The year of the binder

I know school supplies come in fads, and I'm well aware that what was
necessary last year may not be wanted this year but.....

This year teachers in our middle school seemed to have outlawed the
large binder. Last year you HAD to have a zippered binder, 3". This
year, every teacher wants individual 1.5" binders. And some teachers
want more than one per student. My daughter has reached what I think
is the zenith of ridiculous overexpenditure for school supplies. Her
teachers have demanded that she have ELEVEN (11) separate binders.
Now, even if I were stupid enough to go out and buy all those binders
(I am not), where would she keep them? Her locker isn't big enough,
her book bag can't hold more than 4 at the most, and unless she totes
around the little red wagon, she's SOL.

When I got the latest request from the Health teacher, demanding yet
another binder (this for a 3 month class where they use dumb notebooks
provided by the police department) I blew my stack and called the
principal and just lost it. The cost factor alone should make him stop
this practice immediately. Has he LOOKED at the economy recently?
Parents can't afford this kind of stupid and useless expendature. Has
he bothered to read a report on kids carrying backpacks that weigh
more than they do?

I am SOOOO aggrivated. Now DD comes home with a demand from the
Spanish teacher for yet another binder. I emailed the teacher and said
I was NOT going to buy one, and it it were so important for my
daughter to have a binder, the teacher could damn well donate one, but
I don't want to see it in my home, ever.

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

Marjorie

"chiam margalit" wrote in message
om...
I am SOOOO aggrivated. Now DD comes home with a demand from the
Spanish teacher for yet another binder. I emailed the teacher and said
I was NOT going to buy one, and it it were so important for my
daughter to have a binder, the teacher could damn well donate one, but
I don't want to see it in my home, ever.

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

How old is she? I never had a teacher demand I have any supplies other than
paper and pencil. It was always up to us how we organized our things. Why
would they even care what binder she has her things in?

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

Marjorie

Not really the same with me...but lately I have been looking around at
schools for my dd in a few years time....And the thing that drives me nutty
is...

On the public primary school enrollment form....."What amount of money do
you earn per year ?"

What differance does it make to my childs education is what I would like to
know? I asked a few if I can leave it blank to be told "no we carn't enroll
her unless the whole form is filled in".... ummmm does this mean I can lie ?

Or the other one is what religion would you like us to teach her ?
Ummm I have no idea... what ever you taught me when I was at
primary......(one school has 4 differnet religns taught)

Or "they must attend the second laugage classes" (which vary from school to
school...some are japanese, greek, french and or 1 million other choices)
All of which will probley never be used by her in her lifetime and probley
wont be the same learnt in high school either! ( I should know I learnt
japenesse and indonesian and haven't used em yet)

But those folders would drive me batty... having to fork out more money on
folders that are probley only going to be allowed for one year cause they
will change there minds again. (or the folders will get to full and then
they need a bigger one)
Nic

"chiam margalit" wrote in message
om...
I know school supplies come in fads, and I'm well aware that what was
necessary last year may not be wanted this year but.....

This year teachers in our middle school seemed to have outlawed the
large binder. Last year you HAD to have a zippered binder, 3". This
year, every teacher wants individual 1.5" binders. And some teachers
want more than one per student. My daughter has reached what I think
is the zenith of ridiculous overexpenditure for school supplies. Her
teachers have demanded that she have ELEVEN (11) separate binders.
Now, even if I were stupid enough to go out and buy all those binders
(I am not), where would she keep them? Her locker isn't big enough,
her book bag can't hold more than 4 at the most, and unless she totes
around the little red wagon, she's SOL.

When I got the latest request from the Health teacher, demanding yet
another binder (this for a 3 month class where they use dumb notebooks
provided by the police department) I blew my stack and called the
principal and just lost it. The cost factor alone should make him stop
this practice immediately. Has he LOOKED at the economy recently?
Parents can't afford this kind of stupid and useless expendature. Has
he bothered to read a report on kids carrying backpacks that weigh
more than they do?

I am SOOOO aggrivated. Now DD comes home with a demand from the
Spanish teacher for yet another binder. I emailed the teacher and said
I was NOT going to buy one, and it it were so important for my
daughter to have a binder, the teacher could damn well donate one, but
I don't want to see it in my home, ever.

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

I have heard similar complaints from parents with kids in local public
schools. Where we work we often assist lower income families to obtain the
school supplies their kids teachers have mandated they must have. We have
learned that if the list says the binder must be *blue* then don't give then
any other color, or if they crayons or markers must be a particular brand
and box count, the teacher will have a hissy fit if they are generics or
have more or less than specified. This is really out of control and needs
some organized thoughtful people to put a screeching halt to it.

-Aula

In article , just me says...



This is really out of control and needs
some organized thoughtful people to put a screeching halt to it.

-Aula



Those are called "PTA's".

Oh yeah - I forgot - my PTA is a social club that does some fundrasing...

Banty

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?


