Teacher Professor

I am a new teacher with a limited budget. Where can I get free supplies for my classroom?

Posters Anything would be helpful

Public Comments

1. You can try www.freecycle.com
2. You can check at local travel agencies to see if they have extra posters. Have your students make posters as a class project
3. There are not many places where you can get free supplies but there is one place you can check out: http://www.iloveschools.com/ This site will hook you up to people who give to schools, like donations to the right schools.. You can check out public health units in your area for free posters on Bullying and the Old don't smoke thing and other general things like this.
4. You can find many things on line by typing in what you are looking for in the search engine. Try your local stores and clubs in the area as well. You might be able to get a group to adopt your class. There are also many grants out there that you can apply for. I use to have my students bring in cans that they had saved at home and we would recycle. The money stayed in the class and i would use it for project and supplies. It is amazing how it wouldl add up. Even if you just collect the tabs from can you wil earn a lot.
5. 1. Look for retiring teachers, sometimes they will give you things they don't need anymore. 2. Sometimes companies have neat videos and posters and other materials called "classroom kits" they will send you for free. We got a neat one from Jelly Belly jellybeans. Just browse the internet. 3. Also, try the state department of conservation for lots of animal stuff, other state departments for info on nutrition, etc. 4. You could ask at local businesses...sometimes printing companies will give you scrap paper, etc. 5. This is not free but low budget...go to yard sales or have your friends and family to to yard sales to look for things for you. 6. For specific projects you can sometimes ask parents to send materials...like crafts out of paper plates, have the parents send packs of plates. 7. Stay late after school and check the trash cans...especially at the beginning or end of the school year. I'm serious!...I've pulled entire books of transparencies and some really good stuff out of the school trash cans. Janitors often have a big supply of used pencils and pens that they have found on the floor you can use when your kids lose theirs. 8. You can sometimes get books and stuff cheap if your library has a friends of the library book sale.
6. go to yahoo and type in free classroom supplies or free teacher stuff - you'll get a ton of sites to look at!!!
7. Isn't it sad over the years how the budget has dwindled down so much that I literally would spend more than half my paycheck buying supplies for my classroom. Now the parents are expected to buy everything or each class raise money. i wish you luck. There are plenty of resources out there it is just a matter of knowing where to look and who to ask in your area.
8. A lot of businesses will give you stuff if you ask. Like posters and stuff that they no longer need. Gates will donate stuff if you go through though your district. It is sad what we teachers have to dish out. I retired in 2003. We had $1.12 per child per school year for supplies (Texas). In Northern California there is a consortium that companies donate to where teacher can get cool stuff for free. Also ask a retiring teacher for give-aways.