Tuesday, January 26, 2010

WFMW — Homeschool Tips

When we lived in Illinois, I purchased a comb binding machine. Now that may seem like an unusual purchase, but homeschooling my four children I saw oodles of uses.

I purchased it online because it was recommended from someone in my local homeschool group, at the time it was an additional 10 percent off, and it was by far the best price anywhere. They had free shipping then and they still do (as long as you don't take their free $5 in supplies - I buy my supplies at the local office supply store, but you could get them online and just pay the shipping).

At $89.99, the binding machine is actually slightly less expensive than when I got mine. It punches the holes and also opens up the plastic comb binding so you can put the pages on. It is manual, not electric, but not difficult to use at all. You can check the Staples reviews and the OfficeMax reviews (and $199.99 price) to see how it stacks up.

We were working today on our world history timeline book. I purchased the software from Knowledge Quest so I could print it out multiple times, then I printed it on parchment-looking cardstock paper to give it kind of an aged look. I laminated the front and back covers to toughen them up. Then I used the comb binding machine to bind them together.

I also purchased the software for images to use in the timeline from Knowledge Quest (if you click on the link, hard copies are at the top and the cd-rom is at the bottom). I printed them out on clear sticker paper, instead of white, so that when it was placed on the paper the parchment color would still show through. I'm printing out pages as I need them.



The kids don't get into homeschool projects much, but they all enjoy this.



Some of the more unexpected things I've used the binding machine for are to bind pages the boys colored and collected and wanted to keep, paper for scrap pages for math work, and a scrapbook when we kept Flat Stanley (we cut the plastic comb binding to the length we needed). You can have your books flat when they have been bound with the comb binding, but you can not fold them back like a notebook.

The benefit to comb binding is that you can repair your book if anything comes loose, you can add pages, remove pages, fix messed up pages (if we goof on a timeline badly), replace a damaged cover, etc. You just put it back on top where you originally opened up the comb and put the pages on in the first place and take it apart. You still reuse the same comb and it's not damaged in the process.

Last week in a post about various projects I'd been doing, I showed off some books I'd had bound at Kinko's. Here's what I did.

I took my Motivated Mom's Planner to Kinko's and had them spiral bind it rather than put it in a three-ring binder myself.

The benefits are the ability for it be flat

or folded back.

Since we don't tear the pages out of Caboose's math book, the book is thick, and it's hard to write on the pages unless you put something under one side to hold it up, I decided it might be a good thing for that book too.

Did you know they can cut the binding off of a book? It's one of the greatest things since sliced bread.

So now his book can be flat

and fold under.

I took Buddy's the next day and had it done.

They can also 3-hole punch pages for you at Kinko's.

And this is what works for me (and my kids!) around our house and with our homeschooling.

13 comments:

Jennifer@Pieces of Me said...

This IS an awesome contraption! My kids are still 2&4, but I know when they hit 7th grade I will be homeschooling. (thinking about earlier since school is getting crazy)... if in CA who do I need to contact talk to, go to, buy regarding supplies?
Thank you!

Lora @ my blessed life said...

Hmm...definitely something to think about in the future!

Stephanie said...

Now I really, really want one! I love the history timeline book.

Kayren said...

Jenna~
The best place to start, no matter where you live, is Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA, found at hslda.org, and I have the link on my sidebar under the homeschool links). When you go to their page, there is a tab for About Homeschooling, and under that there is a choice for Homeschool Laws. When you go there you can see the complete US map, and down below you can click your state to see your specific state's laws and regulations for homeschooling. You do not have to be an HSLDA member to access this, although I do highly recommend them when you start homeschooling.

As far as curriculum and supplies, everyone is going to have their opinion on what is best. Since you don't plan to start homeschooling for a while, if you know people who do you could find out what they use and look into it now. You will also be able to find out what kind of learners your kids are if you wait until they are older to homeschool, so if they love to read you might choose a literature based curriculum. You could also visit a local homeschool group even if you aren't homeschooling yet since you are interested.

Hope this helps some!
~Kayren

Mari said...

I think this is the coolest thing. I never would have thought about having something bound until you posted about your Motivated Moms book.

Jennifer@Pieces of Me said...

Thanks so much for they reply, Im clueless regarding homeschooling, but want to know more. Also considering doing it sooner if possible!

God Bless and Thanks so much!

Sandra said...

Very neat idea!

Jenny said...

I have been wanting one of these for awhile now. Can you bind smaller size papers with it?

Anonymous said...

The most comprehensive post I have read and surely one of the most useful for everyone who is home schooling or just looking for ideas. I congratulate you on a great post and am thankful you showed up on one of my blogs. Otherwise I would never have come here. It makes me wonder how many more blogs, like your blog, is still out there waiting to be discovered?

Kayren said...

Jenny~

I'm not sure if you mean quantity or size, because I always read more into a question than it's supposed to be and why I never did good on true/false questions, so I'm going to answer both.

For quantity, they sell different sized comb binding rings that hold different quantities of paper. They will all work with the machine. You can bind 10 pages or more than 100, just use different sized combs.

For paper size, say you wanted to flip your normal sized copy paper and bind the short side. You would just punch the holes in that side, then you could cut your comb before you bound it, or bind it and then cut your comb. They are plastic and cut fairly easily with a regular pair of scissors.

~Kayren

Kayren said...

If you come back and read the comments after you've read the post, I added this little section that I originally forgot, and I think it's important:

The benefit to comb binding is that you can repair your book if anything comes loose, you can add pages, remove pages, fix messed up pages (if we goof on a timeline badly), replace a damaged cover, etc. You just put it back on top where you originally opened up the comb and put the pages on in the first place and take it apart. You still reuse the same comb and it's not damaged in the process.

Nichole said...

What a great idea!

Anonymous said...

I've been wanting one of these since we started homeschooling two years ago! We have tons of books that would be nice to have spiral bound so they could open flat. Great idea!!

 
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