Just Robyn Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 I know this has been discussed before, so sorry if anyone is sick of this topic. For those who do a filing system or a modified filing system with binders, do any of you cut up your TMs and textbooks in order to file them or put them in a binder? On the one hand, cutting up the TM/textbook means I'll have to have it rebound in order to sell it, which I don't mind, but buyers might. On the other hand, are my TMs and textbooks really going to be worth any money by the time I'm ready to sell them anyway? There are things that I buy for just one child to use, but there are other things that I hope will be used by all three of my children. They will become worn, updates will be written, etc. Some things I wouldn't want to cut up, just because as a whole they are much nicer to look at than as pieces. There is something nice about holding the whole book and reading a portion of it. Most things are not quite that wonderful and it would be easier, IMO, if they were all cut up, divided, and stuck in a binder - probably in page protectors so they will remain nice and also to avoid three-hole punching them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 I use a modified filing and workbox system. I keep our workbook pages in the filing system by subject. This has worked great for us! The TG's and texts I keep in the workboxes and have been very happy with this decision also. The only TG I cut was WRTR because it was recommended by Ellie :) and cutting it made sense. I did not and would not cut any other TG's or texts, especially texts. So far I have not resold anything we have purchased and will probably keep it that way, so I do not do it for that. I do it because I like my books staying together, for the TG's, and as for the texts, who knows what they will look like or if the pages will be all there by the time my next child gets to them. I would not take any chances with the texts and besides I like the texts staying together as one book anyway. Another book I may very likely take apart is BFSU since I will not be using it as written. I will most likely just use some of the activities to enhance our other studies, so it will work better to cut it up and divide it by thread. Anyway, just to let you know, I put WRTR in two high quality binders and had all the pages put in page protectors. Each binder cost $12 (it didn't have to cost that much, I just chose to use those ;)) and the page protectors cost about as much as the book itself, so you might want to keep that in mind if you decide to go that route and have several TG's and texts to cut up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I don't cut up textbooks. When I use textbooks, I like dc writing on actual paper to do the assignments. 8½x11, paperback TMs and even student workbooks...you bet. I put mine in three-ring notebooks. This way I can easily remove pages to photocopy them, or for dc to write in and then store back in the notebook. I can also add paper to my TM if I have extra notes or whatnot. Sometimes, on TMs I will use adhesive tabs to divide the book, to make it easier for those that I might have to flip back and forth (such as WRTR, or Miquon's Teacher Lab Notations). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) I generally do not cut up TMs/textbooks. I've tried in the past, but it was just too much loose paper for me to deal with, and the system works just fine without doing so. You might try with one TM, though, and see if it's helpful. ETA: Actually, I just realized I did do this with the SOTW AG and WWE, but only because the student pages were part of the book too. It seems to work fine, and with WWE I just put the pages at the back of the binder, but I don't think it's any easier than if I hadn't. For whatever that's worth :D Edited May 10, 2011 by melissel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I cut up my paperback TMs and put them in page protectors in three ring binders. My workbooks I'm just starting to get into cutting up and doing the same thing with, and having the kids do their assignments with sharpie. Of course, this depends on the workbook, some there is just too much writing, and no way that would work. The only text I think I'm going to cut up (so far) is Getting Started with Latin. It's a thin book, and paperback, 8 1/2 x 11, and I just don't see it surviving 6 kiddos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom23 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I cut up all the workbooks (CLE, Horizons, WWE, and Rod and Staff workbooks) but none of my TMs. I put the workbook pages in the folder files by week and then put the files in a filing crate (I plan 12 weeks at a time right now). I put all my TMs in the back of the crate. It is easy to grab them and we move around quite a bit so it is very portable. Personally I wouldn't want to deal with all the extra loose papers and many of the lessons are on more than one page of the TM so that would annoy me. The workbooks work great for it though! The only TM I have done anything with is my 100 EZ lessons book. Once we got to the middle of the book it got awkward to hold and teach from so I started photocopying the lessons and using them that way. It worked WAY better and this way I could keep ALL of a lesson together and just copy a page twice if it carried over to another page and it kept my book in tact for passing on to someone else:tongue_smilie:! