Educational Dealer Mar 2018 by Fahy-Williams Publishing

March 2018

FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOLS

Adding

Color to Learning

with • Creative activity books, p. 14 • Award-winning smart toys, p. 20 • Innovative new resources, p. 30 and more ...

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THE ISSUE

by Kevin Fahy

Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

here is a school of thought which holds that an untruth, repeated often enough, becomes accepted by the public as truth. There are certain politicians, both historical and contemporary, who have relied very heavily upon this belief. I won’t name any names. Last fall, I read an article in a newspaper which stated that online sales would exceed brick and mortar over the Christmas shopping season for the first time. Subsequently, I read the same line repeated as gospel by several talking heads on cable news programs. That prediction wasn’t just inaccurate, it was ridiculous. It was based upon a survey which asked consumers whether they would shop in stores or online. More of them said they would shop online, and that may have turned out to be the case, but in terms of spending it isn’t even close. E-commerce amounted to around 12 percent of the total, meaning that stores did more than seven times as much business as websites. Nonetheless, I have heard people outside the media business say that e-commerce has outgrown brick and mortar, so perhaps the misconception has sunk in with the public. Similarly, a lot of people seem to think that Amazon is now America’s largest retailer. Just to be clear, Amazon is the seventh largest retailer in the U.S., and the only online merchant in the top 10. Walmart’s sales are roughly five times that of Amazon. Unless you follow these things, you might be surprised to learn that there are two drugstore chains, Walgreens and CVS, which are both larger than Amazon. The question, of course, is not

where we are but where we’re going. There is no question that the internet share of retail is still growing, and will continue to reshape the way we all shop. In looking back at the business press commentary over the past year, however, there seemed to be a growing consensus that physical stores are here to stay. One of the more succinct pieces I found was published by Forbes magazine last June, entitled “Five Signs that Stores (not E-Commerce) are the Future of Retail.” Author Barbara Thau makes a case that it is pure-play online shopping that is the “imperiled model,” not brick and mortar, and that Amazon and eBay are the exceptions which prove the rule. Nine of the top 10 retailers are conventional stores, and all but one of them, Target, showed an increase in sales last year. Walmart was up 8 percent. What gets less reported is that they are also more profitable than online merchants, whose margins have been steadily shrinking over recent years. The purchase of the Whole Foods chain by Amazon was widely viewed as a watershed moment in the bricksversus-clicks argument. Amazon has dabbled in physical stores before, but Whole Foods is not a hobby or a vanity acquisition. With 460 stores, it is the 30th largest retailer in America, and represents a clear signal that Amazon is bullish on brick and mortar. Another group that likes physical stores is the millennial generation. It has always been a general assumption that younger people would prefer e-commerce because they had grown (continued on page 5) March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 3

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March 2018 Volume 43, No 1 FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOLS

Chris Eyring, ECRM’s vice president of category development, presents Ed Dealer’s Buyer’s Choice Awards to, from left, Robert Siddell from Popar Toys, Dawn Renehan from Learning Resources, and Darin Smith from Teacher Created Resources. See the story on page 20.

The Issue

How AI Can Support Teaching

Who’s Zoomin’ Who? by Kevin Fahy

Many projects are in the works that enlist AI to help teachers and students

A look at the newest and best-selling activity books from our advertisers

Educational Dealer honors buyer favorites

ECRM Best Products

Reach Out to Potential Customers

20 18 26

Quick Tips for Your Teacher Show Table Video Ideas to Promote You and Your Store Video – a perfect marketing tool – can be used on multiple social platforms to help you connect with customers and grow your business

Fabulous Products

46 Endcap 8 30 35

Skill-building and Fun

RETAILERS RECOMMEND

Children’s Factory: Bringing Favorite Early Childhood Brands to the School Market

Industry News New & True Cool & Hot

Innovations in the furniture and equipment category

Scents in the classroom, the best collaborative problem solvers, and the role of video games in education

The best way to reach Millennials, the future of brick and mortar, and retail sales predictions based on shipping activity

Eye on Education

Business Notes

4 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — March 2018

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THE ISSUE (continued from page 3)

up immersed in technology, and liked to use electronic devices for everything. It turns out they don’t. Surveys show that millennials (born 1982-2004) prefer shopping in stores, and that Generation Z is even more brick-friendly at 77 percent. These guys already exceed baby boomers, and if those preferences continue it will gradually improve the picture for conventional retailers. Given all that, you might wonder why you see so many mall stores disappearing these days. In the Forbes piece, Ms. Thau says that we were “vastly overstored” because the retail landscape was sized for a pre-internet world, and because post-Great Recession shoppers are less materialistic. I agree with the first half of that assessment, but I rather doubt that we’ve witnessed a change in human nature, at least in any sort of permanent way. I would also argue that we were overstored even without the internet, having more than double the retail space per capita as the rest of the industrialized world. Which brings me to the heart of the matter. People often ask me how many teacher stores there are in the Unites States, but I think the more critical question is “how many do we need?” When I was a salesman calling on school supply dealers in the late 1970s and early ’80s, there were literally thousands of teacher stores throughout the country. Some were chain stores, some were run by regional or national distributors, and some were independents. In California, they were so commonplace that many were in walking distance of each other, though of course no one ever walked it. If you consider the total population of elementary teachers, around a million at the time, and how many of them bought from other sources, I think we had a lot more stores than were really

Dawn Renehan, director of institutional sales at Learning Resouces, accepts the Buyers Choice Award

Darin Smith, CEO of Teacher Created Resources, accepts the Buyers Choice Award

(continued on page 7) March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 5

