Chapter 3: Materials and Supplies

What I Believe About
Potential sources of teaching materials and supplies (school, district, institutions, colleagues, parents)...
Ordering materials...
Technology in the classroom...
Sources of free or inexpensive materials...

Because I don't yet know what school I will be placed at, there are a lot of questions up in the air about what types of resources will be available. I understand that Teach for America works in schools in under-served communities, so I feel like it's reasonable for me to ask whether or not the school itself will be under-served in the form of facilities, school supplies, technological resources, and even faculty and staff. I would be hesitant to order materials online or from a catalog unless I knew another colleague who used the same thing and could see it ahead of time. I'm wary about making purchases, especially if I am purchasing it out of pocket, without knowing exactly what I will be receiving. Finally, I would be excited to learn about sources of free or inexpensive materials, so I'm hoping this chapter lists some resources of that sort!

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In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?

I think the chapter helped me understand my own ability when it comes to getting what I need for my classroom. I'm not as "at the mercy" of the school or district as I had previously thought. There are a lot of ways to be creative about getting what I and my students will need throughout the year. Some methods might be more glorious than others, but if it helps me have a successful lesson or unit, it's well worth it.

Questions I Still Have...

This book was published in 2004, and some of the comments about technology prove how dated it is. As much as I hate to admit it, 2004 was eight years ago, and so much has changed since then. With that in mind, I have to wonder how many of the other resources listed in this book (especially those offering free materials to teachers) are also out-dated. I'll have to do some exploring during the year to make sure I have some more current resources, even though much of the advice in this text is exactly what I need.