There are a lot of terrific worksheets and printables available on the internet, and not just from this website. Just like you, we love finding a terrific worksheet online that we know our students will love. But sometimes, we find ourselves frustrated by the overwhelming graphics.
Sometimes, the printable that looks terrific on the computer monitor is completely impractical in real life. Cutesy graphics take up most of the writing space, while simultaneously using a lot of ink to print.
It sometimes seems that teachers and companies making worksheets have either never worked in a school, or worked in one with an enormous printing budget! At every school I’ve worked in, the problem wasn’t getting enough paper—which is general inexpensive these days. The problem was with the cost of ink cartridges for the school’s printers and photocopiers.
It’s so aggravating to print something and realize that making a classroom set will use up half of the school’s ink reserves! And of course, like I already mentioned, butterflies floating across the page are adorable, but they leave little room for students to write.
How do you balance the need to capture student interest with a worksheet with the need to save on printing costs?
