Printing MEP math?

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I've printed out a couple of sheets and poured over the website, but I really don't want to print out everything at home. Way too expensive. Do you all take it to Office Max, Kinkos? Do you need to print out a copyright page? If so, could you link me to that?

 

Thanks!

[irizarry4]

Hi, Cindi. If you're determined not to print at home, I am not much help. But maybe the bump will get you more responses. I print it at home for 2 dc. I ONLY print the 'practice book' for each child. I do NOT print the lesson plans; I find that completely unnecessary. I read those from the computer screen, even though I prefer paper to a screen any day. I also do NOT print the copymasters; not all of them. On Sunday, I go throug the LPs for the week for each child, then I identify which copymasters I would need to print. I typically print them for exercises that would require a lot of writing on the whiteboard for me. Printing those saves me time. For other activities which are not on the 'Practice Book' we work on a white board. Depending on where in the house we are doing math, it may be on my white board on the wall. If not, then we use a 'portable' one (12x24) and we just use it as a slate of sorts.

 

I hope that helps somehow. If nothing else, it lets you know you don't have to print everything.

 

ivette

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Thank you for your advice. I think we will just keep printing it out; maybe a week or so at a time.

[Wheres Toto]

Another bump for you but I do print it out. I printed about 1/2 the year at a time - teachers pages and practice sheets. I only printed the copy masters/posters that were necessary and I made my own cards using index cards (I hate spending a lot of time cutting.

 

My son would be VERY distracted having a computer near by and my brain is completely fried so I need the teachers pages close by. :tongue_smilie: I don't have him do all the practice sheets - he's not a strong (or very willing) writer so I recopy some of the problems on the whiteboard for him to do or make an enlarged copy (by hand) that he can do with stickers. As long as he can show understanding, I don't push for a lot of writing - one of the things I love about this program.

 

If your children are okay with it you can read the teachers lessons from the screen, have the posters/copymasters on screen and have them write out the problems (or you write out what's on the practice sheet and have them fill it in). Depending on how you're doing (advanced, need review) and how much practice they need, not all the problems on a practice sheet are done every time.

 

Good Luck.

[Jen S in Va]

My printer is on it's last legs, so I copied the entire year's worth of practice pages to a flashdrive and took it to Staples to have it printed and 3-hole punched. It was 175 pages @$0.08 per page, iirc--threw away the receipt. I could have used their self-copy center for less, but seriously, the machine won't take a flashdrive, really? Oh, and they charge to bore the 3-holes, too. I'm thinking I could have gotten a better deal at a local mom and pop printer or Office Max or Kinkos--so I'll check those next time. I open up the lesson plan pages on a laptop while doing the work with my son.

 

Okay--checked local copy places and found that what I paid is pretty standard:

Kinkos $0.10/copy

UPS store $0.08/copy--they are closer than Staples, so I'll likely use that next time

Office Depot $0.08/copy--further from home

local mom & pop place $0.09/copy double-sided ($0.11 if not)

Edited April 16, 2010 by Jen S in Va
add prices

[nmoira]

Okay--checked local copy places and found that what I paid is pretty standard:

Kinkos $0.10/copy

UPS store $0.08/copy--they are closer than Staples, so I'll likely use that next time

Office Depot $0.08/copy--further from home

local mom & pop place $0.09/copy double-sided ($0.11 if not)

Wow. My laser printer gets at least 2000 pages per cartridge for about 4 cents per page (3.5 cents toner per page plus .5 cents paper). If I factor in the cost of the printer, it still only adds another 3.5 cents per page (and that should decrease by about half, as it's easily got another 3 or 4 years in it). It's probably the best homeschool purchase I've made so far in terms of convenience.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

My printer is on it's last legs, so I copied the entire year's worth of practice pages to a flashdrive and took it to Staples to have it printed and 3-hole punched. It was 175 pages @$0.08 per page, iirc--threw away the receipt. I could have used their self-copy center for less, but seriously, the machine won't take a flashdrive, really? Oh, and they charge to bore the 3-holes, too. I'm thinking I could have gotten a better deal at a local mom and pop printer or Office Max or Kinkos--so I'll check those next time. I open up the lesson plan pages on a laptop while doing the work with my son.

