School Bell: Surprise a Teacher

Today's entry has nothing to do with homework help, but instead on making school a bit more pleasant for both the kids and their teachers.  At this point communities all across the country are struggling with budget cuts, and deficits. Faculty meetings share dreary news about the budget prospects for the next school year, while they announce spending freezes for the remainder of this school year.

Surprise your children's teachers.  Get your kids involved in a grass roots giving effort:

1-Gather up the old pens, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, markers and glue bottles from around the house.  Maybe you even have left over colored paper, scissors, erasers, or rulers.

2-Save a small assortment for your own children to use in their creative and homework efforts. [Even younger children can get involved by testing the markers and pens and throwing out the dried up ones.]

3- Sort the rest into piles and gather with rubber bands.

4. Put the banded pens, pencils, leftover rulers, glue, etc. into a box.

5. Add a few boxes of kleenex.

Deliver to your school, either to your children's teachers or to the teacher's room with a big "Take what you need" sign.

This is a small kindness that will go a long ways to boosting morale and showing thanks for all the things your teachers buy out of pocket for your children.  If your school is lucky enough not to be in need, take the box to a less fortunate school.

Maybe get your neighborhood or your faith community in on the project.  Everyone I know has pens and half used pencils lying around the house in drawers unused and not particularly needed.  You know that junk drawer in your house, or those old rounded scissors from when your kids were small. Go scavenging! Recycle and support your local schools. Surprise your teachers with this small gesture of thanks and practical thoughtfulness.


Image credits:  images.businessweek.com, co-photo.com, clipart-for-free.blogspot.com