Teach Secondary Issue 14.8

Economical and environmentally responsible dry-wipe markers for busy classrooms I’m old enough to remember what a boon it was for classroom practice when individual dry-wipe boards became available. They were a great way to immediately gauge understanding, without having to resort to targeting questions at the usual suspects, or recourse to the lottery of drawing names on lolly sticks at random out of a hat. It might seem like a small thing to the uninitiated, but it was so useful to have the whole class simultaneously showing me their proposed answers to questions. Teachers being teachers, they could probably enthusiastically explain a hundred other ways in which they use them in their lessons. The trouble was, those markers seemed to run out depressingly quickly. It took me back to the childhood disappointment of receiving a brand new pack of felt tips, only to find them drying to scratchy uselessness after what seemed like just a picture or two. Similarly, as a teacher, I can remember that sinking feeling as my supply of replacement whiteboard pens steadily dwindled, adding to the world’s pile of discarded plastic in the process. How soothed my conscience would have been if only we’d been using YPO’s refillable whiteboard markers... First things first, these dry-wipe markers perform as well as any others I’ve ever encountered. The ink flows smoothly, and whatever mark you’ve made wipes clear easily. What’s different here, as the name suggests, is that their ink can be topped up as many as 35 times. When you think about how many classes they could be used in, that’s a huge amount of waste avoided. And they’re already made of 90% recycled materials to start with. Refilling them is easy. Simply open the refill bottle, pop in the pen and leave for an hour or so. No mess, no fuss – job done. They come in four different colours – black, red, blue and green – with a variety of nib sizes and styles on offer, including ‘chisel’, ‘broad’, ‘bullet’ and ‘fine’. Gauges are clearly marked on the outside of each marker, so you don’t have to scrabble through boxes and remove lids to find the one you want. Personally, I really appreciate thoughtful little design considerations like this. I suspect my internet price comparison skills aren’t foolproof, but from what I can tell, it would appear that these YPO pens will represent remarkably good value even if you use them just once, let alone refilling 35 times. To give you some idea of the potential savings, a pack of 50 black fine tip pens is A T A G L ANCE S T A T I ONE R Y • Dry-wipe felt tip pens for everyday whiteboard work • Easily refillable using specially designed ink bottles • Made from 90% recycled materials • Robust and chunky enough to suit hands of all sizes • Available in a range of colours and nib sizes Prices start at only £15.99 + VAT for a pack of 50; find out more at ypo.co.uk Reliable and comfortable Perfect for classroom use Easy to refill Environmentally sound Great value … you want to continue enjoying the benefits of whiteboard work in a way that’s both environmentally responsible and economically beneficial. V E RD I C T UPGRADE I F . . . REVIEWED BY: MIKE DAVIES YPO Refillable Whiteboard Pens available from just £15.99 + VAT. With refill bottles which can be used up to 25 times, going for around £3 + VAT, it’s not hard to see how they make good economic as well as environmental sense. R E V I E W 97 teachwire.net/secondary