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PUBLISHER J. Kevin Fahy kfahy@fwpi.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR Amy Colburn amy@fwpi.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tim Braden, Director tbraden@fwpi.com

ART Mark Stash Production Manager mstash@fwpi.com

ADVERTISING SALES Darlene Ryan darlene@fwpi.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Tricia McKenna trish@fwpi.com E-NEWS & ONLINE ADVERTISING Rick Kauder rkauder@fwpi.com

Maia VanOrman Designer maia@fwpi.com EDITORIAL OFFICES PO Box 1080 171 Reed Street Geneva, NY 14456 PH: 800-344-0559 315-789-0458 FAX: 315-789-4263 WEB: fwpi.com

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Fahy-Williams also publishes edplay edplay.com • • • ASTRA Toy Times Magazine a publication of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association • • • Art Materials Retailer artmaterialsretailer.com • • • Gradient a publication of the Association for Creative Industries craftandhobby.org

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Educational Packs for All Levels!

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THE ISSUE (continued from page 5)

necessary. Even if the internet had never happened, there would likely have been a correction. It did happen, though, and what might have been a correction was more like a purge. There are still thousands of businesses involved with selling school supplies, but only a few hundred that you would describe as pure teacher stores. As the massive changes in retail have begun to shake out, it increasingly appears as though the real losers are department stores. It is very hard to be a generalist against the virtually infinite variety and inventory of e-commerce. Conversely, it seems that a likely winner in this scenario is the relatively small specialty retailer, assuming that he carries depth of carefully selected product, provides outstanding, personal service, and offers a pleasurable in-store experience. When so many educational stores closed, it had to make all of us in the industry wonder whether the rest would follow. A lot of those closures were great stores, and if they couldn’t make it, why should we think others could? The other way to look at it is that the pendulum swang too far, as it so often does, leaving us significantly under-stored. Just as independent bookstores have been coming back over recent years, teacher stores may be due for a revival. That’s why I was so interested in the “WeConnect” trade show in Orlando last November. It was refreshing to see a room full of people in the teaching aid business that were so upbeat for a change, and I came away with a much more positive attitude about the retail side of our industry. Perhaps we can put some of those vacant storefronts to good use.

You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com. March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 7

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INDUSTRY NEWS

E-Z Grader

has announced a new partnership with noted phonics and reading specialist Amanda McNamara Lowe, inventor of Stretch & Catch, a multisensory technique to teach reading. E-Z Grader will distribute Amanda’s two textbooks on the method, Teach Your Child To Read In Less Than 10 Minutes A Day! Stretch & Catch Words, and Everyday Intervention for Phonemic Awareness. The technique follows a developmentally appropriate spelling order that enables a parent, teacher, or caregiver to teach children how to “Stretch & Catch” words at their instructional level. Teach Your Child To Read/Stretch & Catch Words is the guide, and Everyday Intervention is an organized, time-saving workbook to supplement any school’s reading program. As the owner and operator of the Stretch & Catch Reading Center in Cleveland, Ohio, Amanda teaches reading to students of all ages and levels. “Children who are gifted and children with learning disabilities – and children at every level in between – have achieved success using Stretch & Catch,” she explains. “The multisensory approach helps them understand how words work by pulling them apart and putting them back together.”

Amanda has always loved the challenge of teaching children to read. In addition to teaching in elementary schools, she spent more than three years as an instructor at Cleveland State University, where she taught phonics assessment, phonics instruction and literaturebased reading to undergraduate and graduate students. For more information about the Stretch & Catch books, call E-Z Grader at 1-800-732-4018 or email ezgrader@voyager.net.

Carson-Dellosa

has announced an exclusive, multiyear publishing partnership with Schoolgirl Style, a popular classroom décor brand created by veteran educator and blogger Melanie Ralbusky (see ad on page 24). “By collaborating with Carson-Dellosa, my wish is that I can have a small part of bringing joy into the classroom for many years to come,” Ralbusky says. “Together, we are making it easier for teachers to create a coordinated, beautiful, and fun classroom space. The Schoolgirl Style line features more than 75 pieces ranging from bulletin boards and birthday crowns to borders and lanterns. They range in price from $1.99 to $14.99, and many cost less than $10. The partnership will initially launch with three collections: the modern farmhouse-inspired Industrial Chic, the chalkboard-themed Twinkle Twinkle You’re a STAR!, and the brightly-colored line of Just Teach. Carson-Dellosa has been publishing children’s supplemental education products for more than 40 years, bridging school and home with innovative solutions for teachers and families. For more information, visit carsondellosa.com. 8 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — March 2018

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C-Line Products Inc.

welcomes Sam Difiglio to its sales team as national key accounts manager. Sam will join existing national key accounts managers Mike Lynch and John Raniere in managing current C-Line customers and establishing new business development opportunities outside the office products industry. Prior to his recent appointment, Sam worked for five years at FireKing and more than 30 years at Buddy Products in various sales and marketing roles. C-Line looks forward to tapping into his extensive knowledge of the office-products industry as well as experience in the restaurant and hospitality channel. “I’m very excited to bring my knowledge and experience to C-Line and contribute to its growth and development in both new and existing channels,” comments Sam. C-Line Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of storage, protection and organization items for the office products and education markets. The company is headquartered in Mount Prospect, Illinois. For more information contact Jean Andersen at 1-800-323-6084 x3361 or visit c-lineproducts.com.

