Supplies WAS Unschooling and TV
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-=-I think it says something pretty sad and significant that these stores
seem to be closing everywhere. We've only been unschooling for three years, and
used to go to these kind of places, but now have to drive pretty far to find a
"good" teacher supply place. -=-
**Teachers used to drive from all over New Mexico to Albuquerque to get
supplies, and now anyone anywhere can get more, better and less expensive stuff off
the internet. It's sad for me because that was something familiar to me and
change can be sad and nostalgia can be sweet.
Those places aren't needed the same way they once were.**
In the past month I've heard much the same conversation about art supply
stores, hobby/model shops, and several other things I'm not recalling right now.
I think the biggest thing that's been lost in this transition of much
commerce to online sales is some opportunity for kids to poke around and dabble in
new pursuits. In a physical store it's much easier to go in, look around at
everything, maybe plan a future purchase, and then leave with just a loose crayon
and two dice, or one small jar of model paint, or a new kneaded eraser. My
kids poke around a lot in online stores, but that one little purchase entry
doesn't happen because shipping costs would exceed the purchase price.
As for the teacher supply stores, the online venues are SO much less
satisfying for unschoolers. The kids can't pick up the workbooks and leaf through them
to find the one in a hundred that isn't lame and boring, and it's so much
less interesting to look at the posters one screen at a time.
On the other hand - while several older teacher supply stores have gone out
of business in the last decade in our corner of Chicagoland, there's a newer
one (5 years now) that is thriving and growing by adapting to what brings people
into a physical business instead of internet shopping. They stock a huge
variety of interesting games and puzzles, at least half of which have a sample
open and available to play and try out right there in the wide aisle. They carry
arts and crafts supplies in both small and large quantities. They offer a
party room with activities for various age kids - game time, arts and crafts,
science discovery, etc. They're courting teachers, homeschoolers, and just plain
parents. It's a fun place.
Deborah in IL
**************************************
See what's free at
http://www.aol.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
seem to be closing everywhere. We've only been unschooling for three years, and
used to go to these kind of places, but now have to drive pretty far to find a
"good" teacher supply place. -=-
**Teachers used to drive from all over New Mexico to Albuquerque to get
supplies, and now anyone anywhere can get more, better and less expensive stuff off
the internet. It's sad for me because that was something familiar to me and
change can be sad and nostalgia can be sweet.
Those places aren't needed the same way they once were.**
In the past month I've heard much the same conversation about art supply
stores, hobby/model shops, and several other things I'm not recalling right now.
I think the biggest thing that's been lost in this transition of much
commerce to online sales is some opportunity for kids to poke around and dabble in
new pursuits. In a physical store it's much easier to go in, look around at
everything, maybe plan a future purchase, and then leave with just a loose crayon
and two dice, or one small jar of model paint, or a new kneaded eraser. My
kids poke around a lot in online stores, but that one little purchase entry
doesn't happen because shipping costs would exceed the purchase price.
As for the teacher supply stores, the online venues are SO much less
satisfying for unschoolers. The kids can't pick up the workbooks and leaf through them
to find the one in a hundred that isn't lame and boring, and it's so much
less interesting to look at the posters one screen at a time.
On the other hand - while several older teacher supply stores have gone out
of business in the last decade in our corner of Chicagoland, there's a newer
one (5 years now) that is thriving and growing by adapting to what brings people
into a physical business instead of internet shopping. They stock a huge
variety of interesting games and puzzles, at least half of which have a sample
open and available to play and try out right there in the wide aisle. They carry
arts and crafts supplies in both small and large quantities. They offer a
party room with activities for various age kids - game time, arts and crafts,
science discovery, etc. They're courting teachers, homeschoolers, and just plain
parents. It's a fun place.
Deborah in IL
**************************************
See what's free at
http://www.aol.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]