January/February Survival Guide

Tips on invigorating lessons and diversifying instruction

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Now that you've hit the halfway point in the school year and have more confidence in your teaching style, you'll find it easier to vary your instructional approach from time to time. The January/February issue is filled with inspiring ideas on how to rev up your lessons and keep the learning momentum going.  

New Ways to Energize Lessons and Vary Instruction
Changing up routines and introducing different types of lesson activities have a way of invigorating the classroom. These ideas will spark your lessons and really connect with students.  

• Grades K–5
• Grades 6–8

Clip & Save Checklist: Creating an Emotionally Safe Classroom
Before students can grow intellectually, they have to feel safe emotionally. This checklist will help you assess to what degree your school community practices the kinds of beliefs and behaviors that contribute to an emotionally safe environment.

Fit to Print: Instant Correspondence Home
Whether you're sending home a classroom wish list, reminders, or thank-you notes, these reproducibles will shorten the process.

Classroom Activities: 25 Exciting Book Report Alternatives
If you notice big eye rolls or hear lots of groaning when you mention the words "book reports," any of these 25 alternative book-related activities are the perfect remedy.   

"Been There, Done That" Tips & Ideas: Classroom Management
Seasoned pros think back on the thorniest classroom management challenges they faced early on and how they handled them.

Bookshelf Bests: Enchanting Fairy Tales and Fantasy Worlds
Whether you're planning a fairy tale unit, looking for an enchanting read-aloud or lit circle selection, or identifying spellbinding places for independent readers to explore, these titles are sure to work a little magic.

• Grades K–5 
• Grades 6–8

Time Management Tip: Stretching Instructional Time
If students are taking too long to settle in or get on task, you may be losing valuable instruction time. Here's some advice on how to get on track in the first ten minutes of the class.

A Look at Tools for Assessment and Accountability
Technology is becoming more and more important to the efforts of new teachers to measure and account for student progress. First year teachers, see how you can use computers to conduct assessments and manage student data.

Bringing Too Much Work Home?
Professional organizers and successful teachers ring in on how to lessen your weekend workload.

"Been There, Done That" Tips & Ideas: Making the Most of Summer Prep and Planning
Whether you have two days, two weeks, or two months during the summer to prepare for the first day of school, the time goes by too fast. Discover how other new teachers have managed to get all the essentials done before the bell.