As I watch the news or special reports, read msn.com, etc. I am constantly thinking of ways to get through these tough times. I come from a family of educators. My father taught at the same high school for 30 years and taught at the local JC and State College too. My mother was an elementary school teacher for 25 years and my sister teaches the 3rd grade now. I also, as many of you know, am a teacher of sorts.
The other day my family and I were out to lunch and we were discussing how my sister spends her own money on many things for her classroom. She had attended a workshop the day prior where she learned about some really cool tools for the classroom. Guess what? The teachers of California have been given a $0 budget for classroom supplies for next year! My sister teaches in a area where there are many underprivileged families. She knows that she will have at least 3-5 students every year that can not afford the school supply list.
As we sat waiting for our food to come, Parker was coloring with the crayons that the restaurant gave him. My brother-in-law said "I bet you could go to local restaurants and get crayons donated for the kids in your class who can not afford them." That gave me a great idea! The Great Crayon Collection!
Here is how it works. Put a zip lock baggie in your purse or your car. Every time you go out to eat save the crayons they give your kids. (if you don't have little kids, ask for a kids menu with the crayons to play tic tack toe while you wait) At the start of the school year give your teacher the crayons or drop them off at the local elementary school.
What drives me nuts is that the government either expects the teachers to buy the supplies out of their own pocket or just skip doing art projects all together. Now I don't know about you, but I remember the art projects more than I remember the math worksheets from elementary school. In fact, it's the art projects that get saved by parents!
Start collecting crayons today. Let's see if we can help our kids and our teachers. Let them
The other day my family and I were out to lunch and we were discussing how my sister spends her own money on many things for her classroom. She had attended a workshop the day prior where she learned about some really cool tools for the classroom. Guess what? The teachers of California have been given a $0 budget for classroom supplies for next year! My sister teaches in a area where there are many underprivileged families. She knows that she will have at least 3-5 students every year that can not afford the school supply list.
As we sat waiting for our food to come, Parker was coloring with the crayons that the restaurant gave him. My brother-in-law said "I bet you could go to local restaurants and get crayons donated for the kids in your class who can not afford them." That gave me a great idea! The Great Crayon Collection!
Here is how it works. Put a zip lock baggie in your purse or your car. Every time you go out to eat save the crayons they give your kids. (if you don't have little kids, ask for a kids menu with the crayons to play tic tack toe while you wait) At the start of the school year give your teacher the crayons or drop them off at the local elementary school.
What drives me nuts is that the government either expects the teachers to buy the supplies out of their own pocket or just skip doing art projects all together. Now I don't know about you, but I remember the art projects more than I remember the math worksheets from elementary school. In fact, it's the art projects that get saved by parents!
Start collecting crayons today. Let's see if we can help our kids and our teachers. Let them
LIVE LIFE OUTLOUD and in COLOR!
Colored in class by one of Parker's classmates for his Superstar book.
