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Web of wishes: Service helps teachers get supplies for classrooms

This makes me a little sad.

Our teachers already have it tough enough. Now we are making them BEG for classroom supplies.

Plus the organization listed takes a cut for putting the proposals together. (they should, they are doing the work. I'm just stating fact).

The PTA needs to organize and have each teacher fill out a needs and wants list and then find local businesses, people to fulfill the needs.

We can fund education a lot better than we are right now.

Our kids are worth it.

Yes, I've always found it very disappointing that teachers have to spend their own money to buy supplies for their classroom. They're already completely underpaid. Can you imagine a custodian having to buy cleaning supplies out of his own pocket just so he can do his job? Basically the same thing as telling a teacher to teach the kids art without giving them supplies to do it. My wife bought a few instructional science posters for my son's teacher in the Fall. I think he would have been grateful no matter what, but we were a little surprised at how much it really seemed to mean to him. It was more like "you have no idea how much this helps," rather than, "that was very nice of you."

Sit up! Beg! Roll over! School teachers, lepers, puppies, what's the difference? I remember when my kid signed up for Russian in high school -- no books, no money, no nothing. Except for a devoted teacher who bent over backwards to teach the hundreds of kids who wanted to take the language.

As a teacher, I am grateful for the good Donorschoose is doing for our schools. While my proposal has not yet been funded, others in my school have, and it's an enourmous help. In the past, the only way get funding was was through lengthy grant applications to organizations that were looking to fund only certain types of projects. Donorschoose eliminates a lot of red tape and allows those in a position to contribute to do so directly to the project of their choice, no matter how small or specific in scope. It's not a perfect system but it's a lot better than what we had.

To Oh Please:

Hundreds that wanted to take Russian? Are you serious? HUNDREDS??? I would call that a slight exaggeration. You have to pull teeth and make it MANDATORY for kids to take foreign language classes.

We sit here, wringing our hands, bemoaning the fact that teachers don't have books, staples, penicils, etc.

Last time I checked, my kids all have textbooks. When textbooks aren't readily available, handouts are given. The computer labs are packed with the latest computers and flat screen monitors.

We complain about lack of resources. We complain about the size of our classes. Yet, when all is said and done, Utah students fair much better than the national average.

Why is that?

I think two reasons.

1. Good families with parents that follow up

2. Good teachers that dedicate their time and $$$ for their students.

If teachers only worked their paid hours and spent none of their own money our schools wouldn't be what they are now.

Teachers dedicate their time and $$$? Ummm...time comes with their job. They're paid for their time. If a teacher wants to purchase an item with their own money to teach a lesson or class, that's fine too.

A history teacher doesn't NEED a digital camera.

Teachers have their needs that are met by the districts and state.

Like I said earlier, my kids all have their textbooks. They have handouts. They have paper. They have writing utensils. They have desks and chairs. They have playgrounds. They have basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls. They have computer labs. They have breakfast and lunch. They have teachers and substitutes.

In the Ogden School District we are establishing this same type of donor program through our foundation, and they don't charge an extra fee or surcharge for the service.

To Ivan - now please come back to reality. My daughter is in high school and does not have a textbook for each class as they are so stinking expensive the books have to be shared. I believe her school has finally resolved the issue of not enough desk for each student but three years ago it was an issue. I agree that some teachers chose to purchase items that are not essential for their classroom or lessons and that should be out of pocket as it is their choice.

Additionally there are organizations and businesses that will help teachers - any federal credit union gives mini-grants to help teachers purchase necessary supplies.

You missed my point.

Teachers aren't paid for all the time they put in. They are paid for an 8 hour day. Follow one of them around for a day and you will see that most put in about 10 hours a day. Many other jobs do the same. It is part of having a job I know.

My point was that if teachers only worked the 8 hours they are paid for then our students wouldn't "fair much better than the national average".

I agree that a history teacher doesn't NEED a digital camera. However if I want my child to have a quality education, it doesn't hurt.

To Ivan...If your kids have paper and writing utensils, it might be because the teacher bought them for the students. I have taught for 20 years and I spend about $1000 a year on school supplies for my classes. So that would be about $20,000 out of my pocket to educate the children in my classes. And most of the time all I hear from parents are complaints. So until the people of this country decided that it is important to support education and they are willing to pay a decent salary to attract quality teachers they get what they pay for.

Why shouldn't a teacher have a digital camera? computer? all the latest gizmos?

We're trying to teach kids to be competitive in a global economy. Do you think we'll get very far using the technology of the 1800s?

For the uneducated (lol): some schools have a decent budget, while others have next to nothing. It depends on your "clientele" and the tax base... and your district admin.

Utah has a unique organization funded by Utah's credit unions. It's called 100% for Kids and teachers can make grant requests to this organization. Everyone who is a part of this organization is a volunteer -- the only paid employee is paid by the League of Credit Unions and therefore 100% of the money donated goes straight to teachers/kids. I don't think any other state in the union has this type of organization! So hooray for credit unions!! Check out the 100% for Kids website and see how teachers can apply and where the money goes.

It's stories like this which have continually rained on my thoughts of emigrating to Utah (I have two married children in Eagle Mountain and Salt Lake.)
As a high school teacher in New Zealand I'm flabbergasted at the problems in funding of schools in Utah, and seemingly in the US generally. I spent a month in SLC in Dec-Jan 2006-07, and remember seeing a newspaper story while there that talked about one of the bigger high schools having only one photocopier. In my school of 1800 students there are around 5 colour photocopiers, including one right outside my classroom door. No teacher needs to purchase supplies from their own pockets. As HoD of the Art department I run an annual budget of around $23000 NZ (about $18500 US), of which about $9000 goes to classroom supplies, about $2000 for various stationery supplies for teachers and so on. As well, all teachers in New Zealand are provided with a laptop computer (either HEAVILY subsidised or free, depending on the Board of Trustees policy), updated every year.