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
Yes, I am a ripper. I like to keep my reproducibles organized by subject and skill. If I don’t, I can’t remember the exact book where the resource is that I wanted to use and I end up spending many frustrating minutes(sometimes hours) looking for it.
I am not a ripper! I like to have my books intact. When I receive the magazine, I go through and make copies of pages I think will fit in my curriculum and file the copied pages in the according skill file. This is nice when the answers are on the back already (if they are not and are in the back of the book, I copy the answer page on the back of the reproducible so that I do not have to hunt down the answers). I like my magazines/books to be in tact so I have a main source to go back to when I have lost a copied page or if somebody else wants to use my resources, they are accessible.
Yes, I am a ripper! I too tear everything out and file according to skill and/or subject area. I will admit that this takes time and effort but it helps to keep things at my fingertips. (I guess I figure vital time in the end.) A suggestion I have to keep units separated by content area. (Easier to file resources without the hassle of copying).
I forgot to mention, the only thing I will rip out are the posters. But pages remain sacred in my books and must be photocopied.
I’m not a ripper. I have to keep my resource books and magazines in good condition and completely intact. If I want to use a page, I make a good photocopy to keep as the master. That gets filed away, not my precious book pages. If another teacher wants to borrow one of my books, I make them promise me their first born child if they dare do any harm to one of my books/magazines. All my coworkers are well aware how much these books mean to me.
Yeh Carol, Yes let’s hear it for all us rippers! I am glad I am not alone. I have tons of files with all that useful information. How else would I remember how to make the butterfly project when we are waiting for our chrisyllis to hatch? and Posters? they are filed in my giant file box. Hopefully some new student teacher will appreciate it when I retire!!!
Yep…I am a ripper…If I don’t take out the pages that I would like to reproduce, I won’t do it! Ahhh!! I wish that the Mailbox magazine and books would have perforated pages…that would make the “ripping” experience much cleaner!
I am a ripper, but only with certain books. My Daily Language, Daily Math, Math Investigations, etc. are all ripped, placed in their own binder, using the actual cover inserted in the clear notebook cover, and all pages are in sleeves. This makes it much easier to duplicate, and also to file with each page any other needed work.
I never rip Mailbox, Teacher’s Helper, or Book Bag, as those are filed by month or season, with post-it’s for really important pages.
Oh my! Rip, never! Books and magazine should remain intack unless you are throwing them away, then it is okay to rip out a page and then very carefully place it into a page protector and file it in a binder.
Yes, I am a ripper but no longer of The Mailbox. Years ago when I first subscribed, I ripped out tons of pages and organized them in 3 binders - reading and language arts, math, and science/s.s. Along the way, the Mailbox offered on-line pages so I stopped and now I download the pages but I also keep my own index. This way I can easily find a lesson on subordinate conjunctions, clipart of a kite, etc. I do still rip but from other magazines- words to use in found poems or pictures to stimulate writing. Once a ripper, always a ripper. I also always rip up my junk mail. It must be the tactile in me!
RIP???!!!! I can’t even bear to tear out the activities and posters in the center of the magazine! This is one of the reasons I love the extenders online. I might eventually consider ripping if a.) I could afford to purchase the yearbooks in addition to my regular subscriptions; b.) If the pages were not a two page spread, but were front to back so themes would not be separated; and c.) If the pages were perforated!! Hmmm… I think the pages would also have to have some “white space” on the edge so I could punch holes in them without losing any information… otherwise I’d have greater space issues because I’d have to put everything in sheet protectors!!!
I am not a ripper but I plan on becoming partial one. I do not plan to rip pages out of the Mailbox magazine rather I print out the pages from the website to file. I plan on ripping my Teacher Helper magazines this summer so I can file them away by standard. The Teacher Helper lends itself to ripping more so than the Mailbox:-)