Re-using workbooks?

[akichan]

Do you keep materials for your younger children? Specifically, I bought Alpha Omega Lifepacs and want to know how I can reuse them for child #2 and #3. Can I cut off the binding, put them all into sheet protectors and a 3-ring binder, and then use some kind of wipeable or erasable pen to do the worksheets. Or do you just bite the bullet and buy a new package for each child? I have 3 sons less than 4 years apart and would really like to keep the books like new instead of having to buy a new one each year. My oldest just turned 4 yrs and we'll start a "preschool" type curriculum this summer.

I'm also considering purchasing Before Five in a Row (manual only) to use for all 3. Do you recommend? Would it be worth it? What's the difference between BFIAR and Peak With Books, anyway?

Or is there a suggestion for curriculums I should look into for multiple children? How do/did you teach 2 that are one year apart? Could they theoretically do the same coursework? However, I think DS1 is quite advanced for his age in logic/reasoning/sequencing/ability to sit! and DS2 is not at all - he's pretty average (which looks like he's slow, next to his advanced brother) and I don't think DS2 has the fine motor skills to do as much writing as DS1 yet . . . all advice and suggestions welcome, thanks. Sorry for the musing aloud.

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by akichan

Do you keep materials for your younger children? Specifically, I bought Alpha Omega Lifepacs and want to know how I can reuse them for child #2 and #3. Can I cut off the binding, put them all into sheet protectors and a 3-ring binder, and then use some kind of wipeable or erasable pen to do the worksheets. Or do you just bite the bullet and buy a new package for each child? I have 3 sons less than 4 years apart and would really like to keep the books like new instead of having to buy a new one each year. My oldest just turned 4 yrs and we'll start a "preschool" type curriculum this summer.

You don't need an extra sheet protector for each page - just get a ten pack and reuse the sheet protectors until they wear out, which will probably take a while. We've done this with a few of our materials that I want to save for DD.

[Hopesmommy]

My printer makes copies. So I just make copies.

[justthinkn]

I love BFIAR's booklist, and if you can get a copy from a library to look at briefly, it may be worth it... Or if how to provide creative and free play opportunities to a little one feels really new/unknown to you, also worth it.

For us, BFIAR was a great gentle warm-up/precursor to PWB, which has much more in it. Great tie-in books, questions to ask, potential activities, poems and fingerplays... PWB is really designed as a classroom resource; I don't use it in a structured way, just as a great treasury of ideas to enjoy reading together. (We're doing "Freight Train" this week, and DD couldn't be more engrossed in some of the books - she's thrilled!)

[theretohere]

I just wanted to point out that reusing a consumable like a workbook is copyright infringement unless that particular book allows you to make copies.

[Momma Aimee]

I got a lamnator for christmas

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-TL901-T...7709722&sr=8-1

the sheets work ut to 22 cents each ..

I have lamanted several pages out of differnt books i have, then hole punched them and put in binder ...Theo can use a wet/dry marker ... do the sheet as many times as he want or needs (mazes and games only so far) and some day Charles will get to use them, and I pray at least one or two more.

We also trade games wit a buddy who has a 4 yo girl and wil keep doing so as she now has twins who are baby-babies.

I highly recomend it

we also make cool art work and so on

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by theretohere

I just wanted to point out that reusing a consumable like a workbook is copyright infringement unless that particular book allows you to make copies.

Really? Not writing on pages more than once is copyright infringement?

If you simply show the child the page and have them answer orally, is it still copyright infringement to use it for more than once child? How about if they write the answers on a completely separate piece of paper?

[Marsupialmom]

It depends on the licensing of the workbook, in some workbooks it is copywrite infringement. Some times if you talk to the publisher they make an exception. What they are trying to prevent is people making copies for a larger group of kids of for a classroom of kids. The ones I have seen it in I have bought a new one because it was cheaper.

You can use a report cover and dry erase to write on it.

I also have found some of the work books are cheaper to buy new than make copies if the report cover with dry erase.

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by Marsupialmom

It depends on the licensing of the workbook, in some workbooks it is copywrite infringement. Some times if you talk to the publisher they make an exception. What they are trying to prevent is people making copies for a larger group of kids of for a classroom of kids. The ones I have seen it in I have bought a new one because it was cheaper.

You can use a report cover and dry erase to write on it.

I also have found some of the work books are cheaper to buy new than make copies if the report cover with dry erase.

