Notebooks or Binder for High School - Any BTDT advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our MS did not allow kids to bring their own laptop. Kids were required to use the school-issues Chromebooks.

Is this the same in HS? Can a HS kid bring his own laptop?

It depends on the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest used a binder and loose leaf in HS. Freshman year, she had a course that required a separate binder with dividers. So that year, she had two.

My rising 11 girl has used folders and one 5 subject notebook. Nearly every handout has been digital.

My rising 11 boy has used folders and loose leaf. He’s gotten more hard copies.

Teachers usually provide hard copy handouts pre-hole punched so the binder hole punch was a waste of money for my oldest.

There is no additional cost to hole punching handouts on the copiers...

Yes, that’s why teachers pre-punch them and your kid probably won’t ever use the kind that are carried in a binder.

[Anonymous]

HS teacher here. The most common organizational system I see the kids with are folders for each class period and a 3 or 5 subject sectioned spiral notebook for the classes that they actually take notes in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest used a binder and loose leaf in HS. Freshman year, she had a course that required a separate binder with dividers. So that year, she had two.

My rising 11 girl has used folders and one 5 subject notebook. Nearly every handout has been digital.

My rising 11 boy has used folders and loose leaf. He’s gotten more hard copies.

Teachers usually provide hard copy handouts pre-hole punched so the binder hole punch was a waste of money for my oldest.

There is no additional cost to hole punching handouts on the copiers...

Yes, that’s why teachers pre-punch them and your kid probably won’t ever use the kind that are carried in a binder.

Not all teachers pre-punch.

[Anonymous]

Parent of 3 here. Oldest 2 kids used a spiral and folder for each class. It worked great for both of them. It’s just much less cumbersome. Youngest is a rising freshman and insisting he wants a binder. He has never used a binder properly so I’m hoping he will embrace the folders/spirals but I’m letting him decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of 3 here. Oldest 2 kids used a spiral and folder for each class. It worked great for both of them. It’s just much less cumbersome. Youngest is a rising freshman and insisting he wants a binder. He has never used a binder properly so I’m hoping he will embrace the folders/spirals but I’m letting him decide.

Meaning an individual spiral notebook for each class? That is what older students recommended at the orientation, but I wonder if a 5-subject would be easier than 5 separate notebooks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of 3 here. Oldest 2 kids used a spiral and folder for each class. It worked great for both of them. It’s just much less cumbersome. Youngest is a rising freshman and insisting he wants a binder. He has never used a binder properly so I’m hoping he will embrace the folders/spirals but I’m letting him decide.

Meaning an individual spiral notebook for each class? That is what older students recommended at the orientation, but I wonder if a 5-subject would be easier than 5 separate notebooks!

As a girl who used the prior PP's system throughout high school and college (individual spiral and folder for each class), I never could get behind tbe 5-subject notebook. The rate at which the paper would get used in each class was different, and then what do you do when you reach the end of the section for one class but no where near for another class??!

[Anonymous]

My kid like binders. Agree it’s personal preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of 3 here. Oldest 2 kids used a spiral and folder for each class. It worked great for both of them. It’s just much less cumbersome. Youngest is a rising freshman and insisting he wants a binder. He has never used a binder properly so I’m hoping he will embrace the folders/spirals but I’m letting him decide.

Meaning an individual spiral notebook for each class? That is what older students recommended at the orientation, but I wonder if a 5-subject would be easier than 5 separate notebooks!

As a girl who used the prior PP's system throughout high school and college (individual spiral and folder for each class), I never could get behind tbe 5-subject notebook. The rate at which the paper would get used in each class was different, and then what do you do when you reach the end of the section for one class but no where near for another class??!

Lol, fair point.

[Anonymous]

AgentX wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of 3 here. Oldest 2 kids used a spiral and folder for each class. It worked great for both of them. It’s just much less cumbersome. Youngest is a rising freshman and insisting he wants a binder. He has never used a binder properly so I’m hoping he will embrace the folders/spirals but I’m letting him decide.

Meaning an individual spiral notebook for each class? That is what older students recommended at the orientation, but I wonder if a 5-subject would be easier than 5 separate notebooks!

As a girl who used the prior PP's system throughout high school and college (individual spiral and folder for each class), I never could get behind tbe 5-subject notebook. The rate at which the paper would get used in each class was different, and then what do you do when you reach the end of the section for one class but no where near for another class??!

I get you. I mean, I really get you. This would make me batty!

This is the one my DD uses. The dividers are moveable. She gives some classes more pages than others. Five Star Advance Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled Paper, 200 Sheets, 11 x 8-1/2 inches, Teal (73152) https://a.co/d/hu7AVlb

[Anonymous]

Wait until she goes to each class to see what the teachers want. My son's school requires a thin binder for each class set up a certain way. Maybe that's a private school thing but I'd wait. Just bring a folder, paper and pens, etc during the first week until the teachers give out the syllabus and go over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait until she goes to each class to see what the teachers want. My son's school requires a thin binder for each class set up a certain way. Maybe that's a private school thing but I'd wait. Just bring a folder, paper and pens, etc during the first week until the teachers give out the syllabus and go over it.

And, since this is MCPS, not private as you like to point out, how about telling us what happens in MCPS which is more relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait until she goes to each class to see what the teachers want. My son's school requires a thin binder for each class set up a certain way. Maybe that's a private school thing but I'd wait. Just bring a folder, paper and pens, etc during the first week until the teachers give out the syllabus and go over it.

Good idea to wait and see what teachers recommend.

(Sorry for the PP who was a bit rude about the fact that you mentioned private school. I appreciate the perspective, whether your kid is in private or public school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait until she goes to each class to see what the teachers want. My son's school requires a thin binder for each class set up a certain way. Maybe that's a private school thing but I'd wait. Just bring a folder, paper and pens, etc during the first week until the teachers give out the syllabus and go over it.

And, since this is MCPS, not private as you like to point out, how about telling us what happens in MCPS which is more relevant.

DP. Having had kids in both public (MCPS) and private, I can assure y’all that there aren’t as clear cut differences once you get to the micro level like teacher preferences for organizing papers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest used a binder and loose leaf in HS. Freshman year, she had a course that required a separate binder with dividers. So that year, she had two.

My rising 11 girl has used folders and one 5 subject notebook. Nearly every handout has been digital.

My rising 11 boy has used folders and loose leaf. He’s gotten more hard copies.

Teachers usually provide hard copy handouts pre-hole punched so the binder hole punch was a waste of money for my oldest.

There is no additional cost to hole punching handouts on the copiers...

Yes, that’s why teachers pre-punch them and your kid probably won’t ever use the kind that are carried in a binder.

Not all teachers pre-punch.

Punching holes (and stapling pages) will often make the photocopiers break down.