Durable Textbook Covers

On the first day of summer vacation I got together with the math teachers at the new school I'm moving to, and they told me that every year they teach the students how to make textbook covers with a paper grocery bag and Duck tape. I was so impressed with the idea, that I went right out and bought myself a large variety of Duck Tape.

I have impulse control issues.

I seriously  cannot believe how many different patterns are available. Or how little comes on a roll, especially the fancy stuff at Michael's. Or how expensive it can be when you have impulse control issues.

Geesh. I think I'm done though. I covered all my Teacher's Edition textbooks. I love that I have two of the same book for two of my classes. I get to keep a copy at home so I don't have to hoof it back and forth to school. Love that.

I grew up making paper grocery bag covers for my textbooks, but I was a little unsure about how to go about covering a textbook with Duck Tape in such a way that is doesn't adhere to the book.

Enter a most excellent tutorial from Duck Tape.

I even cut out vinyl on my Cricut to label my spines. After adhering the vinyl to the spine, I covered it with another layer of clear packing tape to keep the vinyl from moving. I love how it turned out.

That book on the bottom gave me fits with that long title. The only way I could get it to fit was to make the letters in the last word all wonky.

I'm sort of wondering if it's symbolic.

As in "Are you really ready for Algebra, or are you pretty shaky on the whole concept?"

Don't answer that, Math Haters.

I like to label my chapters so I don't have to flip back and forth when I'm all flustered and looking for a page. I'm frequently flustered.

Especially when 30 mostly-taller-than-me students are watching me. It gives me the stress sweats.

So I like to be prepared.

Enter the Post-it Filing Tabs. I buy them in bulk.

A fine-tip Sharpie is the perfect tool to write on them too.

I told you I know about office supplies.

My deep dark secret is that when I was a kid, I was busted for shoplifting office supplies.

No lie.

What kind of freak kid shoplifts office supplies?

Don't answer that, Office Supply Haters.