Are you an organised person? Do you photocopy spare worksheets ‘just in case’ for the forgetful students and homework sinners? Do you recycle your spare worksheets? Do you just bin them?

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Stop! Put them in a box and keep them safe, with any answer sheets too.

When you are having a revision session, for a topic test maybe, put out all the spare sheets. I lay them out across the front of the classroom. Let students borrow or take what they want, informing them that anything left at the end is recycled – this always makes them take more!

By showing them what they’ve had you are prompting their memory of what they’ve had, allowing absentees to fill gaps and giving them a second chance to ‘have a go’. Not every student will want worksheets, but isn’t it better to help those who want materials rather than feed the recycling?