6 ways to help teachers
It’s back to school for most of the country.
As grateful parents happily drop off their kids, teachers have been busy creating classroom environments designed to keep students engaged.
According to a report prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics for the United States Department of Education, 94% of teachers are paying for school supplies out of their own pockets. On average, teachers spend anywhere from $479 to $800 a year on their classrooms. And they aren’t reimbursed.
Perhaps you’ve considered helping out a few teachers this year. After all, one of the ways to increase your happiness is to give back.
Here are six ways you can donate to keep classrooms stocked.
Tissues: Flu season, allergy season and just general germs take their toll, so a box of tissues is always needed. You can never have too many.
Disinfecting wipes: Speaking of germs, cleaning wipes for surfaces can go a long way in stemming potential outbreaks in the classroom.
Paper: Both construction paper and printer paper are welcome.
General school supplies: We’re talking glue sticks, No. 2 pencils, erasers, post-its, pens, markers, crayons, dry erase markers (both thick and thin), folders, graph paper and anything else teachers place on their school wish lists.
Books: Teachers are always looking for ways to stock their class bookshelves. If they haven’t already provided a book wish list, simply ask teachers what books students will be reading this year. You may find you have some at home. Or you can head to Scholastic.com to buy grade appropriate books.
Check out DonorsChoose.org: Schools and teachers across the country have posted their “larger” classroom wishes on this nonprofit crowdfunding site. It’s searchable by state, school and even specific classrooms. Teachers enter their requests, which range from books, musical instruments, art supplies and tech devices, to wiggle chairs, bean bags and outside-the-classroom learning experiences/projects. Each request includes the total dollar amount they’re looking to raise. Those who donate are recognized and thanked by the students and teachers alike.
