What kind of notebook paper do you use? Does it matter to you?

@brokentia (10389)
United States
October 29, 2007 7:55pm CST
Now, if you are really reading this, you are probably wondering what kind of question is that! ha ha Well, forgive me if I vent just a bit here. But I would think that notebook paper is notebook paper. And while just like a pen, so may have a preference of spiral, loose leaf, or even college ruled...I would still think that it is paper. I had no clue that notebook paper came in different thicknesses, brightness, or even sizes!!! Wow! And I thought buying copier paper sounded like an Algebra problem! Now I have to worry about my kids' notebook paper too??? Bad thing is...we don't get all the specifics on the packages. My kids' French teacher does not allow college ruled....ok...I can handle that. Yet she also does not allow the spiral notebooks because she can't stand the fringed edges. OK...fine. WalMart has a sell on the kind that has the perforations. But wait!!!! That paper she calls "smart edges" and she does not allow those because it makes the paper a few cm smaller then the loose leaf paper! Oh! And she does not allow "cheap paper"...the kind that is so thin that supposedly it looks dingy or tears easily. Umm...sorry..my kids need notebook paper and I go and buy whatever is cheaper at WalMart and tell my younger children to stop using it as drawing paper. ha ha However, this French teacher has told my children that if they use any other paper it will be thrown in the trash and they will either re-do it or they will get a zero. I think that is a bit extreme!!! Come on! It's paper!!! And since the French teacher is not paying for the paper...I can't see how she can get THAT picky!!! So... what notebook paper do you use? And do you really care? If you do care...do you think this French teacher has gone a bit far?
2 people like this
12 responses
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
30 Oct 07
Hmm strange if there are no special reasons for her requests other than just a taste for special paper. But I remember a French teacher my daughter has in grade 9. She was kind of visually impaired and from the start of school she asked for special pens and special paper. She explained that she put all kids work trough some sort of magnifying thingy and those were the ones that worked in a way that she could read their work easily. We didn't have a problem complying because there really wasn't a difference in prices, just materials at an average price. Now how the paper tears and fringed hedges.. that seems a bit strange.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
You bring up a vaild point! :) If it were due to her needing to scan it like your child's teacher...then I certainly would not have a problem with it. But no...it is just her personal preference. :(
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
30 Oct 07
Yes that is very strange. Special since she claims that work on paper that is not to her taste will end in the trash. Did you discuss that with the school? I think I would do it just as a matter of principle.
@chargoans (939)
• United States
30 Oct 07
The teacher seems to be a bit picky as far as I am concerned and we would have serious issues if she trashed my child's work due to it not being on the "correct" paper! The work is completed, the child receives credit! She could be less anal-retentive about and just deduct points for not following directions, which could be acceptable. Personally I prefer college-ruled paper, loose-leaf or in a notebook with no spiral as I am left-handed, and the spiral is a pain to deal with. :-)
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
Wow! Being right handed, I never thought of that with the spiral getting in the way. Thanks for pointing that out as one of my children is left handed. :) I wonder why they do not make left handed spiral notebooks...they now make so many other things for lefty. Of course...I never understood left handed scissors...aren't they the same either hand you place them in? ha ha
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
30 Oct 07
When we were in school, we did not had different types as the present children have in choosing notebooks. We had only ruled and unruled. The present day children have so many like: 1. Single rules 2. double ruled 3. handwriting text note book 4. four ruled 5. ablong ruled 6. ablong white 7. long note books 8. long note books without rule 8. Drawing book Once the quantity purchased at the beginning of school academic year, will not last till next year. Those books are fully written, so buy new ones as and when they children ask. Any how it looks like substantial part of our income will go for financing the education of our children. My father educated 9 children I do not remember he was bothered or disturbed about financing the education of his children. I have one, there is expenditure everyday!!
