How can I make it easier to make centers?

You know that having plenty of good center activities makes life easier in the long run, but how can you keep your centers fresh without giving up your weekends to do it? The key is to have all the ingredients on hand. Then, make a quick center activity when you prepare a lesson.

Make your centers cuter and easier with self-stick pockets like these from Top Notch Teacher . Have plenty of file folders, plain or fancy, and you have the basic ingredients for centers on practically any subject.

Find step-by-step instructions for file folder centers at that link.

Need something even easier? Check out the Take It To Your Seat series from Evan Moor.

What's a good theme for January?

It's a tough time of year to decorate for. Holidays and special events abound, actually, but they go by so fast you don't want to decorate and undecorate that quickly.

Penguins to the rescue!




Penguins come in cute, realistic, and cool varieties.



Grab some penguin books and visit the Penguin Theme page, put some of these cool birds on your board, and you'll be chillin'. Click on the pictures here to learn more about these designs.

What's best for organizing my classroom?

We love the Copernicus Rack! There are lots of choices, big and small, and lots of accessories so you can make your rack exactly the way you want it.

That's a personal favorite, but there are lots of great options. Check the featured products at A Plus Educational Supply for inspiration. Furniture, rolling racks, hanging containers, and stand-alone storage boxes are all great choices.

Here's some reading on the subject, too:
"The Organized Teacher"
"Get Organized!"