Yay! Works for Me Wednesdays are back! I thought that since most of us are already back in the swing of school or will be starting soon, I would share a couple of my favorite "how to get the most from your curriculum" tips.Tip #1: For non-consumable texts that I'll be using frequently -- especially those with reproducible pages of which I'll be making copies -- I always have the bindings cut and have the pages books 3-hole drilled. This can be done very inexpensively at most office supply or copy stores.
It's one idiosyncrasy of mine that I don't have the covers 3-hole drilled, just the pages. Then, I place the books into 3-ring binders* and place covers inside the clear pockets on the front and back of the binder.
Extra tip: Don't take the copy store up on their friendly offer to place the books in binders for you. They will charge you ridiculous amounts of money for this
Updated to add: I have discovered that our local Office Depot will cut the binding for only $0.80! I then just either take the pages home and three-hole punch them myself while listening to music or half watching TV or Office Depot has an automatic three-hole punch in the store that you can use for free. Ultra-frugal!
Voila! Now, your book is ready to face the year and come out on the other side still wonderfully intact and with very little shelf wear...and this does not, in my experience, diminish the resale value at all.
Tip #2 You know those workbook pages that you want your kids to do, but that you also don't want them marking on, either because you hope to save the book for subsequent kids or because, you know, it violates a copyright to make copies? I have a simple, easy solution for you that the kids think is great fun: put the pages in clear page protectors and give the kids a dry erase marker!
They can do the worksheet, you can check it (even erasing wrong answers for them to correct), then, slip it out of the page protector and back into it's 3-ring binder (the one you have because you followed Tip #1), and go on your merry way.
For more WFMW tips, visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.
I think a few days have passed without my saying that you're awesome. Which you are. Totally.
ReplyDeleteI love the 3-drilled-hole idea!
And your post at The Homeschool Classroom. : )
Excellent binder tip! I have done this for years with my Beth Moore Bible Study workbooks.
ReplyDeleteI think this method is especially valuable because you can add things to the binder with the specific pages you work with. No more finding a place to file it! Just hole punch your page and slip it in at the appropriate place! ;)
Traci
I'm a homeschool grad and I'm just starting to pre-homeschool my 3yr old. I love the t-shirts your kids are wearing! Where can I get some?!?
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic tips. I've purchased used curriculum before that has been bound...rather, UNbound that way, and I'm perfectly happy with it. I would have to agree that it doesn't really affect the resale value.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, thanks for stopping by our blog!
Joy @ Happy to be at Home
I. Love. This. I just got the binding cut off my son's math book and it's going to be so much easier to use! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe've done this for years. It makes the books so much easier to use. Hope that you find that to be the case, too.
ReplyDelete