Teaches Don’t Need to Waste Money

How many teachers use their own money to buy classroom supplies? All of you have done this for years.  
 
As I travel the USA attending conferences I hear teachers speak about the personal money they spend on their classroom.  When an unaware first year teacher buys poor quality products frustration can occur when the items don’t last even a year or two.  I feel investing in a more durable item is well worth the money over the long run.  It is a fact that most of the products found in a catalog are made overseas.  Items are made to fall apart so you will have to buy more sooner than you had planned.  
 
This year when you are making the decision to purchase supplies it is worth the time to ask a lot of questions to see if it is the quality you need or want.  I love the saying, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
 
Products made in the USA have a better chance of being durable, therefore check to see if  USA MADE is on the label.   Buying USA keeps jobs in the states to stimulate the economy.
 
Take Chair Bags for an example.  Most of the chair bags found in a catalog are made overseas. Teachers tell me they have had some fall apart by Christmas or last no more than three years.  The bags have small pockets or a large pocket without depth that allows items fall on the floor.   The seams are single stitched which can’t hold the weight of the items in the bag.   Other chair bags are hard to wash and dry since the bag is made out of a plastic coated canvas or plastic.   As we all know, plastic cannot withstand the wear and tear of students.   When searching for a bag look for a denim bag sewn together with lots of safety stitches. Denim is the strongest material.  A large deep pocket is a plus to keep the clutter off the floor.  Extra pockets have to have a pleat in them so they can be opened wide enough to place supplies in them.  Pay close attention to the joints where the seams come together.  There needs to be a stitch called a bartack at each joint. Bartacks enable the seams to hold the bag together where there are stress points.   As far as the washing goes, we all have washed and dried our blue jeans for years without problems.
 
Let this year be the year you think about the long term investment not the short term.