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!"

Happy Holidays!

Sale at A Plus Educational!

I love a bargain, and I know you do too!

Come on down to A plus Educational in Harrison next week for the big holiday sale! 25% off most in-stock items, including toys and games for your favorite kids and all the best goodies for your favorite teacher.

Tell 'em Allie sent you!

What's Fresh for Thanksgiving?

If you haven't done a Thanksgiving bulletin board yet, then you need something quick and cute! Better yet, something quick, cute, and compatible with other stuff in your classroom.
I like this set from Creative Teaching Press. It's part of the wildly popular Stick Kids collection. You can use Stick Kids for all kinds of things in your classroom now, add a couple of important pieces for Thanksgiving, and then move right into winter with only a couple of minutes for a quick change.

Can I get Allie's outfits for my dog?

You sure can. Allie is a real dog, belonging to Cindy Magness, owner of A Plus Educational Supply in Harrison, Arkansas. She loves to dress up in her fancy outfits and visit with the shoppers at the store.
Email Cindy -- just click on "A Plus Educational Supply" and you'll find a "contact us" form at the bottom of the page, as well as phone numbers. Cindy will be happy to get your dog duded up just like Allie!