For this week's #myfavfriday I wanted to share two of my favorite tips that have made using my white board oh so much better!
Tip # 1. Keep your dry erase markers in a container with the tip down. Seriously. I used to keep my dry erase markers on the ledge of the board and would have to throw out markers constantly because they would run out of ink. A few years ago I noticed that a colleague of mine kept his in a separate container and always kept the tip of the marker pointing down. When I asked him why he did that he told me that it made the markers last longer. Now instead of going through about a pack of markers a month I can usually make it through the year with only two packs (packs of 12) TOTAL!!!
I'm also super OCD about keeping the markers tip down and my students always question my sanity when I'm all "YOU PUT THE MARKER AWAY WRONGGGGG!!!!!" They have even taken my craziness about the markers to another level and have made other teachers start keeping their markers with the tip down!
Tip # 2. Use a car washing cloth as an eraser. There is nothing worse than the smudgy leftover disgustingness (I don't care if that's not a word) after using those erasers meant for dry erase boards...they shouldn't even be allowed to call them erasers! Instead, I use a terrycloth car washing rag as my eraser. By using these cloths I never have to wash my board and it's always super white!!
Now, I'm not talking about anything fancy here, not those microfiber towels or anything like that, I'm talking about the cheapest, white, terrycloth rags that come in like packs of 12. I bought a pack of them for maybe 5 bucks about 4 or 5 years ago and I still haven't had to buy new ones. They do end up looking a little gross after a while, but they still work just as well and the marker stays on the cloth.
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| Image courtesy of walmart.com |
Awesome. Just the kind of tips I needed today. I was actually shopping for for the rags yesterday! I never thought of storing the markers point down.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of white board do you have? The magnetic kind? Showerboard? Just curious. Also, what kind of markers do you like/don't like?
I'm glad this was just at the right time for you! My whiteboard is a magnetic one...whatever kind they installed when the school was built 6 years ago. Also, I use the biggest pack of large Expo markers because I love having "pretty" colors to write in.
DeleteAlso, I use the low odor kind as well.
DeleteThese were tips I totally needed today! For the towels, do you keep them on the ledge or do they have a special hanger too?
ReplyDeleteUsually I fold them into quarters and keep them on the ledge.
DeleteI'm definitely going to try to store my markers tip down now. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI found some magnetic storage cups at the dollar tree last year, so I can keep my dry-erase point down on the board. I was so excited to find them!
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I'll have to keep my eye out for some.
DeleteThanks for the tips! I am moving in a brand new classroom and FINALLY no chalkboard! Excited about my new marker board (even though I will mostly use my Smartboard).
ReplyDeleteGreat tips of things we never think about! You've extended the life of my markers this year. :) Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteAnother amazing dry erase board eraser are those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They leave N-O-T-H-I-N-G behind! :)
ReplyDelete