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I just started my first year of university and because I'm visually impared I have trouble seeing what's written on the chalkboard. I've partially solved this problem by purchasing chalk from hagoromo and asking my professors to use it. (Leaves a wider and nicer line and erases more cleanly).

But the chalkboard still gets dirty from chalk which reduces the contrast between the board and the chalk, which in turn makes it harder for me to see.

My university supplies what look to be whiteboard erasers for the blackboard which I suspect isn't a good idea.

I'm looking for suggestions for premium chalkboard eraser brands or DIY options.

Thanks

EDIT: My university washes all the boards regardless of department every day at the end of the day. (At least in my campus).

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    $\begingroup$ In my experience the best method is to wash the board with a very wet sponge and then dry it with a window scraper. With some practice it is a quick procedure. $\endgroup$
    – Hjalmar Rosengren
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 12:18
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    $\begingroup$ Which country are you in? Germany and Scandinavian countries have better systems than elsewhere, with basins next to the boards and good implements to clean the board with water and then dry it. One could probably order the implements by post, but they would be less useful without plumbing. $\endgroup$
    – Neil Strickland
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 12:27
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    $\begingroup$ This isn't a research mathematics question. That isn't to say that it isn't an important question. You might try academia.stackexchange.com. $\endgroup$
    – Theo Johnson-Freyd
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 14:14
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    $\begingroup$ I don't think it should be the responsibility of a student to buy expensive chalk. If you are in the US or Canada, and I assume in many other countries as well, your university will have (it is a legal requirement) an office with a name like Student Accommodations or Accessibility Services or something like that. The purpose of those offices is to find ways to make classes accessible to everyone. It sounds like you have already found part of the solution. I recommend that you talk to that office, get them to require better chalk+erasers, and discuss further improvements for visibility. $\endgroup$
    – Theo Johnson-Freyd
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 14:19
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    $\begingroup$ @TheoJohnson-Freyd I agree with you that Academia SE is a better fit, but it also seems that mathematicians are disproportionately interested in chalk compared to any other academic department I can think of. $\endgroup$
    – Timothy Chow
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 18:21

1 Answer 1

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The Hagoromo chalk, now produced in South Korea, is well accompanied by a professional Korean microfibre eraser (600,000 fibers per square inch), as explained by professor Bayer on his Chalk page.

For more on chalk, there is this older MO post.

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks, I've ordered both the sponges and the cloth mentioned in the blog post. $\endgroup$
    – TwoUnderscorez
    Commented Dec 17, 2021 at 13:01

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