Have you ever noticed that even though regular school glue doesn't always seem to hold projects together the way you think it should, it seems like it sticks to everything else in your classroom? Here are some tips to keep your students from using so much glue that it ends up everywhere you don't want it.
Here in grade 1, when we use glue I hold an informal 'contest' to see which
student can use the tiniest dot of glue. They understand that it has to
be enough to stick but not too much. Then I walk around and comment on those
with good glue drops so they know what a tiny glue drop look like. I also
use a tiny voice when I remind them about the 'tiniest drop of glue'. I
also led them to realize that if you hold the glue bottle on the side instead
of vertically the glue would not come out as fast. -Lynn DaPolito
1. Try a closed margarine tub with half a dozen holes in the lid (melted
with a hot needle to fit fairly closely) and short straws cut to poke
out of the lid. Put about half an inch of glue in the tub. The action
of drawing the straw out of the box wipes the straw quite effectively.
2.Another way around it is to put a mere squirt of "Little Finger
Glue " in a jar lid. They may only dip their littlest finger in,
to glue whatever it is they're making and it's worth showing them how
to wipe the drip off on the side of the jar lid before you set them free.
Its also helpful to actually say, ".......And you can rub the excess
glue off your little finger easily, can't you?..." to avoid the prissy
kids coming up with the "UGH!!!" response. -Pat Fisher
There is a little glue cap that is called a 'tap it' cap. This is a cap
that you have to purchase for about $1.00 each and it lets the kids tap
the glue bottle upside down and get out one drop of glue. It is a neat
device that fits any glue bottles. It is included in our book and supply
fees. HOWEVER, there are days when I just cannot stand the tapping of
the glue bottles on the papers. Our kindergarten uses these tap it caps
all the time. In first grade I use them occasionally. It sounds like someone
is tapping a big pencil. -Linda Patton
I do two things about glue in my kindergarten class. At the first of the
year I read the story of the 3 Bears. Then I have colored glue and I show
the children 3 sizes of glue dots (This is done ahead and the glue is
dry)---there is a small dot, a baby bear dot; a medium size dot, a momma
bear dot; and a big dot, a poppa bear dot. This is so easy and then when
you are using glue, you can show the page (which I keep posted the first
couple of months) and tell the kids to use a momma bear size dot, or
whatever.
The other thing I do is I have lamimated construction paper and when we
glue, they use that paper under their work and the glue drops on it. When
it dries, it will come off easily. If they wipe the glue off with kleenex,
it will make a mess, so we just let the extra glue dry. -Evelyn Irwin
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I teach the kids to use "dots, not lots". We have a paper that
has dots drawn on it and the kids practice opening the glue bottle, turning
it upside down and letting one drop fall onto the dots on the paper. They
are instructed not to squeeze the bottle but to let the glue run to the
tip. A drop will come out.
I also teach them this song, sung to the tune of the Alphabet Song, except the last two words are spoken as the kids turn the glue bottle lid back to the closed position:
Dots, not lots
And when I'm through,
I close the top
On my bottle of glue
Twist, twist.
Teachers Get Paid Too Much!
I'm fed up with teachers and their hefty salary guides. What we need here is a little perspective. If I had my way, I'd pay these teachers myself...I'd pay them babysitting wages.
That's right...instead of paying these out-rageous taxes, I'd give them $3.00 an hour out of my own pocket. And, I'm only going to pay them for five hours, not coffee breaks. That would be $15.00 a day. Each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to babysit their children. Even if they have more than one child, it's still cheaper than private daycare.
Now how many children do they teach a day - maybe twenty? That's $15.00 X 20 = $300.00 a day.
But remember, they only work 180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for all those vacations.
$300 X 180 = $54,000. (Just a minute, I think my calculator needs batteries.)
I know you teachers will say what about those who have ten years of experience and a master's degree? Well, maybe (just to be fair) they could get the minimum wage, and instead of just babysitting, they could read the kids a story. We can round that off to about $5.00 an hour, times five hours, times twenty children. $5.00 X 5 X 20.
That's $500 a day times 180 days. That's $90,000.
HUH???? Wait a minute. Let's get a little perspective here.
Babysitting wages are too good for those teachers. Did anyone see a salary guide around here???!
[submitted by T2T contributor, Victoria Templin]