So far the school supply list this year was pretty good. (If anything, my only
complaint was that the teacher was a bit too non-specific. Usually they ask
for things like "36 color package of colored pencils" but this year it was just
"colored pencils." Hey... he's new. Hopefully, a month down the line we won't
all get notes saying "Please provide your child with 36 colors of colored
pencils rather than the 24 color box most of you have purchased. I aplogize for
the inconvenience."


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

On the public primary school enrollment form....."What amount of money do
you earn per year ?"

That IS bizarre. That should only be an issue if you want a free/reduced price
lunch.

Or the other one is what religion would you like us to teach her ?
Ummm I have no idea... what ever you taught me when I was at
primary......(one school has 4 differnet religns taught)

Ah. I'm guessing that you don't live in the U.S. I guess rules may be
different where you are.
If religion is taught in school, this surely IS a reasonable question. Given a
choice, I would want MY child taught MY religion, not someone elses's...


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

I bought a
school box for Kara and put one glue stick, one roll of tape and two pencils
and I will replace when those are gone, but I am not providing for the whole
class.

But, you are NOT supposed to be providng for the whole class. You are supposed
to be providing for Kara. When her glue stick or tape runs our halfway through
class, or her pencil breaks, what is she supposed to do until she comes home
and can ask you for another?
Given that pencils DO come in boxes, (and glue sticks at least come, usually 3
or 4 in a pack) why not just send the whole pack along with her at once? Makes
life easier for everyone. Saves the teacher the trouble of having to send home
notes once a week saying "Please send another pencil to school with Kara. She
is now writing with a stub."


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article KaT7b.416419$uu5.75898@sccrnsc04, toypup says...


"chiam margalit" wrote in message
. com...
I am SOOOO aggrivated. Now DD comes home with a demand from the
Spanish teacher for yet another binder. I emailed the teacher and said
I was NOT going to buy one, and it it were so important for my
daughter to have a binder, the teacher could damn well donate one, but
I don't want to see it in my home, ever.

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

How old is she? I never had a teacher demand I have any supplies other
than
paper and pencil. It was always up to us how we organized our things.
Why
would they even care what binder she has her things in?



Welcome to the modern middle school.

You see, the teachers are trying to teach the kids *organization*. A
laudable
goal, really, and not something they always (or even often) do themselves
at
that age. It's just that the *organization* that's being taught seems to
have
to have specific colors and numbers of divisions, and be back-breakingly
heavy.

My son's current aggravation with middle school is that *each* of his new
teachers - *each and every one* - band, PE - *all* of them - handed out
their
own particular schedule form and behavior forms for him to fill out and me
to
sign. Each form was extremely similar, each was different in layout.

At least for the schedules - what, can't junior high teachers find them in
the
administrative office??

Actually, if their system is like the one we have, NO. I fight every year to
get accurate rosters for my classes, and every year I end up creating my own
because the ones the office gives me are extremely inaccurate, and the
classroom teachers don't generally manage to get me one (since I take their
classes during the one break they'd have to run to the copy room). Now, if
the school is having trouble with tracking even who is in what class, and
you're asking for schedule print-outs from each of 150+ kids (which is
typical load for a middle school teacher), times about 50 teachers, you're
talking a LOT of schedules to get out.
It takes MUCH less time and energy to take 10 minutes in class and ask the
child to do a schedule card.


Banty

LOL, our first grade teacher sent a whole page of school supplies. 10 glue
sticks, 3 rolls of tape, a box of pencils and the list went on and on. I
just laughed and thought I am not buying all of this stuff. I bought a
school box for Kara and put one glue stick, one roll of tape and two pencils
and I will replace when those are gone, but I am not providing for the whole
class.
--
Sue
mom to three girls

chiam margalit wrote in message
om...
I know school supplies come in fads, and I'm well aware that what was
necessary last year may not be wanted this year but.....

This year teachers in our middle school seemed to have outlawed the
large binder. Last year you HAD to have a zippered binder, 3". This
year, every teacher wants individual 1.5" binders. And some teachers
want more than one per student. My daughter has reached what I think
is the zenith of ridiculous overexpenditure for school supplies. Her
teachers have demanded that she have ELEVEN (11) separate binders.
Now, even if I were stupid enough to go out and buy all those binders
(I am not), where would she keep them? Her locker isn't big enough,
her book bag can't hold more than 4 at the most, and unless she totes
around the little red wagon, she's SOL.

When I got the latest request from the Health teacher, demanding yet
another binder (this for a 3 month class where they use dumb notebooks
provided by the police department) I blew my stack and called the
principal and just lost it. The cost factor alone should make him stop
this practice immediately. Has he LOOKED at the economy recently?
Parents can't afford this kind of stupid and useless expendature. Has
he bothered to read a report on kids carrying backpacks that weigh
more than they do?

I am SOOOO aggrivated. Now DD comes home with a demand from the
Spanish teacher for yet another binder. I emailed the teacher and said
I was NOT going to buy one, and it it were so important for my
daughter to have a binder, the teacher could damn well donate one, but
I don't want to see it in my home, ever.

So.... what stupid things are YOUR schools doing this year that are
driving you nuts?

Marjorie