 

Okay--checked local copy places and found that what I paid is pretty standard:

Kinkos $0.10/copy

UPS store $0.08/copy--they are closer than Staples, so I'll likely use that next time

Office Depot $0.08/copy--further from home

local mom & pop place $0.09/copy double-sided ($0.11 if not)

 

Wow, thanks for the info, Jen. Did they want some kind of release page or copyright page to print all this out? I didn't want to get into town (30 drive) with my CD and have to go home empty handed. I was going to do this on the same day I made my big grocery store run. Thanks!

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Wow. My laser printer gets at least 2000 pages per cartridge for about 4 cents per page (3.5 cents toner per page plus .5 cents paper). If I factor in the cost of the printer, it still only adds another 3.5 cents per page (and that should decrease by about half, as it's easily got another 3 or 4 years in it). It's probably the best homeschool purchase I've made so far in terms of convenience.

 

Ah, drooling over your laser printer. Sadly, I don't have one yet.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Another bump for you but I do print it out. I printed about 1/2 the year at a time - teachers pages and practice sheets. I only printed the copy masters/posters that were necessary and I made my own cards using index cards (I hate spending a lot of time cutting.

 

My son would be VERY distracted having a computer near by and my brain is completely fried so I need the teachers pages close by. :tongue_smilie: I don't have him do all the practice sheets - he's not a strong (or very willing) writer so I recopy some of the problems on the whiteboard for him to do or make an enlarged copy (by hand) that he can do with stickers. As long as he can show understanding, I don't push for a lot of writing - one of the things I love about this program.

 

If your children are okay with it you can read the teachers lessons from the screen, have the posters/copymasters on screen and have them write out the problems (or you write out what's on the practice sheet and have them fill it in). Depending on how you're doing (advanced, need review) and how much practice they need, not all the problems on a practice sheet are done every time.

 

Good Luck.

 

This is a good point. Dd would be *very* distracted during math if I had the computer screen up, not a good idea. I will look into printing that out as well.

[nmoira]

This is a good point. Dd would be *very* distracted during math if I had the computer screen up, not a good idea. I will look into printing that out as well.

I print the lesson plans 2 per page, double sided, and still find them highly readable. Four per page it too small for my eyes.

[Becca211]

Wow. My laser printer gets at least 2000 pages per cartridge for about 4 cents per page (3.5 cents toner per page plus .5 cents paper). If I factor in the cost of the printer, it still only adds another 3.5 cents per page (and that should decrease by about half, as it's easily got another 3 or 4 years in it). It's probably the best homeschool purchase I've made so far in terms of convenience.

 

Thanks for doing this math. I bought a laser printer our first year and I agree it is my best purchase ever!

 

As far as MEP, I print out 1/2 a year of the student book and teacher book at home, and have them spiral bound at kinkos. A computer at the school table is too much of a temptation for me. :tongue_smilie:

[Veritaserum]

I've printed out a couple of sheets and poured over the website, but I really don't want to print out everything at home. Way too expensive. Do you all take it to Office Max, Kinkos? Do you need to print out a copyright page? If so, could you link me to that?

 

Thanks!

 

Kinkos has a feature where you electronically send the document to them for printing. I think it's File & Print(?). You can select 3-hole punch or spiral bound as some of the binding options. It's nice because you pick what time you want to get it and it's ready when you get there.

[Homeschooling6]

There is a lot of color pages too (Reception Yr). Anyone care to share a price they paid to have one year printed at FedEx Office (Kinkos) or any other place? Just trying to figure this out.

 

I'm wondering for Reception Yr and Yr. 1.

 

A $100.00, $50.00 per year etc.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 16, 2010 by Homeschooling6

[KrissiK]

I did the on-line printing thing with Kinko's (or started to) with Reception Copymasters and the total price for the cheapest printing (no binding) was $64. It was about $10-15 for the teacher's guide. I decided against it. I really struggle against the old "This is my child's education, can I really put a price on it?" vs. "We have a math program we're already using, DH has been furloughed, I really can't see myself paying that $$ even though technically it's not that much!" So, I decided against it.