EDmarket has parterned with The Business

and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) to conduct an extensive study of the educationfurniture market. Their goal is to collect feedback and input from key members of the industry in order to identify and understand market trends, and provide a clearer picture of where the industry is headed. The final report will be available to participating manufacturer companies, with an executive brief accessible to the public. “This is a unique opportunity to explore a growth channel in our industry in a way that hasn’t been done before, with far-reaching impacts for future educational environments,” noted BIFMA Executive Director Thomas Reardon The data collection process will be managed by independent third-party audit and accounting firm BDO to insure information accuracy, confidentiality and anonymity for survey participants and their company data. Since 1973, BIFMA has monitored the state of the industry and translated the complexity of current and future standards into more easily understood and implemented formats.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

a company that provides skill-building educational materials to teachers, speech pathologists, curriculum specialists and parents, will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year. In 1978, two special education teachers founded the company to develop products to meet the needs of their struggling students. Since then, Remedia Publications has been dedicated to developing activity books, storybooks, flash cards, games, software and ebooks that focus on building basic skills. They offer practical solutions and curriculum supplements that help busy teachers work effectively with students who have learning differences like ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language delays, autism and more.

Garlic Press, a 44-year-old company also begun by a teacher, Stan Couins, was recently acquired by Remedia. The company’s first product was a book Stan had written to help struggling substitute teachers in his school district. Since then, Garlic Press has produced quality content for students of all ages studying math, language arts, literature, sign language, Braille and more. They are available now exclusively from Remedia, reports Liz Mullen, Remedia’s director of sales. “We are confident that that their materials will be a terrific fit in our product line,” she says. For wholesale orders and volume discounts, contact Liz at 330-961-7318, liz@rempub.com.

Wikki_EdDealer_ToughStuffPRNT1.pdf

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9:13 AM

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is the annual trade show of the Association For Creative Industries (AFCI). It is a great place to spot the trends that influence classroom décor and the arts & crafts category. At the January show, paper flowers, travel journals and shaker cards had a strong presence, and “hand lettering and fonts were everywhere, not just in paint and marker projects,” reports AFCI. “Brands are expanding the use of bold, cursive and whimsical fonts to sticker and stamp products.” What’s more, “Llamas continue to be the dominant animal motif, although sloths and birds seem to be gaining popularity.” Shopper insights about kids’ crafts, the third most-popular crafting category based on participation in the U.S., was discussed by Crayola. Education, screen addiction, the desire to disconnect, and social sharing are among the macro trends driving category sales. One takeaway of their presentation was the importance of providing inspirational content to Millennial parents. The Ultimate Pitch, where new products competed for a $10,000 check sponsored by The Michaels Companies, was won by the BowVy Cutter, a hand held, cordless, hot filament cutting tool with interchangeable tips. Among the products on display in the show’s innovation center were The Oil Pastel Smudge Technique, which works with oil pastels and a template. The technique encompasses the use of math, and understanding and working with positive and negative shapes. It exercises cognitive thinking skills and the acquisition of knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. Another product, ShardWorx Kits for Kids, helps kids make art on canvas using shards of glass that are not sharp.

Your one source solution for Classroom Furnishings and Active Play products! Now welcoming to the family!

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AB705206PR1 MyValue™ Set 6 Rectange Preschool Table & Chair Set

ANG121 Colorful Puppet Tree 314.821.1441 www.ChildrensFactory.com sales@ChildrensFactory.com

CF100-897 Career Puppets with Movable Mouths

CF100-896 Ethnic Children Puppets with Movable Mouths

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Robots can’t inspire students like teachers can. An important aspect of learning is

observing and imitating, and humans learn best by emulating and practicing with other humans, explains the Education World article. “When a human teacher is able to show the benefits of learning content – and indirectly prove not only that it can be done, but that it is something to aspire to – learners are more likely to be inspired to work harder and make progress.” “When teachers connect with students through heartfelt listening, or even through nonverbal classroom demeanor, they can inspire them to learn, create and excel,” says the article. A robot, even one with state-of-the-art face rendering technology, can’t. Inspiration is a product of empathy, and a robot can’t “read” students’ body language, appearance and any number of other pieces of data to infer their emotional state. They simply can’t do empathy. And the article warns again underestimating the importance of empathy when it comes to learning. “A humanoid robotic AI educator at the front of the room will be able to access absurd amounts of information in the blink of an eye, but it won’t be able to combine a thousand human variables to create meaning.”

How Can Support Teaching by Tina Manzer

Artificial intelligence is all around us, from Siri, Alexa, Watson and Viv to the new automatic parking features in cars. While many industries are using AI in a wide range of applications, it’s not yet a standard in schools. But, “AI in education has been ‘a thing’ since the technology’s uptick in the 1980s,” notes artificial intelligence market research firm TechEmergence. “In many ways, the two seem made for each other.” By 2055, roughly half of today’s work activities could be automated, according to a report from the McKinsey Global Institute. Does that include teaching? Probably not, “but teachers’ jobs are going to change, and AI is going to be part of that ignition,” says an article on educationworld.com. There are many projects in the works already that use AI to help teachers and students with specific tasks in specialized areas. Here are descriptions of just a few, presented by TeachThought, a brand that “grows teachers” through content and professional development. Grading AI might not be able to replace human grading, but it’s getting close with automated grading for nearly all kinds of multiple choice and fill-in-the blank testing. Essay grading software is in the works. TeachThought believes it will keep improving; allowing teachers to focus more on in-class activities and student interaction, and spend less time grading. Individualized learning The number of adaptive learning programs, games and software available today continues to grow. They respond to the needs of the students by putting greater emphasis on certain topics, by repeating things that students have not yet mastered, and helping students work at their own pace, whatever that might be. Course improvement Artificial intelligence can help solve the problem of gaps in lectures and educational materials that leave students confused about concepts.

