A recent event at Reinhardt’s Price School of Education (PSOE) was so successful, the Georgia Association of Teacher Educators (GATE) conference invited Professor Tami Smith to speak about it.
The second annual free indoor garage sale took place on campus this summer to help recent PSOE grads. Nationwide, teachers average spending $820 annually of their own dollars to get classroom supplies, especially new teachers.
PSOE professors wanted to help allieviate this expense. They reached out to retiring teachers, teachers leaving the profession, or anyone who had supplies they no longer needed and could donate. Once posted on social media, their idea snowballed! They traveled to collect the donations and even needed a trailer. After organizing and displaying all the cubbies, reading libraries, workbooks, classroom décor, and basic supplies, every lobby, hallway, break room, and copy room of the education building was filled.
Reinhardt teaching alumni lined up at the door for the one-day event. They quickly fulfilled their needs, and even with zero cost, there will still many items remaining. Using social media, the event was extended a day and opened to all educators to benefit.
Smith is grateful for the outpouring of support, “The Price School of Education professors remember what it is like to start a new classroom. We know the cost vs the salary. Educators are family and we all take care of each other.”
