Any teachers public or private school here?

KevinP73 · 12-19-2007, 09:54 AM

Just wondering if there are any teachers here on the board. Or maybe a spouse who is a teacher.

Jim Garfield · 12-19-2007, 09:57 AM

My wife is a teacher in a Montessori school.

id10t · 12-19-2007, 09:58 AM

Adjunct for one class here at the Community College I work at (in other area)

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

My wife is an itinerant teacher of the deaf here in NC. In her three(one as a student teacher) years teaching she's seen probably the best and the worst in the state.

KevinP73 · 12-19-2007, 10:06 AM

I heard that the L.A. school system is so financially challenged that some teachers spend their own money for classroom supplies. Can anyone confirm this ?

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinP73

I heard that the L.A. school system is so financially challenged that some teachers spend their own money for classroom supplies. Can anyone confirm this ?

My wifes a public school teacher, middle school to be exact. She spends a great amount of money on classroom supplies, photocopies, pencils, pens, decor and such. The school just doesn't have it.

Dantilla · 12-19-2007, 10:08 AM

My wife taught 4th grade for several years.

One year, three staff members had children entering 4th grade, and all three requested that their kid would be placed in her classroom.

I tell her that there must be some reason she relates so well to 10-year-olds.

KevinP73 · 12-19-2007, 10:13 AM

ScottR...check your PM's.

Dantilla · 12-19-2007, 10:17 AM

Yes, my wife occasionally bought stuff, but it's stuff she still has- Seasonal room decorations, yada yada...

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinP73

I heard that the L.A. school system is so financially challenged that some teachers spend their own money for classroom supplies. Can anyone confirm this ?

My wife does the same thing, She doesn't spend much, but she does it on a regular basis, probably $30-40/month for various things she needs. It's just plain easier than trying to go through the system to get them, especially since she only has a dozen kids, each one with very specialized needs. Also remember most teachers aren't there for the money, they just love teaching or working with kids. It's also written off of our taxes.

edit: Steff picks up a good mixture of supplies and "investment" materials(seasonal decorations, books etc)

id10t · 12-19-2007, 10:29 AM

Kevin - our daughters 2nd grade teacher has little post-it notes with "we really need these for class" requests on 'em, about $500 worth at the beginning of the year, we all (parents and the teacher) take one once in a while as what it is needed for approaches....

dd74 · 12-19-2007, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinP73

I heard that the L.A. school system is so financially challenged that some teachers spend their own money for classroom supplies. Can anyone confirm this ?

True.

Jims5543 · 12-19-2007, 10:41 AM

When my kids were in public school the teachers each year made a point of telling us that there were no funds for classroom supplies. In addition to sponsoring 2 classes at $250 each, I also bought whatever class my son was in a ton of supplies, usually printer cartridges and printer paper, I would get enough for them to last 2 years.

I can not understand how they are so underfunded? In Florida, besides taxes, I thought lottery proceeds go to the schools.

rouxroux · 12-19-2007, 10:42 AM

Kevin, I taught in a public school system for 20 years, and YES, I spent tons of my own money for supplies and gave free repair service to many of my students who did not have the money to have instruments fixed. It really tugs on your heart around this time of year. I can remember coming back from Christmas break and asking the kids what stuck out in their minds about the holiday...but to have a child come to you and say "I'm happy, we had our power turned back on at our house" knocked me to my knees early in my career. I vowed to do whatever it took to give my students what they needed. Now, I run into them (and their children) from time to time and for one of them to tell me that they remembered me not so much because I was a firm teacher or that they enjoyed my classes, but that I was "one who really cared" makes it all worthwhile to me. Yes, We got to take a $200-300 deduction a few years back on our taxes, but trust me, that does not scratch the surface. I was not a teacher to become wealthy.

dd74 · 12-19-2007, 10:47 AM

Jim - what you explain is so pervasive in L.A. Unified, that the parents have literally taken over the schools. This is actually a very good thing, as the schools with parental influence usually rise above the others with less to no parental involvement. Now, local businesses have begun to sponsor schools in our neighborhood. These same schools also have highly-gifted programs which send kids to top-notch universities, including Ivy League schools. In short, influence outside of the school board from parents and local business, seems to make all the difference in L.A. schools.

mikester · 12-19-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinP73

Just wondering if there are any teachers here on the board. Or maybe a spouse who is a teacher.

I used to work for LA Unified and have known quite a few teachers.

It is true.

VINMAN · 12-19-2007, 11:04 AM

My wifes a teacher. 18 yrs, works with special ed. Everyone says thats how she puts up with me so well.

In most of the schools around here, teachers purchase their own supplies. It's a joke. Its even more of a disgrace that the teachers union lets it happen. Our school districts budget is one of the highest in the country. 68% of our property taxes go to the local schools. But than again, someone has to pay for the six figure plus salaries of the top heavy administration.

fumanchu · 12-19-2007, 11:21 AM

My wife represents California public schools on a legislative level. This problem exists in most county/ regions in California.... especially in highly populated and ESL regions.

id10t · 12-19-2007, 11:43 AM

Jim - in Florida, they've replaced tax dollars with lottery dollars. So the lotto isn't new money going to the schools, its just replacing money they took away...

Scott at Pelican Parts · Scott at Pelican Parts's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinP73

I heard that the L.A. school system is so financially challenged that some teachers spend their own money for classroom supplies. Can anyone confirm this ?

Hi Kevin,
I have a friend who teaches at Garfield HS and she claims that she spends her own money on things, but not core supplies. More like the extra things that add some fun to the classroom (a prize for a student, or notebook for student journals, etc)

- Scott