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For instance, Coursera, a massive open online course provider, alerts the teacher when a large number of students have submitted the wrong answer to a homework assignment. “It helps to ensure that all students are building the same conceptual foundation,” says TeachThought. Tutoring Tutoring programs based on artificial intelligence already exist to help students through basic mathematics, writing and other subjects, but they aren’t ideal for teaching higher-order thinking and creativity. In the future, however, AI tutors may be able to do so. Providing feedback Some schools now, especially those with online offerings, use AI systems to monitor student progress and to signal professors that there might be an issue with student performance. Finding information and interacting with it Right now, Google adapts results based on the user’s location, Amazon makes recommendations based on purchase history, and Siri adapts to needs and commands. “With newer, more integrated technology, students

in the future may have vastly different experiences doing research and looking up facts,” points out TeachThought. Making trial-and-error less scary Artificial intelligence may be a way students can experiment and learn in a judgment-free environment, especially with AI tutors offering solutions for improvement. Changing the role of teachers “There will always be a role for human teachers in education, but what that role is, and what it entails, may change due to intelligent computing systems,” says TeachThought. “AI systems could be programmed to provide expertise, to serve as a place for students to ask questions and find information, or could even potentially take the place of teachers for very basic course materials. “Teachers will supplement AI lessons, assist students who are struggling, and provide human interaction and hands-on experiences for students,” the article concludes. “In many ways, technology is already driving these changes in the classroom.”

With lids. Without lids. Mixed lids. Different ways to store with Stowaways.

We have 9 sizes, and a myriad of colors to choose from.

1.800.828.9587 info@romanoffproducts.com www.romanoffproducts.com

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Skill-building and Fun

Dealers are Chatting about MCDonalD Chatter Charts 5 New Titles for 2018 NEW! chosen as a Top 20 Product for 2018 at the WeConnect Show

Character Ed.

Activity books can be used effectively in the classroom to reinforce the lessons being taught, to help kids learn to work independently, and to give teachers a break for a few minutes. Parents love them as “boredom busters,” as an alternative to screen time, and for portable entertainment – no batteries needed! Here are some of the skill-building and fun activity books from manufacturers in our industry.

NEW!

Physical Science

NEW!

Life Science

NEW!

Newmark Learning’s new “Colossal Collections” activity books help students develop and strengthen key skills with concept-specific activities that target the alphabet & phonics, sight words, and mathematics. They’re perfect for take-home practice, and whole-class, small-group, partner, and singlestudent work. Newmark’s bestseller, Conquer Grammar, features 84 reproducible pages’ worth of practice that target parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, sentence types, and more. It’s perfect for extra practice and support in class and at home. A robust teacher-support section includes instructional tips and more.

Chemistry

NEW!

12 Titles Available

Spanish

McDONALD PUBLISHING CO. 567 Hanley Industrial Ct. St. Louis, MO 63144-1901 800-722-8080 FAX 314-781-7480 sales@mcdonaldpublishing.com

The 64-page step-by-step handwriting practice books from Essential Learning Products provide a progressive program to help students develop their handwriting skills. Based on the popular Zaner-Bloser Simplified Method, each title features simplified letter forms and writing grids, and simplified approaches and techniques – with ample review and evaluation at all levels. The Handwriting Skills series includes titles for grades 1-6.

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Longevity’s Two Plus Two is Not Five: Easy Methods to Learn Addition and Subtraction, “helps children really learn and memorize basic addition and subtraction facts,” says Susan Greenwald, author and company founder. The reproducible book is packed with 220 practice pages, instructions on how to use the book, record-keeping pages, and a Certificate of Mastery. Ten Divided By Five Is Not Five: Using Multiplication To Make Division Easy is Longevity’s newest launch. It includes a Guide to introducing division, pre- and post-assessment pages, record-keeping pages, 58 reproducible practice pages, and a Certificate of Mastery. It can be used together with the multiplication workbook, Five Times Five Is Not Ten. “Our workbooks are purchased by teachers and parents for use in both the home and classroom,” explains Susan, who says that practice pages are cleanly designed to appeal to both beginning learners and older students who need review. Each perforated page has about 50 practice problems. Answer pages are provided.

Endless Possibilities, Inc. Brilliantly Uncomplicated

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Boinks™ products have been entertaining kids for over 3 decades. The possibilities are endless with Boinks and Super Boinks

Two activity books from Wikki Stix – Wiggles, Squiggles and Curlicues and Adventures Across America – are huge hits with preschool teachers and occupational therapists who help children with fine-motor skills. “The sturdy board pages are easier for young children to turn than paper pages,” reports company owner Kem Clark, “and as one OT said, ‘Wikki Stix provide a medium for hand and finger strengthening and pincer grip. They can be used as a precursor to pointing, and for practice on pressing down.’” Each book comes with 36 Wikki Stix. In mid-March, the company will launch The Wikki Stix Activity Book. In addition to activities that use the yarn-and-nontoxic wax sticks to develop fine motor skills, the book also offers counting, matching, shapes, letters, tracing, connect-the-dots (which reinforce numbers in sequence) and general “imagination” play. It comes with 72 Wikki Stix. “The cool part about the book is that Wikki Stix stick to the pages with just light fingertip pressure,” explains Kem. “They are easy to peel up and reposition, too.”

There is a place where you can rediscover several refreshingly simple ways to entertain, learn and even bring a little calm and focus to life.

At Endless Possibilties™, we celebrate the genius of simplicity as we help people find more of life’s little pleasures – and leave all the complicated stuff far behind.

