wfmw -- White boards

I'm not sure how I survived before we had white boards.


A buck a piece at the time, I think they run about $2.50 now at Millers, less in bulk.


And, how many ways can I think of to use these:

- Copywork -- I write it once for all to see, and they copy on their separate pages (best with older kids, but shorter passages)

- Practice work -- math facts especially! They seem way more fun on a white board than notebook paper.

- Speed drill competitions -- spelling, review/quizzes, basic facts, etc.

- Rearranging the daily schedule -- when we get a little off track (phone calls, illness, broken dryers, drop-in guests, etc.), I use the white board to post our adjusted schedule for the remainder of the day. It keeps us all focused an motivated. Keeps me from constantly replaying what I need to still accomplish and the kids from asking "what now?"

- Items for kids to add to their assignment sheets -- Each week the kids keep track of any outside activities on their assignment sheet and we store it for a permanent record. Rather than my having to write it three separate times, I write it once on the board and they copy it for themselves.

- Spelling help -- This also saves me from interrupting a reading lesson every thirty seconds to spell a word orally, again, and again, letter by letter.

- To do lists -- even chores become more fun when you can erase them. A clean board is reward enough for tasks completed.


And, of course, it saves paper. I used to use them to keep little ones busy as well, but found it ended up causing more harm than good (dry erase markers do not come off other surfaces nearly as easily as they come off the white boards).


Of course, now and then someone accidentally takes a permanent marker to the dry erase board, and Kris gave a great idea for taking care of that, too.


Not enough uses for you? Check the comments as the list continues . . .

What other uses do you have for the can't-live-without white board?



Look for more WFMW.