing from a classmate. I especially like it when I have a long-term assignment...by the third day it dawns on them that I really mean it when I say they'd better come to class prepared. And they do.
I work for an urban school district, high poverty and all that but a pack of pencils can be had for a quarter. The least I can do is stress to my students the importance of coming prepared to do their job. Which right now is being a student.
A middle school that I have subbed in frequently has subs patrol the halls during their free time. I pick up any pencils or pens and pass these out. I refuse to spend my money for supplies for other people's children when I have to work another job to support my subbing habit.
You can get stuff really cheap during these last weeks of summer and every summer I buy more than I need for my kids. Office Depot (if you have one near you) has weekly sales, Target, and others. I think I have 10 bottles of glue that I don't need because they were 10 cents. Anyhow, I don't take them to school. Only time kids I've found that kids need pencils regularly are certain high school classes in which the students don't care and bring nothing to class.
However, I agree with you that you can get really cheap supplies, and good for you if you are generous enough to bring them with you!
No way can I afford to do this! No! And I won't be picking them up off the floor either. Germs! I don't know where those things have been. Most classrooms look like poo is on everything anyway. Do I feel bad for this kids sometimes? Yes! I raised a child and lived on poverty wages and she had her supplies and yes even the teachers and administrators kids would borrow from her. It was absurd. I am not a babysitter or a social welfare agency. I can barely keep a roof over my own head as it is at 7.25 an hour as a sub.
I kind of go back and forth on this. I have accumulated a lot of pencils over the years from my own kids and occasionally I give them out and am not too worried about getting them back. However, I DO get tired of the hundreds of times that I have heard, "I don't have a pencil; I can't find my pencil; he took my pencil," etc. Many times with grades 1st through 3rd I will say, "It is your job to come to school prepared, and that means having a pencil." I don't say that to high school kids because they are not receptive to it, lol and it would just make things worse. I do have spare paper from my own kids too, but I found usually classes do have extra paper.
I llike school supplies anyway. I get pencils, erasers, glue sticks, stickers, sometimes a small fancy notepad or something to give if I am subbing k-3 and it is a child's birthday. it gets some good cooperation and I feel it is worth it.
I sub in MS and HS only. Very rarely do I give out pencils or paper.
It is the students' job to come to class prepared. Learning to be self-reliant and responsible is as much a part of the educational experience as is learning math or literature.
I absolutely will not let students go to their lockers for forgotten supplies. I do keep pencils in my sub bag and give them out at times. I think I'm going to stop buying ones that are decorated. They are far too popular and sometimes the kids make a mess by peeling off the decoration.
One very difficult 4th grade class would not stop getting up and sharpening their classroom pencils. Since I was there for multiple days, I started making sure each student had a pencil and wrote down who I knew had one. When they complained, I asked what happened to the one they had and suggested they check the floor.
I do pick up pencils off the floor and use those first. I don't give out mechanical pencils (even those found on the floor) and some kids complain. I also have been known to draw the decorated ones randomly. If they want to be picky about your pencil, bring one to class.
As for expense...if you work enough hours as a sub, you qualify to deduct a certain amount (last year it was $200) off your federal taxes for supplies you purchase for subbing. This doesn't require that you itemize deductions.
To the person who gets paid $7.50/hour to sub...no way would I sub for that little...yikes!
> 
07-24-2012, 11:03 AM