Retailers and Distributors, apply for a wholesale account by going to our website: www.boinks.com, calling 1-844-515-6161 or email orders@boinks.com

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A NE LL W !

Spiral-Bound Flip Charts

• Introduce Intr Key Foundational and Social and Emotional Skills • Write-On/Wipe-Off • 15" x 20½", Four-Color • $24.99

Skill-building and Fun The newest activity book from Carson-Dellosa, My Take-Along Tablet:123s is the perfect size for learning on the go. Designed for home use, the colorful tablet helps kids conquer counting. It supports number recognition and formation with games, tracing, coloring, and more.

Contact Your Sales Rep or Call 1-877-279-8388

The bestselling Checkbook Math from Remedia Publications is appropriate for both home and classroom use. It features more than 50 real-life check writing activities that reinforce practical math skills.

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Carson-Dellosa’s bestseller, the Brighter Child Workbook Handwriting: Printing, is an 80-page activity book targeted to parents. It helps kids build successful handwriting skills with easy-to-follow directions and full-color illustrations. Children learn stroke formation of uppercase and lowercase letters in a fun way. It includes perforated pages and an answer key.

Remedia’s Skill-by-Skill Comprehension Practice – for reading levels grades 1-3 and 3-5 are also effective at home and in the classroom. The books include 68 short reading passages that are packed with a punch. They are ideal for students with a short attention span, as well as for struggling readers of all ages. High-interest stories are followed by six skill-specific comprehension questions.

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Quick Tips

Promote Kindness in th e Classroom!

for Your

Teacher Show Table

30 great ﬁll-in posters & complete teaching guide

by Rebecca Carlson

R 9781338227130

Grades K-2

ALL NEW!

$15.99 each

Retail is no longer a “build it and they will come” industry – if it ever was. In an age when even the biggest stores can’t win customers with national ad campaigns and live-streams on Periscope, we all have to create ways to pull new people in. Maybe it means that we go out. For stores in the parent/teacher market, there are opportunities to meet potential customers face to face without too much trouble or travel. Just set up a table – at your state’s homeschool conference, at regional meetings for science teachers or district-wide kindergarten teacher enrichment days. Teachers are members of a variety of organizations; you can find out what’s happening nearby with a simple Google search. Parents may be even easier to reach – at the library during story time, at the open house at your neighborhood’s preschool, and even at the county fair. Okay: there’s a little more to it than just setting up a table. Here are some tips. Understand the logistics When you reserve your spot, make sure you know what comes with it. What are the dimensions of your table or booth? Or, do you have to bring your own table and chairs? Will you have access to electric outlets? How about Wi-Fi? Promote your presence through social media Ahead of the event, let your followers on social media know your “show schedule” and invite them to attend – and bring a friend!

Grades 3-6

97813382271�7

Make plans around a goal Ask yourself what you would most like to accomplish; whether it’s increasing your e-mail list or selling a pallet of science kits. Pick one main goal and two secondary goals. Trying to do too many things can confuse the people who stop by. To capture e-mail addresses, direct visitors to your signup sheet that includes a column for their name and for their email. And that’s it. Most people don’t like to give out a lot of personal information.

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Simple is better Simple designs can work effectively to grab the attention of potential customers. Consider using the bulletin board sets and other classroom décor you sell – it doesn’t get any simpler than that! You can always use a banner Even with a small budget you can create a sign or tablecloth that clearly displays your store name and logo. As a bonus, a banner can hang in your store when it’s not being used at an event. Grab their attention Keep a bowl filled with candy on your table. Invite passersby to grab a couple of pieces and get them talking from there. Give something away Teachers love freebies. Just make sure that the pencil/magnet/marker you hand out includes your store’s logo, address, phone number and web address. Once you have their attention, keep it Bring your catalog and/or your laptop or tablet so visitors can see your website and all the products you carry. This is especially important for people who travel from out of town. Meeting potential customers face-to-face on their turf is an effective way to connect with potential customers, but remember: a first impression is a lasting impression. Don’t spend all your time looking down at your cell phone! Acknowledge everyone who walks by and smile. Be approachable and make people feel comfortable.

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ECRM Best Products A

At the Educational Supplies Efficient Program Planning Sessions (EPPS) held February 11 through 14 in Destin, Florida, products from Popar, Learning Resources, and Teacher Created Resources were honored with Buyer’s Choice Awards, sponsored by Educational Dealer Magazine. Representatives from 70 dealer companies who attended the conference – including buyers from Staples, Amazon, and Office Depot – cast votes for their favorite products to determine the winners.

Product categories covered at the event included school supplies, arts and crafts, books, educational aids, and decor

and furniture.

Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM) was founded in 1994 by veteran retailer and wholesaler Charlie

Bowlus, whose EPPS idea took the concept of a trade show to a whole new level. The model consists of a series of brief meetings where buyers travel to each seller’s private meeting space for back-to-back private appointments.

ECRM manages more than 1,000 EPPS events for industries around the world that range from “Pet” and

“Candy Planning” to “Asian Beauty and Personal Care.”

Animals Come Alive with Augmented and Virtual Reality

Robert Siddell, right, managing partner at Popar, accepts the Buyers Choice award from Chris Eyring, ECRM’s vice president of category development.

