Outrageous school supply lists
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Outrageous school supply lists
| Sun, 08-17-2008 - 5:06pm |
My kids just received the mother of all supply lists yesterday (2 1/2 weeks before school begins.) My daughter, who is in 8th grade, has the experience to weed out the stuff she knew she wouldn't use, but my son, who is in 6th, was afraid to not get everything on the list. (And some of the teachers specified brands, such as a TI calculator or a Mead 5-star 3-subject notebook, etc.) Because my daughter never had a single one of his teachers, she couldn't make any suggestions, so I bought everything on his list. Our total for his things alone, with nothing frivolous, was over $100.
Anyone else receive an outrageous list?

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Thankfully, Aly's list wasn't too bad...less than $20 not including the calculator.
As a teacher, I want to share a couple things about specific brands (one good and one indifferent).
Calculator: If a specific brand and type is listed, GET THAT ONE.
I taught math one year and I had 2 students who had a different calculator--one a different brand and one a TI, but a different type.
The student with the different type of calculator had all the same functions on the calculator that the TI-30xa had, but they were in different locations, so I spent a lot of time during that class period helping HER figure out where they were; and my personal TI calculator of a diff type also had functions in different places and didn't even HAVE all of the functions that I used in that class. I had to buy my own TI-30xa calculator.
The student with the different brand also did not have all the same functions, so there were times that I would have to let her borrow one like everyone else had (her mom went out & spent more than the $9-11 that the TI-30xa cost, and she couldn't use it all the time).
Also, check that it's the same calculator that they will use every year--if it is not, contact the school and ask them about it. Our entire district (11 middle schools) all use the same calculator, so even if they move within the district, they will use the same calculator for 3 years.
Different brands on the other things: sometimes teachers can get free materials for the class if they list specific brands on the list, then send their list to the company.
Edited 8/17/2008 7:44 pm ET by alygator
Edited 8/17/2008 10:15 pm ET by alygator
I agree with you! Last year when Evan started middle school, I was FLOORED by what he needed. Disk on key (flash drive) $20, Specific calculator that we had to buy through the district $15, headphones for technology class $10 - that's almost $50 and I hadn't even started on the expandable binder (zippered binder), notebooks, paper, folders, etc. Sheesh!
I spent almost $100 this year and I shopped at Wal-Mart and got the cheapest stuff.
What is up with teachers requiring graphing calculators?
That would annoy me to no end.I am assuming you are talking a public school.I often wonder what people with several kids do if they can not afford the items on the list.Although our list this year came home saying recommend supplies instead of required supplies.My fav this year was the two pairs of latex gloves.You have to buy them in boxes of 50 or 100 and hsy want two pairs.I ended up getting Gab's from a friend who works in a drs office.I really don't need a large supply of latex gloves sitting around my house.I also know I will haveo add to the stuff once she starts getting project after project.Past parents have said they are museum quality in 7th grade.
What is up with all the sheet protectors.We needed subject dividers but no sheet protecters.$40 for one class is crazy.Last year they actually had stuff on the list that did not exist.I know his because I called the school to ask about such and such and they told me not to worry about it.Check your list people before you send them out!
When I took my first 2 math college courses, we weren't even ALLOWED to have calculators. Now, every math course in college REQUIRES a graphing calculator and they are even using them in high school.
The good thing is the TIs last forever (I still have mine from high school-chemistry, physics, & advanced math), and once you buy that $100 graphing calculator, you can usually use it through high school and college.
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