Page protector w/marker for handwriting workbooks??

[Tardis Girl]

OK, anyone have experience reusing workbook pages (like HWT) with a page protector and a marker? I'm considering doing it for handwriting (HWT) and RightStart math, and possibly a vocab book for my high schoolers. Thoughts??

 

Would you use a dry-erase marker, or an overhead vis-a-vis marker (wipes with water), or something else?

 

For handwriting, I really don't like workbooks, but recognize that it might be of value for these particular 2 children. However, I also have some of the HWT special paper, so I figure they could do some workbook practice (with the markers??), then their regular writing on the HWT paper with pencils. Do you think that would work? The handwriting is what I'm most concerned with, as I do want them to have good mechanics, etc.

 

Thank you for any and all comments! :)

[Cindyz]

We do this a lot. We buy the thick page protectors with holes for binders to keep them all together. We use the dry erase markers with thin tip. He can erase them by himself easily with a paper towel. I don't like the wet erase markers at all.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Cindyz

[abreakfromlife]

I just made a preschool binder with alphabet worksheets in page protectors from Donna Young. We use regular dry erase markers with them and he loves them.

[notbefore7]

I have always used the wet erase ones!

 

This year we are de-spining the Latin book so the girls can use it and repeat practices that they want to do again - I am going to page protect it :)

[Tardis Girl]

Great replies, and thank you for including specifics about the thin tip and they type of PPs you use. I think I'm ready to go ahead and do it! :)

[BatmansWife]

I think your idea of doing some of the HWT on the paper with pencils is good. Since it's handwriting it's important to be using a pencil. Wet erase are definitely more messier than the dry erase. I do suggest that you do only some of your curriculum this way (and it doesn't sound like you plan on doing everything this way), otherwise you have no completed work to keep. Another idea is to see if you can find a quilters ink pen (I used to get them at walmart in the sewing or craft department). They are thin purple pen, but they basically are disappearing ink. Let the pages exposed to air and in a day or two the ink vanishes. Kinda cool. :001_smile:

 

Here's a few (go down to the 2nd and 3rd one: Air Erasable Marking Pen and Vanishing Fabric Marker)

www.quiltbug.com/notions/marking.htm

[Tardis Girl]

Thanks AprilMay for your comments, too. Have tried that vanishing ink on page protectors? I'm wondering if it really would disappear on that material. Neat idea! :)

[siloam]

Great replies, and thank you for including specifics about the thin tip and they type of PPs you use. I think I'm ready to go ahead and do it! :)

 

When I first started hsing there were many rumors of lay offs. I used a lot of pp, so that things would last through all 4 kids instead of having to pay to buy new.

 

I had problems with the average dry erase marker, because it would at times wipe part off before I could check their work. Wet erase markers also sometimes wiped off, but not as much. They are also harder to clean off. If it was something I absolutely wanted to see I have them use permanent markers. Once you are done you just go over it with a dry erase marker and wipes clean. I pay the kids to do the cleaning part. :D

 

Heather

 

p.s. Also the blue tones seem to wipe off easier, the red tones will wipe off but take more work???

 

[Tardis Girl]

Just found dry erase crayola crayons at Target today! I bought a box to try and I think they will be another good option for my littles. There's also a built-in sharpener on the box. It has a bit more texture when you write on a page protector, so I think it won't accidently rub off quite as easily as a marker. We're still use the fine point markers, but I think the durability of the crayons will be a great tool as well.

 

So excited that this will work! Thank you for all the replies! :)

[woolybear]

I never did this with a workbook, but I did it with mazes and dot to dots. I just had to make sure we wiped it off pretty quickly when done, otherwise it is harder to clean.

[weddell]

We did this with our Kumon workbooks. We have mazes, dot-to-dot, and uppercase letters. We use the washable dry erase markers, because the other ones DO NOT wash out. Page protectors are great for first learning letters so you can practice the same page over and over. Once the letters are close to memorized, then we switched to paper and pen. DD prefers the page protectors for mazes and dot-to-dot so that if she makes a mistake, she can erase and redo. She is a bit of a perfectionist and doesn't like there to be traces of her mistakes.

[Mert]

I used the old Melissa & Doug triangle wipe-off crayons with our Kumon workbooks and now with my HWT letter cards that I printed. It's worked great for us!

[BatmansWife]

Thanks AprilMay for your comments, too. Have tried that vanishing ink on page protectors? I'm wondering if it really would disappear on that material. Neat idea! :)

 

Stacey, no I haven't tried that....but I don't think there's any point to doing that. If you are going to use the page protectors you might as well use the dry erase or wet erase markers. The vanishing ink pen you would use directly on the paper.

