Thread: donated materials from parents

Most schools have a recommended supply list that is issued prior to the end of the school year or during the summer. You may want to check with your school to find out whether such a list exists.

With regards to recommended supplies - it really depends upon your instructional focus. For example - if you plan to do lots of hands-on activities - you may want students to have a portfolio folder or binder to organize their lab observations.

I would also talk to another middle school science teacher. If there's another teacher on your grade level who teaches, science, you may want to touch bases with this person to get some advice.

Best wishes,

David

Check with your administration first, but I let kids bring supplies for bonus points at the beginning of the year. Kleenex, paper towels, pens, pencils, and colored pencils really add up when you have to buy them out of your own pocket. As long as they are donating the items for use by the class as a whole, most students don't have any problems getting something.

As for requiring supplies for class, try to get a handle of what sort of things you might need. Other teachers are your best bet for this, but try not to ask for anything that you are not sure that you will use. Also, check with your school nurse or guidance counselors to see what is available for students who cannot afford to buy supplies. Unhappily, that is true almost every year. Good Luck!

We ask our students to bring some type of notebook to use as a journal for each class. Writing is of great importance in our school district, and our teachers do lots of writing. Our math and science teachers do a journal topic related to math or science nearly every day. It makes the kids think. And if they can explain certain things in writing, you can feel more confident that they know the material. Just a suggestion. Good luck to you.

I recently spoke with a teacher who uses a "gift tree" at back to school night for additional supplies. Supplies are listed on "leaves" and the parents are offered the opportunity to select one. This teacher is careful to emphasis that you do not have to take one and that the supplies cover a range of prices. The variety of leaves might include 1 pkg of overhead markers or 1 pkg of dryerase pens, etc.

Good luck!

Dana