I am teaching kindergarten this upcoming school year, my first year :)  does anybody have any good books to donate  for my book collection?!?!?!?

***TAKEN****

I have just posted a book "Outdoor Learning Center Activities"...I will throw in "Transitions - Super Fun Activities" for free (very very minor water damage on "Transitions" but didn't want to post it) if you order it.  I received these books when I was taking elementary education coursework as part of our course materials.  Great materials for a beginning teacher. 

Look at my bookshelf!  I know I have a Piggyback songs book and maybe some other books that you'd like.  This will be my second year teaching K and I love it.  Let me know if I can help you with anything.

I was being nosy and was looking at your bookshelf.  I noticed a lot of books you posted that your student's would probably love!  Little Mermaid, The Things ....Can't Do.  You'd be suprised what the kids like to look at and "read" for classroom libraries.

When I started, I went and spent about $20 at our Friends of the Library book store. I mentioned to the ladies in there what I was buying for, and I think they kind of threw a few books in without charging me.... Anyway, that's always a good source of inexpensive materials.

You can also ask parents to donate $5 or 10 to the class library and order from Scholastic. Teachers get pretty good deals.

Hit the August Garage sales OR put an free ad on your local radio station requesting 'gently used' kids books for a new teacher's classroom!  Here we have a daily call in radio station  "Super Store Phone Party" that would work great.  OR an add in a Pennysaver (also free) would get you some books I'll bet!   Parents will often weed out books that their own child got and read once - (hopefully!) and know that those school book orders will be coming home shortly.  You might also check if you are in an urban area if there isn't a warehouse store for some of the publishers.  We have a Scholastic warehouse nearby.

Good luck to you - I was a first year teacher many, many moons ago.

Visit your local library and check out the books you want.  Our libraries allow teachers to check out 50 books and always have what I want/need.  Its great because you don't have to buy them or store them!

I simply reserve the books I want online and they are waiting for me when I arive.  Its a great service!

Good luck your first year!  It will be tough, but worth it!

My first year was a disaster!  I still keep those kids in my prayers every night, praying I didn't ruin them.  But the next year was great and every year since!  Some of that first group still keep in touch and appear to be doing great despite a terrible Kinder year!