[Tardis Girl]

The vanishing ink pen you would use directly on the paper.

 

OH! lol I didn't even think about it THAT way! :blushing: That makes a lot more sense.... ;)

[SonshineLearner]

How much were the dry erase crayons?? :)

[Mert]

I found the same Crayolas at JoAnn's for $4... with a coupon it was more like $2.50, though.

[artchristie]

We aren't using this for workbooks but for math facts and maps I found Crayola's Dry Erase Activity Center for 12.00 at Target.

http://www.crayolastore.com/product_detail.asp?T1=CRA+98%2D8630&.

 

You can put the worksheet inside and use a dry erase marker.

[Tardis Girl]

How much were the dry erase crayons?? :)

$2.99 at Target (not a sale price) for a set of 8 colors -- box had a built-in sharpener on the back and it included a soft little "mitt" for wiping off. The mitt is totally unnecessary of course as a napkin or paper towel would suffice, but it does fit in the box and is nice and reusable. :)

 

I found it in the back of the store in the special section where all the back-to-school supplies are at. Not sure if it's something they normally carry at other times of the year.

[JoyfulMama]

$2.99 at Target (not a sale price) for a set of 8 colors -- box had a built-in sharpener on the back and it included a soft little "mitt" for wiping off. The mitt is totally unnecessary of course as a napkin or paper towel would suffice, but it does fit in the box and is nice and reusable. :)

 

I found it in the back of the store in the special section where all the back-to-school supplies are at. Not sure if it's something they normally carry at other times of the year.

 

It's a newer product, so they should start carrying them with all the other Crayola products.

I just got a pack over the weekend, although I haven't compared them to the Sargent ones I bought from Miller Pad & Paper.

 

Also, I prefer the wet-erase markers, as they don't smudge off the page when an arm goes over them. I don't find them hard to wipe off at all with a damp paper towel, with a dry one to follow.

[silver]

Just found dry erase crayola crayons at Target today!

 

I was going to suggest using these instead. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that pencils and crayons are better for handwriting than markers, because they require a more firm hand. Plus, they're washable. Dry erase markers don't wash out of clothes so well. (just don't ask me how I know :tongue_smilie:)

[kathkath]

you can also buy acrylic/plexiglass from home depot and put the page under that, or clip it to a clipboard with the paper sandwiched in there

[Tardis Girl]

Follow-up report on Crayola dry erase crayons:

 

After 24hrs+, ALL of the "crayon" colors erased beautifully from my white board with no hint of color left behind. I used a paper towel to erase. The areas that were colored in more obviously took a little more pressure to remove, but still no trace of color left on the board. :hurray:

 

Thank you so much for all the thoughts shared on the handwriting (and other subjects). Oh, and while I totally agree that a pencil would be ideal, I would have to actually order more books right now for them to get started if I treat them as consumable. I am trying to avoid doing that, at least for a time here, hence the dry erase / page protector questions. And since they can also readily use the HWT paper (with pencil), I think I will endeavor to have them work with both equally.

 

Thanks, everyone!

[Geo]

though I don't use it with handwriting sheets. I think my child needs more sensor experience where handwriting instruction is concerned. There are issues there. Other than that, I use it whenever possible...which is alot.

 

Geo

 

Can't wait to get the dry-erase crayons! Sadly, got to wait to go to the "big town" (Asheville, an hou + away) to find a Target. We live in po-dunk. Hope they come to Walmart...though I loathe Walmart.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Geo

[silver]

Hope they come to Walmart...though I loathe Walmart.

 

I've seen them at Wal-Mart (with the other Crayola products) and in Micheal's.

[Lightly Salted]

Truthfully, I think handwriting needs to be done with a pencil so that their hands get use to the feel of it. It really comes down to muscle memory and you simply do not write with a marker in the same way you write with a pencil. Also, HWT workbooks are like $6.50. How much are you going to spend on the page protectors? How about the special pens? So you end up saving less than $5, maybe.

 

Is it really worth it?

 

I can see trying to save a $40 workbook, but it is kind of a pain, and my time and trouble are worth more than $6.50. Just consider the actual cost in money, time, extra supplies and the fact that you can only get so far in practicing something w/o using the proper tools.

 

Agreeing - I do use sheet protectors/wet-erase markers for some things, like practicing phone numbers/addresses or doing mazes instead of printing 2, but for handwriting, we do that with pencils and paper only.