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysworld Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I'm doing it with my singapore workbooks, then put them in page protectors in a binder. That way, I can use them with each child. The TM is already spiral bound, so no need to do that. I'm debating on whether on doing this to my text book in order to make it last longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Most big-box office stores have machines that will cut off the binding and hole punch them if you like. I've done this for student workbooks, but not the teacher manuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I have grand illusions of doing that LOL--taking the workbooks apart and having them in a filing system--tried to do the workbox system at the start of this study year but got overwhelmed....Thinking about trying again......not sure though.....maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I have grand illusions of doing that LOL--taking the workbooks apart and having them in a filing system--tried to do the workbox system at the start of this study year but got overwhelmed....Thinking about trying again......not sure though.....maybe... I just use the workboxes to keep everything where we can find it ;). When we finish Math, LA or whatever, I just return TM's and texts back to their workbox and just add the new worksheets in my son's notebook at the front of the tabs. The completed ones are filed in the notebooks under their own tabs (Horizons Phonics, ETC etc.). I have a notebook per subject. Not sure if this helps you but it has helped me stay organized even though it is not really workboxes as they were meant to be :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) I cut up and file the student's workbooks/pages, but not the teacher manuals. For example, the student pages for Horizons Math and WWE go in the files. The Horizons Math teacher manual stays intact, while the WWE instructor pages were three-hole punched and went into a small binder. I have 36 hanging files, with five folders for each week (different colors). Blue is my teacher folder, green is English for 1st grade, purple is Math for 1st grade, and red and yellow are for my Pre-K twins. :D I pull out the work for each week and transfer it to pocket folders. Each folder is labeled inside with "Work to Do" and "Done." When we finish the work for the day, I put it in the pocket folders on the "Done" side. When the "Work to Do" side is empty, we are done with seat work for the week. All the work then gets filed into 3-ring subject binders (Sarah's English, Sarah's Math, Hannah, Mary). I liked this system, but it bothered me that there would be weekly work that I'd want to keep track of that wasn't "paper-based." For example, we want to do Read Alouds, Spelling (AAS, doesn't always leave a paper trail), Oral Language (my twins need this), and so on. So I printed out & filed a "Record Sheet" for each week, for each subject (on pastel green, purple, pink & yellow paper). It's a chart, but I'll try to give you an idea here... 2011--English for 1st Grade Week _______ Story Time Treasures (2 boxes with lines so I can write in the lessons for the week + check-off boxes) Guided Reading (she reads aloud to me) (2 boxes with lines.... etc.) Independent Reading (she reads on her own) (4 boxes.... PLUS a space for her to sign her name when she's done ;)) Chapter Book (I read aloud to everyone) (2 boxes with line for writing in the book & chapter) Classic Literature (1 box) | Poetry (1 box) Audiobook (4 simple check-off squares) Then we have another green English page for "Word Skills" that's like this: 2011 English--Word Skills for 1st Grade Week ______ There are headings and spaces for Handwriting, Spelling, Vocabulary, Dictionary & Reference (I make these up as we go, something like "Spend 10 minutes in the "a" section of the dictionary" or "On what pages of _____________ [book title] would you be able to read about raising earthworms?" and then she looks this up in the index). We have one page also for Sarah's Math, and a page each for H & M. This was my solution for how to keep track of the work that didn't have a "page" involved, but needed to be in the file box each week (so someone doesn't forget to do it). When I pull the week's work out of the file box, before I file it into the pocket folders, I fill in the pastel pages with that week's work. This allows me to adjust the pace for things like Spelling (how many AAS 1 lessons can you do in one week, LOL?), Reading/Phonics for the Pre-Ks, Handwriting (need to work on that "a" again, darn), and so on. The charts only take a few minutes to fill in, because I refer to the yearlong plan AND what we've done up to that point. I like how it's flexible for that moment, but it's already in the box so I'm sure to get it done. HTH. Edited May 11, 2011 by Sahamamama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3byzaz Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 It's not cheap, but I LOVE spiral binding!!! And, I think buyers usually like it too for those paperback books that are a pain with a spine. I did it to MOH, GSWL. I am planning on doing the same to America the Beautiful and my son's Bio book eventually. I do not touch hardback's - only paperbacks. It makes it so much easier and I think they hold up better anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I liked this system, but it bothered me that there would be weekly work that I'd want to keep track of that wasn't "paper-based." For example, we want to do Read Alouds, Spelling (AAS, doesn't always leave a paper trail), Oral Language (my twins need this), and so on. So I printed out & filed a "Record Sheet" for each week, for each subject (on pastel green, purple, pink & yellow paper). Hey, this is a great idea! I've been thinking that I want to start keeping track of our readalouds and the literature that DD8 reads, and we're gearing back up for AAS again. Plus there are science projects etc. Thanks for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I just use the workboxes to keep everything where we can find it ;). When we finish Math, LA or whatever, I just return TM's and texts back to their workbox and just add the new worksheets in my son's notebook at the front of the tabs. The completed ones are filed in the notebooks under their own tabs (Horizons Phonics, ETC etc.). I have a notebook per subject. Not sure if this helps you but it has helped me stay organized even though it is not really workboxes as they were meant to be :). This is how our workboxes turned out too. I loved the concept but couldn't keep up in real life. The filing system has turned out better for us, but it's super handy to have the workbox drawers I bought next to our school table to hold each subject and its manipulatives. Plus, the top gives me a table space for the pencil sharpened, my water, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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