Safari Alive was the top choice for buyers at ECRM. The smart-toy set includes six hand-painted animals (a lion, giraffe, zebra, hippo, elephant and antelope), a book, a 4D app available for free on the App Store and Google Play, plus three adventure cards. The app is designed to work with Apple and Android smartphones, and delivers colorful animation, thoughtprovoking games, and educational read-alongs. It’s from Popar Toys, a division

of the augmented and virtual reality firm Popar Interactive based in Phoenix. Popar Toys is known for its AR and VR-infused books, puzzles and wall charts that enhance children’s creative perception while teaching spatial and temporal concepts and building listeningcomprehension skills. Other Popar smart themes include dinosaurs, sea creatures, bugs, construction machines, and planets, plus maps and charts. popartoys.com

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Jumbo Unifix AD.pdf

A cute way to code Adorable Botley was a big hit with buyers at ECRM for many reasons – including the fact that he’s ready to use right out of the box. According to Learning Resources, he’ll have children as young as 5 coding in minutes – no phone or tablet required. He works on commands transmitted from an easy-to-use remote programmer. Using active play, he teaches kids to code in a hands-on, screen-free, fun and friendly way. Botley can detect objects and move around them, follow looping commands, navigate obstacle courses and follow black lines. He’s the only robot that comes with a 77-piece activity set, says LER. learningresources.com

1/19/18

11:56 AM

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Jumbo Alphabet Unifix® Cubes are perfect to practice the alphabet and create simple words. Jumbo Unifix® Cubes are ideal for early counting and patterning activities.

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Teachers will love this Teacher Created Resources received a trophy for its product Better Than Paper. The revolutionary nonwoven fabric comes in 4- by 12-foot rolls in a variety of colors – teal, royal blue, lime, yellow, hot pink and white – plus patterns like Gold Shimmer, Burlap, Clouds, Chalkboard and White Wood. Better Than Paper makes creating beautiful bulletin board backdrops quick and easy. The lightweight material is simple to hang because there’s no struggling with paper that wrinkles and tears. Teachers can then attach border trim, accents, posters, and student work with staples or tape, and remove it without ripping or leaving conspicuous holes. The durable write-on/ wipe-off surface can be used again and again. tcrdealer.com

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RETAILERS RECOMMEND

Fabulous Products

by Rebecca Carlson carsondellosa.com

tcrdealer.com

tedcotoys.com

Mary Lou Sinclair from Teaching Etc. in Richardson, Texas “Spectrum Workbooks by Carson-Dellosa (1) come in an assortment of subjects. They’re great for classroom learning and for kids who are homeschooled. They provide lots of activities to keep kids’ minds fresh over school breaks. “Ready-Set-Learn by Teacher Created Resources (2) is another effective line of workbooks. They are a bit smaller in size, which makes them perfect for traveling back and forth to school. They come with stickers inside that can be used as a mini reward program as children finish up each task in the book. “A timeless classic that’s new to our store is the Tornado Tube (3) by TEDCO Toys. The plastic adapter simply connects two soda bottles filled with water without leaking. The fun begins when you tilt them upside down and create a mini tornado.” Michelle Johnson from Loudon Learning in Leesburg, Virginia “Teachers love the Didax Place Value Sliders (4). The ones we carry help kids learn decimal numbers and their names (“tenths, hundredths, thousandths”). Because the sliders are dry-erase, they can be used over and over again.

didax.com

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ashleyusa.com

6 evan-moor.com

“Big Scribble Dots by Ashley Productions (5) is a decor theme that’s selling well right now. As teachers transition from winter to spring, it’s a great decoration to brighten up any classroom. “We just brought in some Skill Sharpener Geography books (6) by Evan Moor. The pages are really colorful and include a lot of pictures to help keep kids entertained while they are learning. They’re available for children in grades pre-K through sixth.” Bev Goff from Education Station in Bellefontaine, Ohio “We just brought in a new line of products called Clingy Thingies by Teacher Created Resources (7). The coolest thing about this reusable line of calendars and borders is that the pieces aren’t sticky to the touch, but will ‘cling’ to anything. They have a slick surface, so teachers can use them with dryerase markers, too. “Our bestselling board games right now are Forbidden Island and Forbidden Desert by Gamewright (8). Both games, for children ages 10 and up, encourage teamwork. Instead of competing against each other, the players must work together to complete quests and collect treasures. The games are beautifully designed down to the last detail.”

tcrdealer.com

gamewright.com

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s...

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A modern fusion of reclaimed wood, natural elements, and a vintage-inspired black and white collection can create a classroom environment that feels like home.

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Schoolgirl Style products make it easier than ever for teachers to create the classroom of their dreams! Inspire students to DREAM BIG with the Twinkle Twinkle Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a STAR! collection!

Simplify and organize the classroom with coordinating resources that will make management and routines easy!

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Made in the USA Quality Children’s Classroom Furniture Since 1988

We Don’t Sell to End-Users

Video Ideas to Promote You

and Your Store

by Heather Thomas

U 800-224-8268 CreativeColors@Mahar.net www.CreativeColors.net www.Mahar.net

Using video as a marketing tool on social media is a great way to cement relationships with current customers and build relationships with customers you haven’t even met yet. Video is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your store, and helps people get to know, like and trust you enough to make a purchase from you. Maybe you’re already creating videos and posting them on social media. Great. But sometimes you may be at a loss about what to create a video about. To give you some inspiration, here is a list of topics you can cover

that customers will find relevant and interesting. Tell your company story Explain why you sell materials to teachers, parents and schools, and what you love about it. Get viewers to share your enthusiasm for the things you sell – whether its math games, science kits or classroom décor – by showing them how well they work in a home or classroom. Highlight what makes you unique If your store features a mural,

