Organizing Ideas and Reproducibles: Are You a Ripper?
Posted by Jen Bragg on 26 Feb 2009 | Posted in: Organization and Supplies, Teachers and Teaching
The editors here at The Education Center® chat regularly about our days in the classroom. One topic that comes up about once a year deals with whether or not we were “rippers.” What does that mean? A ripper is a teacher who rips out pages from her teacher resource books rather than keeping the book intact. I am proud to say that I qualify as a ripper. Although I kept resources like monthly books intact, I ripped out my reproducible skills sheets and sorted them into files labeled with corresponding standards. I’m an organizer, and by ripping out these pages, I could better keep track of the materials I wanted to use.
At last check 33% of our editors were rippers and 66% were not. (It always seems like there are more of us rippers, but maybe we’re just more vocal about it.) What about you? Are you a ripper? Why or why not? I’m not the only editor here who wants to know, so please, share your thoughts!
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56 Responses to “Organizing Ideas and Reproducibles: Are You a Ripper?”
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All Comments
I’m a ripper because I’m also a clutter buster. I rip, copy, and file ideas into the corresponding units where I’ll actually USE the materials. When a file gets too full, I cull and keep the best ideas, then recycle the rest. I was a disorganized collector of great ideas I could never find until I started using this system. It took me years to go through all my materials and it’s an constant process since I haven’t stopped collecting! It’s so important to keep trying to refine organizational methods that work for you.
I have subscribed to Mailbox and Teacher Helper for many years and found that I didn’t use many of the ideas from past issues because I didn’t have time to look through the old issues. Last summer I ripped the old issues apart and placed them in file folders. It took some time to separate and organize the papers but it has been worth it. During the past year I was able to use more of the activities and lessons than ever before. I was glad to be able to give a fresh “new” spin to my lessons.
I must admit, I have been known to rip from time to time! Luckily I have been organized enough to remember to put the page back in its spot and then I hold the workbook together with a rubber band. In a couple of heavily used workbooks, I torn all pages out, punch holes in all, including the cover, and place it in a three ring binder. My school’s copy system forces us to send what we want copied via fax, so instead of copying another page (wasting paper), tearing has just made more sense to me!
I am proud to say that I am not a ripper. I like to copy from the book and keep the pages in tact.
I don’t rip because I cannot stand to think that I might forget about one of the activities on the back of a page or that I might mess up a reproducible. I cannot usually find the time to go through my magazines and make copies of the backsides of each page. I wish that I could be a ripper, I believe I wouldn’t forget about my resources as often.
I am a ripper. I tear the book apart. Make copies of pages that I need so I will have the front and back side of the page. I file them according to themes and content areas. When I need something on a certain subject I pull a folder and have it all at my fingertips. If I get behind filing I work on it the first week school is out and get everything reorganized for the next year.
Annette
I am not a ripper. Once I needed some pictures of ants for a bulletin board and I cut up a cover and it killed me!! I, too, copied and kept the Mailbox indexes in a binder along with print-outs of any searches I did. The search feature is a real time saver when you need something specific, so I’d print it out and save it with the indexes.
Could not be a ripper. I feel guilty breaking the binding on a book. I scan pages I need and put them into MS Office Notebook (new program and unbelievably valueable for organization.) This way I have the books to leaf through and have an electronic copy to use again and again.
I am NOT a ripper. If I ripped I would lose it.
I am so busy with all the classes that I teach it is very hard for me to keep up with things. I have an organizational disorder.
I love being able to make a nice copy from the online resources so that I do not have to rip. And if I lose that copy I can always make another one.
I’m a ripper. It really upsets me when there is something on the back of the page that I want to use, but it doesn’t fit into the category on the other side, so I have to make a photocopy. It takes me forever to get it all filed, though.
I am a ripper!! I have to organize everything by my state’s Course of Study requirements. I don’t like to take apart the nicely printed material, but I’m too structured a person not to.
I am not a ripper, but I do photocopy all ideas and file them in the appropriate file. I love books and cannot bring myself to rip them up. Plus, since I teach abroad, we need all of the resources that we can get and ripping would just destroy valuable resources.