Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

You shouldn't need a printer for homeschooling

122 replies

KateBlush · 05/01/2021 14:39

DC Y3. 30 plus pages of print outs sent out today via Google Classrooms. Nothing is interactive/ editable online. We don't have a printer and get through life the rest of the time perfectly well. IABU to expect school to try a bit harder to set more work that doesn't have to printed out/ transposed by parents to paper in order to complete?

OP posts:
ThatBitch · 05/01/2021 14:40

We just write out the answers the scan them on iPhone notes and submit. Dd reads the questions online. No printing needed.

Fivetoomany · 05/01/2021 14:42

I've just had to buy a printer this morning. I guess it's difficult to do some work without printouts etc. I am peeved though. £60 which I wasn't expecting Hmm

OwlinaTree · 05/01/2021 14:42

Totally agree. It needs to be editable or no printing required.

BillywigSting · 05/01/2021 14:44

We just write the answers in a copy book and send in a photo of them via class dojo. Title the photo with whatever the printout is titled.

It doesn't look as pretty but the work still gets done.

Macncheeseballs · 05/01/2021 14:46

Are you sure nothing is interactive online, have you tried other things like opening it google docs or downloading as a pdf etc? Sorry if you already have!

Original poster
KateBlush · 05/01/2021 14:48

@ThatBitch

We just write out the answers the scan them on iPhone notes and submit. Dd reads the questions online. No printing needed.
With SPAG work there is so much copying required my DC loses the will even faster than usual. Especially frustrating when all that is being required is a simple insertion of a comma - there are so many online platforms that offer this. I hate these wretched Twinkl sheets
OP posts:
Meh21 · 05/01/2021 14:55

I had to buy a printer last time! Annoying because not everyone has or needs one and stock levels were low last time around.no one could get reasonable priced ones!

cookiemonster5 · 05/01/2021 14:58

If we don't have a printer or access to one we just have to call the school and they put together a pack to be picked up. Or we help each other out. When I wasn't given access to certain documents a friend printed them out and dropped them round and I did the same fit her when she ran out of ink. It's not idea but none of this is.

MeringueCloud · 05/01/2021 15:05

IMO schools should supply the worksheets

Soubriquet · 05/01/2021 15:10

I agree

I don’t have a printer, and my laptop is so old it’s so slow...which means it’s hard for the dc to do any work on it. They manage but it takes patience.

If there is anything “printable”, I carefully copy it out on to paper and let them do it that way.

JerichosPenisInADeadChickHat · 05/01/2021 15:11

Our school is printing packs if you want them. I've no ink and the printer is dodgy so I've requested one this week

kwiksavenofrillsusername · 05/01/2021 15:15

My DC's school also print things out if you don't have a printer. To be honest, I think my DS works better when he's using pen and paper. He pisses around pressing all the buttons on the laptop or plays with random apps like the calculator. Also, you have to keep an eye on them and make sure they aren't messing around on the internet etc.

FelicityMingington · 05/01/2021 15:17

Use OneNote, which is part of Windows. We "print" to OneNote, and you can then type or draw or annotate anywhere in the document, and save it as PDF or email it. You can "print" anything to OneNote. (It's a really useful tool anyway.)

Original poster
KateBlush · 05/01/2021 15:21

@FelicityMingington

Use OneNote, which is part of Windows. We "print" to OneNote, and you can then type or draw or annotate anywhere in the document, and save it as PDF or email it. You can "print" anything to OneNote. (It's a really useful tool anyway.)
rushes off to try this thank you
OP posts:
malmi · 05/01/2021 15:22

You don't need to print it, you can use the computer to fill them in for free.

For example: screenshot the worksheet (use snipping tool), paste it into Paint, and use the the drawing/text options to fill it in, then save and email it back in.

JE17 · 05/01/2021 15:31

It's wrong to assume that every family has a printer. DS's teacher gave us the choice of either printing the documents ourselves or picking up the print outs from her in the playground at a set time.

Minky37 · 05/01/2021 15:33

YANBU x10000!!! I’ve been having the exact argument with my school since last lockdown!! They don’t understand that the kids can’t edit it or save it unless you have Microsoft word applications yourself. Literally wanted to weep this morning when the same issue happened again.
I ended up getting through to the poor IT guy who attempted to talk me through it but conceded that I’d probably need to print it. It’s really really poor to have got the this stage in a pandemic and not sorted decent home study practices out, making it accessible to all.

Crunchymum · 05/01/2021 15:38

I will need to take on a second job to afford the ink this lockdown is going to cost me!

We didn't have a printer in first lockdown and we managed but this time things seems a lot more structured and yes most of it needs to be printed.

My Y3 has 5 "tasks" per day and x3 of them will need to be printed. Only the "spelling" and "topic" tasks can be done in a workbook.

I've just spent 45 minutes printing stuff off - only managed to do 3 days worth as I am trying to be mindful to print the pages we need. IE the "reading" tasks only need me to print out the question sheet, DC can read the text online but I need to check the pages etc. Such a faff and a waste of my time but fuck ever going back to handwriting stuff !!!

Crunchymum · 05/01/2021 15:43

@FelicityMingington

Use OneNote, which is part of Windows. We "print" to OneNote, and you can then type or draw or annotate anywhere in the document, and save it as PDF or email it. You can "print" anything to OneNote. (It's a really useful tool anyway.)
This is actually life changing!
NeurologicallySpeaking · 05/01/2021 15:45

As a teacher I agree printing shouldn't be necessary and my online work I set doesn't require it. However as a parent I print a lot for my daughter as she prefers to work on paper for some of the time. And I think some children will feel the same

AlwaysLatte · 05/01/2021 15:47

I suppose printing it out does mean that there is physical back up work which the school can keep, as they would do in class. I do think a printer is an essential bit of kit for homes school. Don't forget lots of spare ink! We've just stocked up as I imagine they could be running low if we suddenly run out.

lavenderlou · 05/01/2021 15:50

I tell parents that if there is a printed sheet it's fine to display it on the screen and answer the questions verbally or on a piece of paper. If that doesn't work for them, they can request a printed pack from school.

LauristonPlace · 05/01/2021 15:50

Please discuss this with your school. They should be meeting need. If you haven't a printer ask them to print it for you.

Other options using technology are worth trying though, saving everyone's time and resources. If you sort it out, why not let school know so that they can share the info with other parents.

TwoZeroTwoZero · 05/01/2021 15:53

I open some MS Word worksheets in Google docs. Some can be edited and saved from there whereas others are more difficult. We got around that this morning but using the snipping tool to screenshot and paste into MS Paint as described above.

Because I do photography as a hobby, which requires a lot of editing, I have a graphics tablet and pen which has come in useful to allow dc to handwrite their answers on those screenshots. We save them as jpgs and hand them in like that.

Itsamess8456 · 05/01/2021 15:53

We often just "cut" and "paste" into a word document. This then gets uploaded. I get a zillion interruptions per day whilst WFH.

I hate homeschooling (sigh)