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they specialize in, like “Meet Brian, master LEGO builder,” or “Here’s Evelyn. She knows what resources work best for children with autism.” Show them working, and then interview them about the products your store carries, what customers are asking for this month, and how they can help meet a teacher’s or parent’s needs. Demo demo demo There are so many options for you here: playing the latest math game, completing or showing how fun

the Pete the Cat flannel board set can be. Explain why you carry each one with suggestions on how to use them. Present customer testimonials Let happy shoppers tell viewers in their own words what they love about your store. It’s authentic and powerful. Unbox new products Show them what just came in from the trade show you attended last month, and explain why you chose it and how it can help them.

for instance, or special props like an old-fashioned classroom, a giant chalkboard or a decorated “learning tree,” make sure you tell those stories. By the same token, if you have a laminating machine or offer printing services for teachers, show them the kinds of projects you can take care of for them. Showcase your location Provide a tour of the inside of your store or a walking tour of the neighborhood or plaza in which you’re located. Let viewers know what to expect by showing them parking options and the other stores around you. Encourage them to pay you a visit. Introduce your staff Name them, and highlight what March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 27

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Made in USA

Class Record Books Lesson Plan Books Teacher “5-N-1” Book School Nurse P.R.N. School Counselor P.R.N. Student Assignment Book

Give a tutorial Discuss topics that illustrate your expertise; topics that show potential customers why they should trust you as a seller of educational products. Explain how specific products develop specific skills, for instance, or present a series on the stages of child development, complete with age-appropriate toys. Interview an expert There are probably many experts within your own customer mix. Ask them to discuss some of the product categories you carry. A school nurse could share tips on hand-washing, or a preschool teacher could offer effective tricks for teaching toddlers the alphabet. The school librarian could discuss this year’s Caldecott and Newbery Award winners. Highlight specials If you’re running a special promotion or contest, explain the rules in a video. Watching a video is more fun and easier to absorb, compared to reading a full page of text.

Mention or attach this ad and receive

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Share your success stories Show how your business has grown. Feature before and after photos of your storefront, or provide a tour of

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a classroom that features products you sell, from storage and organization items to classroom job charts and student nameplates. Answer frequently asked questions Show the many ways you can be helpful with answers to questions like, “Do you gift wrap?” Do you do special orders?” “Is there a teacher discount here?” A short video answering a common question about your product or service can be very useful to your viewer, and can demonstrate your expertise. Say “thank you” A video thank you is a great way to reach people personally. Let them know

Showcase wildlife or animals around your store

Little moments with animals are great video tidbits to share. Maybe there’s a bird’s nest on top of your sign out front or croaking frogs in the stream out back. Does your store have a mascot? Do you have a customer who comes in regularly with a service dog? Tell those stories in a video!

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Go “behind the scenes”

Film a visit from a rep, what you do before the store opens each day, or how you create a merchandising display. It’s provides insight what it’s like to do business with you.

how much you appreciate their business. If you have customer-appreciation events, film them! Share places of interest in your community and how you support them If your store helps to raise funds for the local library or YMCA, feature the buildings in your video and explain how you help them. Maybe you help organize an annual downtown festival or other special event – make sure to capture footage from those events and use it to help promote your involvement each year. Highlight the history of your neighborhood or town A show-and-tell video is a great way to engage your audience and make them feel connected to you and your business. Share the videos of others You don’t have to film every video yourself– look for appropriate videos on teacher blogs, manufacturers’ websites and YouTube that will be relevant to the people who shop in your store. A writer and marketer, Heather is president of Everfound Marketing in Miramar Beach, Florida. She and her husband Chris own Destin Vacation Boat Rentals, an award-winning boat rental and charter booking company. March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 29

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New True

The set of Silly Scents Washable Kids’ Paint by Crayola includes six classic bright, bold paint colors with a twist – each one has a unique scent. Great for arts and crafts or classroom projects. 800-443-7771

New Teacher Planners makes it easy to organize the school year in style. Easy to personalize, each 12-month planner includes 46 accent stickers to help coordinate school year information and lesson plans. carsondellosa.com

Cursive Handwriting Instruction Guides by School-Rite help children learn to write cursive with ease and confidence. A single template helps them practice forming the contour of each letter while reinforcing correct stroke movement and spacing. customerservice@school-rite.com, school-rite.com

The STEM Challenges Learning Cards provide teachers with an easy, non-intimidating way to add STEM to their classroom. Available for grades 2-5, these boxed sets include 30 challenge cards. carsondellosa.com

My 1st Career Gear Toddler Police Top, for children ages 18 to 36 months, is an easy-on shirt printed with a badge, arm patches and sergeant stripes. info@aeromaxtoys.com, aeromaxtoys.com

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Coloring Squared: Third Grade helps enhance student learning in math concepts by providing practice in division, multiplication, regrouping, place value and more. Students answer the problems in each square and use the key to color the squares accordingly to produce a pixel image. coloringsquared.com

Easy affordable fun with Wikki Stix! Perfect for travel or indoor fun on cold winter days. Each set contains 12 Mini Play Paks with eight Wikki Stix, an animal to create, and a Fun Fact to go with it. 800-869-4554, info@wikkistix.com

Character Education Chatter Charts, chosen as a Top 20 Product for 2018 at the WeConnect Show, come in eight different styles. The posters show terms and images related to bullying, and important character traits like respect, honesty, cooperation, loyalty, caring, fairness, and citizenship. mcdonaldpublishing.com

Glitzy Boinks Fidgets are great for stress relief. Fidgety fingers slide the marble back and forth in a tight tube of braided mesh to sooth away anxiety and stress in the classroom. 248-262-7443, cheriebadanjek@yahoo.com

