It takes a ton of school supplies to keep a classroom running for an entire year. Although many teachers provide a list for parents at the start of the year, you’re lucky if those supplies make it to Winter Break. And while we’d like to think that schools furnished the materials each classroom needs, that is sadly not always the case. More likely than not, your child’s teacher is personally paying for some portion of their supplies out of their own pocket.
Teachers should “only” be responsible for delivering age-appropriate, differentiated, rigorous, culturally relevant, standards-based curriculum. That’s all. 🙂 They should not have to worry about whether or not there will be enough pencils for everyone to write with. If you, as a parent, are in a position to contribute financially to school supplies for the class to share, please do. It lifts a huge burden off of teachers’ shoulders and provides a better learning environment for kids.
Please note that not all school supplies are created equal. Higher quality brands will work better and last longer. You also wanted to invest in bulk items because there’s typically a volume discount, which saves more money over time.
Here are the basic school supplies on every teacher’s wish list:
1. Crayola Crayons
Crayons are perfect for incorporating color and creativity into the day. In a room full of kids where crayons often break or simply vanish, this box of 800 crayons will last almost the whole year. Crayola crayons are the top choice because they have the richest colors and glide the smoothest on paper.
2. Ticonderoga Pencils
This is hands-down the highest quality brand of pencils. Ticonderoga pencils last longer, write better, and are more comfortable for kids’ fingers than any other type of pencil. This is important as kids are developing writing stamina and improving their penmanship. Students will thank you for picking these!
3. Elmer’s Gluesticks
Elmer’s makes the best glue! I’ve tried every brand there is and all of the others are either too messy, dry out quickly, or aren’t adhesive enough. If you want your projects to last, these are the gluesticks you need.
4. Reams of Paper
Ask any teacher; paper is one of the hottest commodities on campus! I’ve heard of schools who ration paper rigidly and teachers who hoard reams in secret cabinets. Between practice pages, homework assignments, and parent notices, paper for a whole class goes quickly. Gift your teacher with a box of paper and you will be best friends all year!
5. Purell Hand Sanitizer
In a classroom with 30 grubby students, you can never have enough Purell. Between trips to the bathroom that are a little too quick (he definitely didn’t wash his hands) and the kids who never learned how to cover their coughs, germs run rampant. Giant bottles of hand sanitizer help prevent the plague from spreading.
For the remaining items on my top 11 school supply list, head over to Amazon and check out “Teacher’s Wish List”. See all of the items every teacher wants (and needs) to have the best year ever!
Take me to the rest of the list!
If you’re not in a position to give monetarily to your child’s classroom, try your best to support your teacher in a different way. Volunteer in the classroom, come before school to sharpen pencils, take packets home to collate and staple, or even chaperone a field trip. Trust me when I say that your teacher and all of the students appreciate any contributions you can offer.
What are some other supplies your child’s teacher has requested? Tell me in the comments!
Here are my tips for smart back to school shopping!
And is your child ready for kindergarten? Read this advice from three experienced teachers to make sure your 5-year-old is prepared for school!
Talk to you soon!
As a former teacher, thank you for posting this! I spent a ton of money on my classroom every year, so extra supplies from parents are definitely appreciated. I completely agree about the quality of supplies. The generic brand of crayons or markers might be $2 cheaper, but they don’t work. I often find really good deals on Crayola early in the back-to-school shopping season, so you can score them for cheap if you pay attention to sales.
Hey Jessica! You’re so welcome! I always spent a lot of money on my classroom, too, but sometimes it was the only way to make sure everyone had what they needed.
Back to school time is upon us again. The summer goes so fast. Great info! My 3 have all of these supplies on their list. Time to get shopping:) You have a beautiful family and blog.
Thank you, Amy! I hope you guys enjoy what’s left of your Summer!
Enjoy your last few days/weeks before going back to school. I remember when I was a teacher I would always get nervous, anxious, and excited. I would splurge on the $.01 and $.05 sales that Office Depot, Staples and Target had. Being a teacher is really rewarding. Your students will remember you for it.
Thanks, Jane! I’m a stay-at-home mommy now so I don’t have my own classroom, but I definitely miss the excitement of a new school year and great deals on supplies!
Crazy how quickly back to school is coming up on us! I love this list. My son loves going back to school shopping.
Hi Danielle! Thank you! The Summer always goes by too quickly!
First of all, I have to say that you have a beautiful family!!! Secondly, I love this list. I always want to show the teacher at the beginning of the year that I appreciate what they do. My grandma was an elementary school teacher for over 30 years and I know how much money she spent out of her pocket for supplies. I always stock up and make sure that I give the teacher a welcome back to school gift including school supplies from the list! Kleenex are something that I haven’t included before but will this year. Thank you for putting this together!!!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you for the sweet compliment! And that’s such a thoughtful idea to gift your teacher with school supplies each year. It adds up quickly for teachers when they pay out of pocket. I can’t imagine how much your grandmother spent in 30 years!
This is a great list! Teachers have enough pressure on them so it’s only right that parents help out with supplies when able.
Thank you, Raquel! It totally helps when parents offer teachers support!
Great read! It’s easy as parent to get upset at buying so many supplies for the classroom use, but I also just realized how much teachers have to go into their own pockets for supplies. It’s so important for our kids to have a healthy learning environment where every child has what they need. This year while I go school supply shopping I won’t complain… thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kesi! School supply shopping can definitely seem like a lot, but know that your teacher appreciates your purchases!
It’s that time again! I love how you say that if you have the means to, please buy a little extra. It’s sad that some parents have the means to get everything, and their children can sometimes suffer the consequences.
Hi Jessica! I actually taught in Compton, CA, so I know that not everyone can afford the items on the list. I had several generous parents in my classes, but buying school supplies was a hardship for most.
This is a great list for teachers! I think it’s so wrong that they have to buy their own supplies.
Thanks, Kat! I was so shocked and disappointed when I realized that I had to fund my own classroom!
The paper is one of the hottest commodities not only for a teacher, my kids love that too to tear them apart!!! This is a really helpful list of gift idea’s on teacher’s day celebrations.
Thank you! Yes, everyone loves paper!