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Nifty Thrifty:  Inexpensive fix for a school supply item  |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 27 2013 : 05:15:49 AM
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Teachers today are asking for so many items on the "supply" list that it's become way too expensive.
One teacher specifically required a large 3-ring binder, with a clear outside pocket, and 8 tab dividers that do NOT overlap or they would get points taken off. This was AFTER we already bought everything on the supply list.
If you are a parent, you already know binders are not cheap. We bought the kind that do not have the pockets on the outside, so we did a quick fix.
First, for the tab dividers, we used 8 pieces of cardstock, and 8 self-stick tabs (you can buy this at any office supply store, or in the office supply section of larger stores). We used our 3-hole punch to punch the cardstock and placed the tabs on each one so they would be as far apart as they could without "overlapping."
Then for the outside pocket, we used a plastic page cover, and taped it to the front with clear tape.
Part of the requirement was to have a cover made for it, hence the self-made pocket.
It worked perfect.
Farmgirl Sister #800
My Life: http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
Recycle Ideas: http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
Our Family Store: http://roosterscrowfarm.blogspot.com/
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lovinRchickens
True Blue Farmgirl
3474 Posts
Kelly
Pipe Creek
Texas
USA
3474 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2013 : 10:28:00 AM
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Kristina
Good for you girl! I do homeschool my youngest kids but I have grand kids that have had to buy so much of that too. I think it's just too much on parents. Being creative is such a wonderful thing and a one of a kind item for the kids is so special.
Farmgirl #5111
Blessings
~Kelly~ |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2013 : 5:56:14 PM
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Good for you. Teachers really can't be this picky. It isn't reasonable. Don't you already dread the rest of the school year with this instructor?
Marianne |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2013 : 6:02:56 PM
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Great solution Kristi!
Found out today ( first day of school here) that my son's math teacher "suggests" that we purchase a graphing calculator that cost close to $100.00!
This, after we have already bought a ton of other supplies.
I really don't understand where they think people are going to come up with this kind of money. Just crazy!
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.
~Robert Louis Stevenson |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Madinet85
True Blue Farmgirl
94 Posts
Elizabeth
Indiana
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2013 : 1:40:07 PM
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I bought one of the $100 graphing calculators when I was in Middle School, still have it and it survived High School, undergrad, and a Master's of Science program. Well worth the investment.
Farmgirl Sister #4915 |
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 03:46:06 AM
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| My daughter advertise on her local Facebook, freecycle, and Craigs list to find her daughters graphing calculator. It worked and very reasonable price to boot. |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9384 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9384 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 3:28:48 PM
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I am surprised at all of the stuff parents are required to buy. How did we ever make it through school without a list of specific supplies? I graduated and everything without all those things. I think it puts to much on some parents financially.
You know it just occurred to me that my daughter had mentioned some time ago that her church makes up boxes for kids with all this stuff in it and they pass them out at the schools. I think the church gets a list from the local school or something.
Denise
Farmgirl Sister #43
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."
Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
http://www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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mrssarahhall
True Blue Farmgirl
1272 Posts
Sarah
Longmont
Colorado
USA
1272 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2013 : 11:28:29 AM
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Great fix! I think it is insane how particular these teachers are! I don't have children, so I haven't had to experience this but I remember even when I was in elementary school we had teachers who required bizarre things. I had one teacher who required that we use triangle shaped pencils. My mom had to go on an all out quest to find such an item. To this day I don't understand why that was what she wanted us to use, but I do remember that I got in trouble when I didn't have one (thus my poor mom going on the search for them).
Sarah
Farmgirl # 5223
All good things are wild and free- Henry David Thoreau
A true friend is one who thinks you are a good egg even if you are a little cracked. |
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birdie71
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Robin
Glendale
Arizona
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2014 : 09:24:07 AM
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What a great idea for the binder! I am a teacher and I will say that this last year our school stopped doing supply lists. We teach children of families that are in or near poverty so we brought it all back down to the basics. I agree when it really comes down to what my students really need it really isn't that much. I also think that there are items that can be purchased throughout the year rather than in a long grocery list in August. I reuse Hills Brothers Coffee Drink mix boxes for the students to put their crayons, scissors, and gluestick in. I purchase pencils, erasers, folders and the school purchases everything else. So not all teachers and schools are demanding so much anymore. Most teachers ask for help from their families because they have nowhere else to go to ask for that help.
Robin
Farmgirl Sister #1301
Desert rat with a Rocky Mountain high farming in the Sonoran desert!
my mama's (ceejay48) craftiness ~ www.cjscreations-ceejay.blogspot.com
my daddy's craftiness ~ www.aspenforge.com |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2014 : 7:00:55 PM
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Good for you Robin!
We homeschool, but I look at the local lists just to get a general idea of what I may want to purchase for our own classroom at the sales. And some things I think is crazy. Like bleach wet wipes (there's a specific name for them, but I don't know it cause it's not something I buy for our home!) that was one that SCARED me! I don't want my children exposed to bleach daily! Each child was to bring in 6 containers of these! In my home we use old clothes (old tee shirts etc,) and a vinegar solution I make.....I understand not the cloths (like a teacher would have time for that kind of extra laundry!) but paper towels and vinegar would be cheaper and so much healthier...stuff like that just seems extreme and weird to me.
At the same time I grew up in extreme poverty and remember the children with out the supplies (like glue, crayons etc) were treated very very poorly by the teachers, and it wasn't like a 5 or 6 year old could go to the store and get their own supplies, it makes me ill to this day to remember how the teachers treated those students... :(
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Nifty Thrifty: Inexpensive fix for a school supply item |
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Inexpensive fix for a school supply item
