| A good way to create a classroom environment of | | | | and loose leaf paper. Pile the loose leaf into a |
| cooperation and sharing, is to combine school supplies. | | | | cupboard, leaving out approximately 6-7 packages. |
| When the students bring in their school supplies at the | | | | Unwrap these packages and place in another plastic |
| beginning of the year, I stock pile them all and ration out | | | | bin where the paper may lay flat and undisturbed on a |
| as I see fit. Most parents will not question it, but | | | | table or shelf. Now you have an endless supply of |
| occasionally you will have a few. Just explain to the | | | | loose paper teams can pick up for whatever project |
| parents that your classroom should be an environment | | | | needed, without having it flying out of binders and |
| of sharing and that any supplies not used at the end of | | | | getting crumpled in lockers or cubbies. |
| the year will be returned. I have never had a parent | | | | When deciding what to do with folders and spiral |
| who pushed the issue further. After collecting all | | | | notebooks, I always look for sales at the big office |
| supplies into piles, find a cabinet, or a tub to place the | | | | supply stores right before school starts to find these |
| supplies. Then, in the center of your groupings of | | | | items at unbelievable prices. When folders go to 1 cent |
| desks, place a plastic flat bin. A "dollar store" is a great | | | | each and the spiral notebooks to 5 cents, I grab |
| place to find inexpensive plastic containers. Sometimes, | | | | enough for at least one entire class set. (Sometimes |
| if I feel fancy, I even place the bin on top of a vinyl | | | | the stores put a limit on how many you can purchase, |
| placemat for effect. In the plastic bin insert a plastic | | | | so I take my daughter and her friends to help me |
| tumbler cup of some sort. It doesn't matter whether | | | | purchase the correct quantity). Before school starts, I |
| there is writing or not, just that it is a tall cup (which will | | | | take my class roster of new student names, and |
| be used to house writing utensils). | | | | create a full page of labels for each child's name. I then |
| Now you may begin rationing your supplies to your | | | | can personalize the folders and notebooks BEFORE |
| students. Place a reasonable amount pencils, | | | | school even begins, with the added bonus of all |
| highlighters, and erasers in the plastic cup. Also use the | | | | materials looking identical, and saving some |
| bin to place scissors, rulers, crayons, markers, etc. One | | | | embarrassment for those students who couldn't afford |
| side note about scissors and rulers: I do use a sharpie | | | | the supplies anyhow. So when students bring in folders |
| to label these particular items with the students' names | | | | and spiral notebooks, pile them in a stack in a cupboard |
| so that these items are returned to the correct owner | | | | for extras needed throughout the year. |
| at the end of the school year since they vary in quality | | | | Now your students all have supplies, which you can |
| and price. I have also positioned small inexpensive | | | | ration out as the year goes on. The students adjust |
| staplers in the baskets that come in handy. That should | | | | quickly to this new way of collective sharing when |
| take care of most of the supplies that are used the | | | | they realize no one's materials are better than |
| most often. As for tissues and baggies, now you have | | | | another's. You never again have to hear, "He stole my |
| a readily available stockpile to know immediately when | | | | pencil" because your new mantra is, "It's all community |
| to ask for replenishment. | | | | property and we share everything! |
| The last big items are folders, binders, spiral notebooks, | | | | |