I don't know a lot of teachers who get paid what they're worth. Teaching is HARD! See my last post if you don't believe me. Anyhoo, I know personally that teachers, like most of society at present, are on a tight budget. We need and want the best items for our classrooms and there never seems to be enough paycheck to stretch to buy all the good stuff we see in the Really Good Stuff catalog. Yet, every year, teachers toss brand new and still useful items out the door to be sent to the trash can. Why? I saw this happen in the local school system when I worked for the summer daycare program and it appalled me. Whole sets of new phonics readers, still wrapped in plastic....magnetic letters, never torn apart...big books.....packs of crayons, never even opened....and I hear this happens at many other schools in our county (thankfully we had a pretty good relationship with the janitorial staff and asked permission to pilfer through the discards for our budget-lean daycare program). Is this really how I want my tax-payer dollars used? To buy items that are then trashed? I think not! It makes me feel very unappreciated. It makes me not want to pick up every new item on that yearly back-to-school list but instead, send gently-used items from my home that work just as well, even if they're not brand-spanking new. I don't mind helping my kids or their schools, but I sure hope the items I send are not tossed in the trash until it's their time to go.
I know as teachers we are given items, buy items, and generally cannot use all the wonderful classroom supplies we have and must make room for newer and better stuff each year. But PLEASE pass it on! Sheesh people...we have a Goodwill store in our town with not one, but TWO drop-off points. What about that new teacher who might like your cast-offs for his or her classroom? Or perhaps send the "useless" items to a church or daycare or homeschooling family. Our rescue squad relies on gently used toys to give to low-income families at Christmas who might not otherwise have toys for their children. Recycle the items if possible. But please, please, don't toss worthwhile goods into the trash can.
I know at the daycare I work in, we accept used toys. Old Happy Meal toys become treats in the treat bucket. Your cast-offs are like new playground or classroom treasures to a child who has never laid eyes on them before.
It scares me and perplexes me and worries me, and yes, ticks me off to see good items being wasted. It is a big pet peeve of mine. I believe we are given blessings from above and we are to use these blessings wisely, sharing them with others if we no longer need them. And this wastefulness is certainly not limited to school supplies or educators.
I had a relative, very dear to my heart, who is deceased now. A wonderful lady and excellent cook, but she did not believe in keeping leftovers. She'd bake a cake for dessert, and lo and behold, if it all wasn't eaten by the end of the day or maybe the next day---which was stretching it-- it'd go out the back door. Many times I watched a delicious, perfectly-fine cake being eaten by the birds and thought, in my seven year-old brain, "Well, at least the birds are getting to eat that." I never understood her reasoning for it. And she had been raised in a poor rural family, so it really never clicked with me how she could do that.
You may not think it's a big deal to toss stuff out but think of how many people you could help. Your neighbor might be struggling to put food on the table and your excess dinner could be shared with her hungry brood. Or an elderly shut-in. Or that tired, busy parent who doesn't have much time to cook. Or just freeze it for later. My family has a leftover night every so often. Nothing goes with anything else and it's kind of a hodge-podge of foods, but I liken it to the buffet at Ryan's. And usually everyone finds something they like and gets full. All on Foster Potluck. Nothing wrong with a little potluck now and then.
Not enough to share or make a leftover night or pot of soup with? Then at least chuck it out back and let the animals and insects feed off it.
Never think our kids don't pick up on our attitudes. They certainly do! I am always amazed (and more than a bit disheartened) when I see a book or toy I've bought for my classroom (or an item someone has thoughtfully donated) being treated roughly, misused, and eventually, broken. I go over how to use items appropriately, but kids being kids, seem to bring about an early death to most of the items I bring in. About once a week I have to go into the same lecture about playing roughly and breaking our toys. To which I always have at least one student reply, with big eyes, "You can just get a new one."
I'm not advocating keeping piles of useless junk that has met its end. Or hoarding. Or housing items you know you'll never use. But simply use what you can, trash only what needs to be trashed, and try to re-use, re-purpose, recycle, or re-gift the rest. It makes us good stewards of what God has given. And then we all win. :)
-Lynn
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