The Paperless Classroom

Why a paperless classroom? Every day, millions of teachers use millions of photocopies to teach millions of students in schools across Japan. Considering the amount of paper generated (and often quickly disposed or lost) in classrooms is a staggering experience. In one of my schools I teach 7 classes, each with 42 ichinenseis. If I plan to use a worksheet in class, I must make 294 copies! That is not including copies for teachers, and spares for careless students who lose or damage their copy. I am only one teacher in one school teaching one year group!

Many people think that because paper is recycled there is no need to be careful with paper usage. While we sort garbage in Japan, it is not always disposed of in the ways we imagine. Essentially, recycling requires energy, time, and money, and it doesn't always happen, so it should always be a last option, not the only safety net. The other two 'R's in the green mantra 'reduce, reuse recycle' thus come into play. Reducing paper usage by avoiding activities that require it or by reusing paper is the way to go.

If you are going to use photocopied worksheets, be inventive. Information should be in heads not on paper. Only use them for material that is not in textbooks or to convey information that students will often need to refer to. Also, be creative with formatting. Does that sheet really need to be A4? Could it be B5? Or even B6, doublesided? Or shared between pairs of students? Or made into reusable flashcards?

Learn to use the photocopier at school wisely early on: learn to adjust paper size, make doublesided copies, and cancel commands! Use recycled paper and you are off to a good start. Check packaging details for recycled paper logos. The brown paper the photocopying paper comes in is also really good for wrapping parcels to send home.

Ways to minimize and reuse paper in the classroom:

• Use the blackboard, overhead projectors, videos, found objects, and base lessons around this communal source of info instead of individual sheets. Put class materials on a bulletin board later if you think shy students and teachers could do with some more exposure to your baby photos or maps of your home country.
• Keep spare scrap paper on hand and give to student to use for quick games, notepaper etc. Many schools have special bins for paper ostensibly to be sent of for recycling. I get paper from here that has been used on one side only and reuse the other side. Cut it to a small size first before using in class, say B6.
• Monitor paper used and saved. At the end of the year or term publish an article about it in a school newsletter, or local newspaper.
• Make reusable, not disposable, materials. We play bingo a lot in school, but instead of disposable sheets we now use sheets which students write on in pencil. After each game they erase their marks and we play again. More than one class can use the same bingo cards.
• Consult with your team teachers before you make class materials. Sometimes the materials you make will not be used: your team teachers may be uninterested in trying things a new way, they may not understand what you are trying to do, or may decide to do something else for the lesson after you have prepared materials. It is good to make sure any class materials you make are in a form where they can be reused for a different lesson or purpose. Always try to be economical and resourceful when making class materials.

Once you have mastered these techniques, encourage other teachers to do the same. Volunteer to take over photocopying duties for other teachers if you have time. When you return to your home country, keep these principles in mind and spread the good word there, too. Lead by example!

There are a myriad of educational activities you can do in classrooms without resorting to photocopying reams and reams of handouts. Here are some suggestions. If you have more, please contact us!