New art supplies are such a gift!!! The assurance you will be able to carry on with old projects...try new projects...and sniff markers! (Well...maybe not the last one! Haha) I am fortunate to have a supply budget that is given me by the school. Granted...it could always be bigger(I get less money than when I started 18 yrs ago...AND TRUST ME...supplies are much more expensive than 18 yrs ago!!).....but it is enough to do the job with careful planning!! It is all about prioritizing & choices! What can you not live without(PAPER!)....and what can I get every other year OR every three years(oil pastels, construction paper crayons..etc). I know many teachers struggle with having no budget...or ridiculously small budgets(I heard one teacher gets $200 a year for over 1000 students?!?!!). I wish we could all be given what our programs need....but as art teachers....we are survivors..inventors..bargainers...and dumpster divers!!! I would love to hear stories of how low budgets find amazing success!!! If ya have a minute...share in the comments how you do it!!
