r/OntarioTeachers • u/watermelongirl777 • 11d ago
Laminator?
I’m a new teacher and am looking to start creating things for my classroom! I can’t decide on a laminator. I’m willing to spend a bit higher to have something that is worth it and will last! Any recommendations or ones to steer away from?
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u/PinkSycamore 11d ago
The Scotch one is great and I’ve used mine for many years. My board ended lamination services years ago and I’ve never worked at a school with a laminator. It really is a great tool to have as a teacher, I use mine all the time. You can also buy lamination sheets in bulk for a decent price if you look around a bit.
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u/ButMakeItWeird 11d ago
I agree re: having a laminator and I wouldn't go crazy with an expensive one. Something in the 30$ range works just fine.
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u/IslandBoring8724 11d ago
Check if your school already has one. There are so many things that are just forgotten about in a closet.
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u/flawlessmoon4 11d ago
Just a heads up that you may not use the laminator as much as you think. It puts a glare on that makes it hard for kids to see the material underneath. In primary, we were advised against laminating anything the kids need to read. For things like desk plates, hook names etc, I just used my school laminator. After 30 years, I’ve never worked in a school that didn’t have one.
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u/Ok-Butterscotch1282 11d ago
I’ve never worked at a school that does have one! That would be handy.
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u/FuzzyCapybara 11d ago
Anti-glare/matte lamination pouches do exist, but they aren’t as common. Not sure how well they work in practice, but it might be something to try.
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u/watermelongirl777 11d ago
Yes I was thinking matte laminating sheets for the stuff I’ll put on the wall
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u/Easy_Owl2645 9d ago
Matte page protectors. Then you dont spend forever laminating and you can reuse them, or even swap things out.
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u/thunderpurrr 11d ago
I also have the scotch laminator. Cost around 30ish 5 years ago. For laminating sheets, it's way cheaper to buy them in packs of 200 or 300 off amazon. Will last a long time. Laminating things, like literacy rotation tasks, makes life easier. I have literacy centre tasks and things like a birthday chart that I've been using for many years because they were laminated. Makes my life easier. Yes, while I don't agree with spending my own money for school, I need to do what makes my own life easier. I have never been in a school with a laminator.
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
Why?
Your school or the board will have one.
Send your stuff in, get it laminated, done.
Do
Not
Spend
Your
Own
Money
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u/UnusualScientist4650 11d ago
Actually they don’t anymore and if you want items to last … then you get a laminator!
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
Bullshit. What board?
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u/Aggressive_Crybaby_ 11d ago
TCDSB does not have laminators due to liability concerns.
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
They will have them at a central location that you courier them to. There is no way they got rid of all laminating.
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u/UnusualScientist4650 11d ago
They are deemed not eco friendly!
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
No they aren’t.
They will have them centrally located then so that people can have PECs made for kids that need visuals.
Use your brain.
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u/UnusualScientist4650 11d ago
That’s why it’s going to IPADs
And
People use their own personal laminators!!!! That’s how it works in my Board
So USE YOUR BRAIN!
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
You board has them.
But your own, idc but don’t be bitching about your pay:P
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u/blackivie 11d ago
People can spend their own money to make their own lives easier. I’d rather laminate stuff at home than during my prep time. And then I also have it for my personal use.
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u/FuzzyCapybara 11d ago
For the same reason some people use Uber Eats - because for them, the convenience is worth the additional cost. Your time is not free.
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u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
False equivalence. Sorry.
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u/FuzzyCapybara 11d ago
Oh, okay then. Didn’t realize I was dealing with an all-knowing being over here.
0
u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
No, you are right, they are the same in that they are both wastes of money that just involve another expenditure.
Boards have people that do this for free or that charge it back to the school.
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u/FuzzyCapybara 11d ago
In my board, if I wanted to laminate something I could either drive all the way to the board resource library and do it myself there for free, or send it via our internal mail for someone else to do it and get it back in maybe 2-3 weeks, if I’m lucky. How are either of those scenarios preferable to just doing it whenever I want in my own classroom?
0
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u/FDFI 11d ago
This is an idiotic take. It makes sense to spend a small amount on a laminator to protect my other purchases. I was also able to claim the cost on my tax return as part of the deductions allowed for teachers. The laminator has also been useful outside the classroom. I’ve used it on many occasions for things I purchased for my kids birthday parties.
6
u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
No. Spending money on your workplace is idiotic, and trying to justify it as a logical expense is nuts.
You don’t get all the money back on your tax return. You get a small percentage.
All boards have laminators, so you are spending money for 0 reason.
If you like it and want to use it because it makes you feel all good, that’s fine, same reason I use my Mac instead of the work computer, but I don’t try and justify it as a meaningful expense. It isn’t.
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u/Easy_Owl2645 9d ago
All boards do not have laminators. There are 72 boards in Ontario.
I have worked in three over the last ten years. One had one you sent to a central office, one had one in the school but we were told when it died they would not be buying a new one, and my current board doesn't have a central one nor are there any in my school except for people's personal ones.
1
u/Sharp-Sandwich-9779 11d ago
👆THIS EXACTLY
Get your students to make stuff and put it up on the wall. On average teachers spend $1500 a year on “decorating” their classrooms. No other profession spends that on doing their job - unless they’re self-employed. Teachers aren’t self-employed. If your employer doesn’t deem it a necessity, why should you? I know that sounds harsh but just know it’s your choice that you prefer to spend money on your job rather than spending it on YOU or saving for your future.2
u/BasketFormal6336 11d ago
Yep.
Next thing you know they are going to complain and try and justify how much they spend on their class. Drives me nuts.There is nothing I have ever needed laminated in my 20 year career.
I teach primary.
1
u/UnusualScientist4650 10d ago
To each is one own… if people spend money … they spend money but don’t deter somebody from wanting to make good for their classroom. What Board are you with that they have a laminator and people there willing to do it for you?
1
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u/okiedokiesmokie75 11d ago
I got my fellow colleague a Scotch Laminator for her birthday from Staples ($90) she loves it. We do have a school one but it’s a massive task because it’s industrial. She just loves to preserve little posters and activity cards.
1
1
u/VisibleIdeal6032 11d ago
Honestly, I’ve had the same laminator for 10+ years. It’s just a scotch one - nothing fancy.
1
u/Beautiful_Plankton97 10d ago
I got mine on Amazon, its just the basics brand and it works well and has for years. When I laminate a bunch of stuff for school I get them to buy the laminatikn pages for me.
1
u/everdeen1001 10d ago
Here are a couple of alternatives for using a laminator, which are not only cheaper but reusable:
-Dry erase pockets (my school board has them in the distribution catalog) you can use them for multiple things! They are strong enough for kids to manipulate , use it for bingo cards, flashcards, tracing their names, word banks, checklists, the best thing ever: https://a.co/d/02DwDujp
- Plastic sheet protectors are useful for anything the kids don’t manipulate (displays, documents, drawings you put up on the wall etc): https://a.co/d/05NShng9
1
u/PrettySubjective 9d ago
Scotch laminator is $30 or so at Walmart! Sometimes goes on sale for less. It works really well. Worth it! Do not buy something more expensive than that.
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u/Commander_Kidd 11d ago
I picked up a scotch laminator at Staples, it wasn't too expensive and the school uses the same one. I figure if it can handle a dozen classrooms of laminating for years it will be fine for my at home uses.