SPELL CHECK
Fifth- and sixth-graders frequently misspell the same words, says Angelique Darcy McGuire
of Philadelphia. When she helps students revise their writing or is checking their
homework and finds a misspelled word, she writes the correct spelling on a Post-it note or
small scrap of paper. Students then tape the paper/note to their desk or writing folder,
and these become a personalized mini-library of problem words. Former students tell her
they always remember certain words because they were taped to their desk for an entire
year, McGuire says.
EASY GLUE
Here's a cure for clogged and dried-up caps and holes in the tops of white glue bottles,
says Paul Blundin of Wallingford, Pa. Smear petroleum jelly on the threads of the glue
bottle cap when it's first opened. Repeat from time to time. Also dab a small amount of
petroleum jelly into the hole where the glue comes out. Air will not enter and dry the
glue.
QUICK CLEANUP
Cleaning out paint pots in the classroom is a messy, time-consuming chore, says Colleen
Hagert of Eagan, Minn. She solved the problem by lining each paint pot with a plastic
fold-over sandwich bag (not the zippered kind). She places one bag inside each paint pot.
The fold-over top is pulled over the rim, and if the pots have covers, they snap into
place easily over the bags. For cleanup, lift out the plastic bag, discard and replace
with a new one. "It works beautifully," she says.