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I'm with you! We may be showing our age here. But when I was a kid, my did didn't have to worry about a school supply list every year. He gave me 25 cents for a pack of notebook paper and every now and then I would spend a dime on a special cool pencil. Other than that...the school supplied everything else. Now...we have to save up over the summer to buy all the school supplies and that doesn't even last all year! LOL
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
30 Oct 07
The first time she threw my kids paper in the trash because she did not like the quality of paper, I would be to the school board. Maybe you should copy some of their papers so that you have proof they were done. Alot of teachers don't like the spiral notebooks, but have never heard of not letting them use the others. Some do prefer college or wide rules. That is a bit picky.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I totally get them not liking the college ruled or the spiral notebooks. Even though spiral notebooks help to keep notes together or paper neat...I believe that is why they made the "smart edges" for the spiral notebook paper. As long as they do have a clean edge, I don't think it should matter if it came from a spiral or a loose leaf packet. If that were all it was though too...I wouldn't have such a beef. But all the other specifics...that is just pushing it!
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
30 Oct 07
Wow, yeah...I think she's being a little extreme. I am with you, notebook paper is notebook paper and I go to Walmart and buy whatever is on sale there. I don't think it makes a difference as long as they have paper. Sounds to me like the French teacher is just trying to be a butt and is way to picky.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
Thank you! I am glad that I am not the only one that thinks she is being way too picky! :)
@ayshren (136)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I personally dont like college ruled, because I tend to write big. However, it doesnt really matter, I will use whatever I have. Thats insane how picky that teacher is. I would send my child with whatever papers I chose to buy and if she tried not accepting his work due to the type of paper used, Id go to the principal and have a talk.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I am getting to that point because last night my daughter had to re-write an assignment last night because she wrote it on college ruled by accident. But I really can't say anything about that either because it is acceptable for teachers to request a certain ruled paper. So, I will just make sure that I buy loose leaf also I guess.
@wavelander (1526)
• Portugal
30 Oct 07
lol It's just paper! There are things more important than that!
• United States
8 Nov 07
Oh I think she's gone way too far. I would take that to the principal and if that gets no where take it to the board of education. That's just insane. I can understand them saying I want college rule or no spiral notebooks. But come on!! I'm going to through your work out and give you a zero because you have the wrong paper! That's just going way too far. No I had no idea about the thickness and brightness of paper. But I do like to use college rule over wide rule. That was a personal preference of mine and still is I guess but I don't use it much nowadays LOL. I just hated those thick lines. I felt it was a waste of paper because I didn't write that thick. Of course unless I had a paper due that had to be one page long or something LOL. Sorry it's taken me so long. I'm extremely backed up on my mylotting. I'm trying to catch up a little today.
@jedhimura (194)
• Philippines
30 Oct 07
I use the normal.. things i can buy from a store... and i don't really care... its just paper.. hehe.. but that French teacher is really just annoying...
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
30 Oct 07
Wow, she sounds like she has OCD and is very controllling. I can understand her not liking the wirebound notebooks where the kids tear the pages out but after that she is way out there. If she wanted a specific brand of paper..that should be said up front -- then find out if she owns stock in the company.
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
31 Oct 07
Yeah..I think the teacher's going a bit extreme. I'd take it up with the board if she throws away the paper too, myself...I mean that's discriminating against lower class families who can't afford any other kind of paper :( Me? I don't care about what kind of paper I use. I liked colored and lined paper...but it could be any size, loose leaf, spiral bound...paper's paper! She doesn't teach on PAPER, she teaches FRENCH. She should stick with what she's there to do and nothing else, in my opinion. Too many teachers forget that teaching's about teaching, not their personal preferences. I mean okay, it woulda been okay if she requested that they used that kind of paper. Instead of going; "You do it or ELSE."
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
1 Nov 07
Hehe--I think that French teacher is daft...if she's so picky about the paper, why not ask her to buy the paper for the kids...not just yours.. everybody's..bet she'd shut up about what kind of paper to use.. As far as the type of paper I use...I usually do prefer college-ruled, but I often get my paper at the good old 99-cent store...Okay...I'm cheap..LOL