[Homeschooling6]

I did the on-line printing thing with Kinko's (or started to) with Reception Copymasters and the total price for the cheapest printing (no binding) was $64. It was about $10-15 for the teacher's guide. I decided against it. I really struggle against the old "This is my child's education, can I really put a price on it?" vs. "We have a math program we're already using, DH has been furloughed, I really can't see myself paying that $$ even though technically it's not that much!" So, I decided against it.

 

$64.00 was for the Copy Masters only?

 

[Amy Jo]

I have an inexpensive B&W laser printer (Brother), I buy off-brand toner from Amazon and cheap WalMart paper. I think my cost per page was around 3 cents. Staples is WAY to expensive. I print ~1/2 the practice book at a time, and read the teacher's notes on my eReader (after trimming the margins down with PDF-Shuffler).

 

HTH, the more we use MEP the more I like it.

[Jen S in Va]

At this point, using Staples or the like once a year to do high volume printing of around $20 is helping me to continue to have a usable copier/printer at home for just day to day stuff. Otherwise, I'd have to go out and purchase a new printer--which would set me back $150+, I would imagine. So for me, at this point, with no laser printer (color me green with envy) it's the "cheapest" route. Now, once the copier goes, that will be another story.

[Wheres Toto]

There is a lot of color pages too (Reception Yr). Anyone care to share a price they paid to have one year printed at FedEx Office (Kinkos) or any other place? Just trying to figure this out.

 

I'm wondering for Reception Yr and Yr. 1.

 

A $100.00, $50.00 per year etc.

 

Thanks!

 

We started with Yr 1 and most of that, except the posters, is in black and white. There were less than 10 posters that were needed for the first 1/2 (and they could've been black and white, IMO).

 

Reception does have a lot more in color since the copymasters are all color and, I think, are used more frequently. I am planning to start Reception with my ydd in about a year and will definitely have to think about that. We have a color ink jet printer. I hate printing large documents because of the time involved. I'd probably look at see how much of it really NEEDED to be in color (or would greyscale work) and then seriously think about if I could make it work without printing it out (do it onscreen). Color is way more expensive than black and white.

[Mommee & Baba]

I've printed half a year of each level we're using. Right now we have half a year of the YR and half a year of the Y1 and the first 20 lessons from Y2, just as a guide to see where dd2 is headed.

 

I print practice pages and the teachers guide. I print the posters as well and alot of the additional tools like the shape and number cards and such things and laminate them. We use them for all our children.

 

I have a masters copy of the entire MEP curric. that we print. I print out every pratice page and make a COPY of it for my dc to use. That way I will have it complete for me for the next child in line to use and not have to print, but only copy :)

 

I found that it was cheaper for me to print at home than going outside the home....putting gas costs, paper costs and ink..it was cheaper for us at home.

[Zoo Keeper]

I found it cheaper to print at home, even though I don't have a laser printer. By the time I factored in the gas (closest copy store is 45 min. away), it just wasn't worth it to try to save 2 cents per page. I do print out a whole year at a time--just the practice books--but I use the draft/economy option on the printer, which helps with the ink. Last year I was able to print off all the practice books for 2 boys and still have some ink left in the cartridge. A year's worth of math material for two kids for cost of one ink cartridge really isn't that bad.

 

Like many others, I use the computer for the posters and teacher's notes. I have occasionally printed off a lesson to help me go over it, but most of the time I am fine to just read it off the screen the night before and make notes if needed. My guys actually think it is so cool that they get to sometimes use the computer during math. They feel very "adult", but usually the computer is off limits for them.

 

I'm still debating about printing off Reception for my youngest boy next year....all that color ink! Maybe he'll just get to be "big" with the computer too.

