Permanent Marker Used on White Board
EDUCATION NEWS
-Abilene, TX
Sources from inside the classroom at Cooper High School in Abilene, TX reported that the atmosphere in Mr. Whelan’s 11th grade U.S. History class became suddenly tense and frightening as Mr. Whelan erased his lecture notes on the Cold War from the white board this afternoon during 5th period. One student described Whelan as turning “super bright red” as he began to shake when a small flower with red hearts for petals was left on the board after having been “erased”. Whelan allegedly began screaming that he has told students not to use his markers because he “pays for them out of his own pocket” and that “stupid kids” can’t tell the difference between a permanent marker and a dry-erase marker. Mr. Whelan did not return phone calls for comment.
The sad thing is that instead of the parents ripping their kid a new one for having done this (if they ever find out who did it), this teacher will be reamed for using “hurtful” language and damaging the precious little ones’ self-esteems. Ugh! Don’t even get me started…
Any teacher who keeps permanent markers within students’ reach is asking for it! That’s why I only have washable markers in my classroom, and I keep them far away from my dry-erase board. They still will use the wrong markers– but as most of mine can’t read, I really can’t explain the difference to them. I just hand them a wet paper towel and move on.
Thank God, my school, built in the 1950s, still has old time chalkboards, with the dead spots from many years of use and abuse……Hell, it doesn’t feel like I worked unless on days I wear navy or black slacks there is a fine powder of white from belt-line to about knee level. ( I know, pretty damn nerdy, thus the tendency to wear khakis.)
I remember the horror I experienced the first time I had a whiteboard and wrote on it with permanent marker. I googled how to remove it and found the solution that if you color over the permanent marker with dry-erase marker, you can then erase it. Now I use permanent marker for the ever-present state objectives (so the students’ slimy fingers can’t erase or alter them in passing), and the dry-erase for the daily class lessons.
BTW—absolutely love this freakin’ website – may even help me cut down on my bourbon consumption prior to the start of the school year AND during!
Also, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works too! Keep the bourbon flowing, though!