A Rainbow of Binders

Every teacher loves the versatility of three ring binders and Isabel has 6 of them to keep her reading life organized.

Several of you have written letters with a PS that says something such as: "I hope someone can read this to you" or "how are your eyes? can you read?"

Isabel's eyes are fine and she reads a lot, although her eyes tire fairly easily. (The nurses say it is because of the smoke coming off her letterboard when she is in high-gear!)

Isabel has use of a few fingers of her left hand. It is not easy to turn pages that lay on a wheelchair table so we have devised a coloured three ring binder system for her various materials. A binder can sit on Isabel's angled reading board for easy turning. The various colours make it easier for Isabel to communicate with staff about which binder she wants on her angled reading board.

Her red binders are the favourites. We three hole punch each letter, news article, etc. that comes from you (and sometimes greeting cards as well before they go up on her card ledge). The contents of each red binder changes weekly, and is read daily by Isabel. The housekeeper on the south end of 2-6 opens Isabel's mail for her early each morning.

The dark blue binder is for The Seniors' Newspaper. Thanks to an Aber friend's generosity with this gift subscription.

The orange binder is for farm newspapers.

The green one is for magazines. This week's is a Scottish one. Thanks to all of you who have brought a variety of magazines.

The purple one tells the story of Isabel's teaching career and is a well used one as she and former students have frequently looked through it.

We still have the pink, purple, and yellow ones to fill.

Now if we could just get our desks (and staff!) organized as well as Isabel has hers!

Today is November 11, and Isabel will be watching programming from "the Hill" in Ottawa. Together, we remember........