[MissKNG]

I just had MEP Year 1a printed at Staples today. I had the entire practice book and entire lesson book printed. For the practice book, I had them do it single sided and for the lesson book I had them do it double sided. Both books are bound (I printed all of the pages in one book for the practice book and all the lesson plans in one book for a total of two books bound). Not spiral bound, like a workbook bound. It cost a total of $23.26 for everything:

 

184 pages @ .09 = $16.56

2 bindings @ 2.49 ea = $4.98

tax = 1.72

 

TOTAL = $23.26

 

Is that a lot of money? Perhaps to some and perhaps not to others. Am I a nut for doing it? Perhaps to some (LOL!) but it beats the wear and tear on my 16 year old laser printer.

[Homeschooling6]

I just had MEP Year 1a printed at Staples today. I had the entire practice book and entire lesson book printed. For the practice book, I had them do it single sided and for the lesson book I had them do it double sided. Both books are bound (I printed all of the pages in one book for the practice book and all the lesson plans in one book for a total of two books bound). Not spiral bound, like a workbook bound. It cost a total of $23.26 for everything:

 

184 pages @ .09 = $16.56

2 bindings @ 2.49 ea = $4.98

tax = 1.72

 

TOTAL = $23.26

 

Is that a lot of money? Perhaps to some and perhaps not to others. Am I a nut for doing it? Perhaps to some (LOL!) but it beats the wear and tear on my 16 year old laser printer.

 

This is great! Looks like year 1 won't be as expensive as Reception year.

Thanks so much for sharing!

[MissKNG]

This is great! Looks like year 1 won't be as expensive as Reception year.

Thanks so much for sharing!

 

You are welcome!!!

 

The color of the Reception Year is what drives the cost up.

 

I only had Year 1a done, not 1b.

[Homeschooling6]

You are welcome!!!

 

The color of the Reception Year is what drives the cost up.

 

I only had Year 1a done, not 1b.

 

I'm still not sure about Reception Year :tongue_smilie: but with Year 1a it's not so bad even to double that for Year 1b.

 

By the way, your dc are so cute! They are so tiny and cute doing their school. At church there is a 9 month old boy who runs (not walks but runs) and he is so small and cute too. Oh, I miss having toddlers :)

[MissKNG]

By the way, your dc are so cute! They are so tiny and cute doing their school. At church there is a 9 month old boy who runs (not walks but runs) and he is so small and cute too. Oh, I miss having toddlers :)

 

 

Awww...thank you! My small girl is sooooo small! She is 17 months and is wearing 6-9 month jeans right now (a bit short but the waist is perfect)!! :lol:

[Homeschooling6]

Awww...thank you! My small girl is sooooo small! She is 17 months and is wearing 6-9 month jeans right now (a bit short but the waist is perfect)!! :lol:

 

My dd is the same way. She is 10yrs. and barely growing out of her size 6 clothes :glare: The great thing, she wears out her clothes rather than having to buy more (she is the only girl).

 

Blessings,

[AK_Homesteaders]

A laser printer is the way to go. I'm so glad we got ours. It's just a B/W Brother, but it has saved us so much. I think I figured it out once to about $0.05 per copy. When I really need something in color I use the ink jet, but that's too expensive to do very much.

[MeganW]

The color of the Reception Year is what drives the cost up.

 

Does it HAVE to be in color?

[skueppers]

I usually refer to the lesson plans on the computer, though if we're going to be away from the computer, I print them out 2 or 4 pages to a side and highlight the parts I need to look at.

 

I don't find that my daughter gets distracted by the laptop, but I arrange it so that I'm sitting "around the corner" from her at the table. She can't see the computer screen.

 

I print out about 10 student pages at a time.

 

We do a lot of work with portable whiteboards.

[Snickerdoodle]

I print the lesson plans 2 per page, double sided, and still find them highly readable. Four per page it too small for my eyes.

 

I can't believe I didn't think of this. Thank you!

[ALB]

I'm probably crazy to do this, but I'm going to attempt the Reception year without printing anything. I'm going to use real objects or pictures from a book for most of the lessons, or do a quick sketch myself for a workbook page. I'm planning on following the lesson plans closely and hope that it will still accomplish the same thing.

I will print out year 1, but just can't handle all that color ink! (BTW I'm overseas with no local Staples, so I guess I've gotten a little used to doing things myself. If I had a store like that I'd probably change my mind).