Teacher Stocks Her 'Take What You Need Bin' In Her Classroom So Students Can Get Vital Supplies Their School Fails To Provide
She pays for all of it out of her own pocket.
TikTok A teacher on TikTok is proving that real-life superheroes are public school teachers after she shared the kind thing she does for students in need.
Teaching is a demanding profession that requires extensive knowledge, skills, and dedication. However, most, if not all of the time, teachers can feel that their efforts and contributions are not adequately recognized, especially considering all of the obstacles they have to face day-to-day. Despite teaching being an overlooked job, it doesn't stop educators from going above and beyond at their jobs.
Such was the case for one teacher, who shared in a TikTok video that she tries to provide her classroom with necessary personal care and school supplies to help them throughout their day.
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A teacher shared her 'take what you need bin' that she puts in her classroom for all of the students.
In a video, Yennifer Castillo, a public school teacher in Miami, shared with her followers all of the supplies and goods that she keeps in her "take what you need bin" for all of the kids she teaches.
"Come with me as I restock my 'take what you need bin' in my classroom for the Flu season," Castillo began, recording herself as she added a bunch of products that had been taken and used by her students. In the drawer labeled "personal care," Castillo makes sure to supply copious amounts of pads for the young girls who need them.
Photo: TikTok
"Then I have unisex deodorant for both boys and girls and lotion that is unscented for those asthmatic students," Castillo continued. She then opens the next drawer, which contained masks, tissues, bobby pins, and hair ties.
"I also have tissues because I prefer them to use this over hard napkins and paper towels," she explained. "I wanted to get some hand warmers but I just haven't found any in dollar tree and I have to just order some bulk. And I also need individual hand sanitizers, so I gotta get more of those."
Photo: TikTok
Castillo also made sure to add Clorox wipes as her students use them to disinfect their desks, and chapstick, which she said, "The girls run through this chapstick like the day I re-stock."
For the last drawer, which Castillo noted doesn't ever stay stocked for long, she added pencils and erasers. "Do y'all students eat pencils? Cause why we never have pencils?" Castillo joked.
Teachers often have to buy supplies with their own money without being reimbursed by the school administration.
According to the New York Times, over 90% of teachers spend their own money on school supplies and other items their students need to succeed. Before the pandemic, educators on average spent around $500 of their own money on classroom supplies over the year.
In an analysis per My Learning World, it was estimated that educators will spend $820 out-of-pocket on school supplies. These teachers are willing to take money out of their own pockets to make sure their kids have what they need.
It's an amazing feat considering the amount that teachers are paid in the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average public teacher salary in 2021 was $65,090, which was lower than the 2021 average pay of all full-time, year-round workers, $75,203.
The average teacher spends around 50 hours teaching per week, including extra hours spent after school, and during the summer while school is out.
Despite the under-appreciation that teachers experience, around 65% responded that they would not leave teaching for a higher-paying job in an NCES survey for educators. As many people pointed out in the comments section, teachers like Castillo are needed.
"You're the type of teacher that makes me want to come to school," one TikTok user pointed out, while another person added, "As a fellow educator I love this!!! Keep doing it!!"
Teaching can be emotionally and mentally challenging, as educators often have to deal with diverse student needs, behavior challenges, and testing pressures. We must acknowledge all that they do, while also realizing the profession needs some serious upgrades in terms of making public educators feel valued.
Nia Tipton is a Brooklyn-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.