Shanna Danielson, a music teacher at Bermudian Springs Middle School near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, admits she spent a “stupid amount” of her own money on artificial plants to transform her cinderblock-walled classroom into a cozy jungle. Her son donated many of the stuffed animals that peek through the leaves at practicing students.
She also loves buying props that add pizzazz to band performances, including a penguin cutout that stood onstage as students performed “Penguin Promenade” during the 2024-25 school year.
“I’m ashamed to admit I spent like $50,” she said. “But you should have seen the joy on their faces.”
Teachers like Danielson can spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket trying to make learning fun for students. Other teachers might spend just as much on necessary school supplies like pencils and books, especially at low-income schools where resources are sparse and families can’t afford to buy their own materials. Some teachers buy snacks for their classrooms, too, knowing kids need fuel to focus.
“Not only are teachers expected to fill in those gaps where students can’t get their own school supplies − so we’re buying pencils and notebooks and pens − we’re also constantly replacing these items, you know, because things get lost or things get broken,” said Adriana Ocañas, consumer credit cards analyst at U.S. News & World Report. Ocañas spent three years as a teacher before switching careers.