I was under the impression that the comment about copyright infringement was responding to the original post and the subsequent comments that didn't mention making copies, which was why I was confused at the idea that a solution such as using report covers would be copyright infringement. Possibly unethical, depending on your point of view, but not actually illegal. Looking back over it, I see that someone did mentioned making copies on their printer, which is a different story, so the copyright infringement comment makes more sense.

[AAK]

For the workbooks (math and easy grammar), I just buy another copy. However, some things (Like reading detective) have so many "chances to practice" that I am kinda dividing the book between the kids. I use some of the excerpts for kid 1, will use some of the others for kid 2 and so on.

Amy

[Hopesmommy]

Originally Posted by theretohere

I just wanted to point out that reusing a consumable like a workbook is copyright infringement unless that particular book allows you to make copies.

My books say that it's fine to make copies for personal use.

Either way, I don't feel badly. My son often needs to redo certain pages. It's not like I'm using them to sell or even give away to others.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by Hopesmommy

My books say that it's fine to make copies for personal use.

Either way, I don't feel badly. My son often needs to redo certain pages. It's not like I'm using them to sell or even give away to others.

This is my dfeeling. Even if my son was an only I'd not write in our workbooks, he needs to do each activity several times, or may jsut ask to do them again and again.

I am not sueing them in a classroom or selling them

[zjande]

I homeschooled for about 6 years before getting a copy machine in my house. Now I look back on those years & have NO IDEA how I functioned without it!! Seriously, I'd run in & save that thing in a fire. I LOVE my copy machine.

Ok I think you get the point. LOL

I have a pile of kids (including 3 boys in 4 years as well ) & there's no way I would buy brand new curriculum for each of them every year! I shop specifically for curriculum that can be easily copied on our black& white copier (I don't use colored inks, they're very expensive). And, I don't mind as much investing in a curr that I really like even if it's a little spendy because I know I'll be using with every kid down the line.

(And on a wee sidenote, I personally woould avoid dry erase markers because they & their fumes are quite toxic)

I'm going to go on a date with my copy machine now.

[onyxravnos]

i also make copys. my printer is currently out of ink and its driving me nuts. i dont feel bad as so far i;ve been copying the pages so ds1 can do them more then once. so far the work books we've used he''s 'done' 4 or 5 times. but i also plan on using it for ds2 children.

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by AAK

For the workbooks (math and easy grammar), I just buy another copy. However, some things (Like reading detective) have so many "chances to practice" that I am kinda dividing the book between the kids. I use some of the excerpts for kid 1, will use some of the others for kid 2 and so on.

I do this, too. We have an absolute ton of workbooks for pre-third grade, thanks to a convenient garage sale. Way more than any one kid could ever need.

My only concern with this method is that my older child is going to get all of the "good" pages!

[akichan]

Originally Posted by zjande

(And on a wee sidenote, I personally woould avoid dry erase markers because they & their fumes are quite toxic)

I'm going to go the report cover or sheet protector route for now because we have tons. What else can I use besides a dry erase marker?

Any curriculum suggestions for the two who are less than 2 yrs apart?

[tankgirl73]

Yeah, it depends on the program. Some say "this book is for one family" and let you make copies for your family. Or you might buy e-books, where you have to print them out yourself, and you can print as many copies as you like -- for one family. Very useful, for instance for my son's handwriting book, we needed to go back and review so I just reprinted some of the early pages.

Others are intended to be one user only. In that situation, doing something like page covers might not be technically illegal, but possibly ethically iffy. Another consideration, though, is that whenever possible, and when it's not TOO financially overwhelming, I like to buy the multiple copies in order to support the lovely folks who made such a wonderful program for we homeschoolers, a program so great that I wanted to use it with my other children too...

[zjande]

Originally Posted by akichan

I'm going to go the report cover or sheet protector route for now because we have tons. What else can I use besides a dry erase marker?

Any curriculum suggestions for the two who are less than 2 yrs apart?

Well, we only use chalk, so, that wouldn't work on your report covers. We use a large chalkboard where I write my oldest son's assignments for the day. Otherwise I just make lots of copies of workbook pgs & the kids do them with pencils.

I wish I had some great curriculum suggestions but my 3-boys-in-four-year crowd are still young. Just 4,2, & newborn. I do plan to use Story of the World for history in the future.... but otherwise I have no idea yet how I can best teach them all at once! Right now I'm using the Pathway readers stuff from the Rod & Staff website for my 4 yr old. I love it so much!

[snugglebutter]

I know that my SIL uses an overhead projector sheet with some of their workbooks - no need to tear pages out that way.

[MamaMonica]

If it is copyrighted material and you copy it to use for another child, that is copyright infringement and illegal.