Hands-On Tally Marks, chosen as a Top 20 Product for 2018 at the WeConnect Show, are plastic-molded manipulatives with a built-in base. Teachers will appreciate their sturdy construction, and color-coding and washable aspects. Plus, we designed full-color, self-checking activities for use in school and home! 800-357-3570, essentialdealer.com

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New True

Mix InstaMold Temporary Mold-Making Compound with water to create flexible molds in any shape. It reproduces the finest details, and is reusable for multiple castings with Activa’s ArtPlaster or PermaStone products. activaproducts.com

Sand Art Party Kits from Sandtastik lets users fill different shaped bottles with layer after layer of vibrant colored sand. Kits include a rainbow assortment of sand colors, assorted bottle shapes with lids, and funnels. 800-845-3845, sandtastikproducts.com

The new So Much Pun! Inspire U Posters from Creative Teaching Press blend the use of wordplay along with a simple, yet vibrant art style to bring a lighthearted tone to the classroom. creativeteaching.com

Double-sided Write-On/Wipe-Off Mats feature two popular graphics organizers: the Frayer Model on one side, and a Venn Diagram on the other. They measure 9 by 12 inches and are made of tough, flexible plastic for use with dry-erase markers. 800-433-4329, orders@didaxdealer.com

Building Blocks for Leaders from Cool Cats is a fun and challenging game that empowers kids with the “language of leadership.” Each card in the deck of 50 lists a leadership quality to help kids learn the traits to reach their full potential. Use the cards for matching and memory games, or as a fun way for kids to play and explore their own potential.

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Reproducible Math Facts Workbooks include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. 720-489-7243, info@longevitypublishing.com

The Student Assignment Book by WARD helps students stay organized. It has a sturdy coated cover, wire binding, and is three-hole punched to fit in a binder. Features homework tips, student responsibilities, weekly assignment sheets, and class/school event schedules. ward@hubbardcompany.com

The Kindosaurus K-2 Personal Poster Set helps to boost literacy skills while promoting classroom kindness. Young learners will love personalizing the BIG templates. Includes 30 17-by-22-inch posters and a complete teaching guide. scholastic.com

Newmarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Genre Studies are instant work stations for grades 1 through 6. The complete, classroom-ready boxed sets teach different literary genres. Each set includes 30 paired passages on laminated six-page cards. The flexible structure allows for individual, small-group, or whole-group learning. 877-279-8388

Remedia Publications welcomes the Garlic Press product line to its family of special education materials! This includes expansive Braille materials, and sign language materials, including flip charts, flash cards, games, and more, for both the hearing impaired and deaf. 1-800-826-4740, Liz@rempub.com

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New True The Greatest Dotto-Dot Adventure Book 3 unfolds before your eyes as our young boy travels around the world. Included are a variety of brand-new puzzle inventions. monkeyingaround. com

The KORXX Building Blocks from ECR4Kids are made from durable cork so they are lightweight and eco-friendly. Their texture is slightly spongy and grippy for easy grabbing and stacking. They’re quiet when a stack tumbles down and they even float on water! KORXX come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and in assorted colors or natural. Rounded edges make them safe for children age 3 and under. 619-323-2005, ecr4kids.com

Each block in the 30-piece History Makers Puzzle Block Set features six sides of play. They contain numbers and alphabets, biographical notes on iconic African Americans, historic events, and self-leadership concepts. bevyanddave.com

The 3D Gridded Sketchbooks & Sketchpads from Koala Tool feature one-of-a-kind grids including two-point perspective, five-point perspective, wide-angle isometric, circular polar coordinates, and more. The kraft-cover sketchbooks are fun, inexpensive and a great utility for students learning perspective and shapes. koalatools.com, info@koalatools.com

The Fridge Robot is a moving refrigerator magnet that defies gravity with each step. Kids will enjoy building their own robot with the assorted parts, magnets and instructions. 800-356-0474, sales@toysmith.com,

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Cool Hot

innovations in the furniture and equipment category

The new Jonti-Craft STEM Workstation is ideal for incorporating STEM and STEAM activities into any learning space. Store-It Drawers provide a place to store items while two detachable Write-n-Wipe panels allow children to write down ideas. 800-543-4149, www.jonti-craft.com

The Kore Office Executive Plus Hi-Rise Adjustable Chair is the perfect companion for a standing desk. It gives people a rest from standing by letting them perch. The gently rounded ergonomic base increases comfort and productivity. 516-662-0108, info@korestool.com

The Kore Kids Adjustable Wobble Chair is a new concept in active sitting chairs. The seat adjusts from a height of 15.5 inches to 21.5 inches, and holds up to 280 pounds. Assembly takes an easy two minutes. Comes with a threeyear limited warranty, and is available in multiple colors. 516-662-0108, info@ korestool.com

The SpeedNET Ceiling Suspended Volleyball System from IPI by Bison converts school gyms from volleyball to basketball and back in minutes. The posts feature Tectron aluminum extrusions and provide an infinite variable net-height selection from tennis to menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball. The low-profile winch can generate up to 500 pounds of net tension with an easy-tooperate foldaway crank handle. bisoninc.com

The Monsam Portable Changing Table is safe and easy to use. The countertop and stainless steel basin are constructed from special antibacterial material to guarantee a safe germ-free area. Add an electric foot switch for a hands-free washing sink. 1-800-513-8562

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Cool Hot

The standup TriUnion Table from VS America is available in three heights: 34-5/8, 41-3/4, 47-1/4 inches. It’s light, easy to move, and adapts to the needs of every learning situation. TriUnion tables can also be linked together in various configurations for larger groups. 704-378-6500, vsamerica.com

innovations in the furniture and equipment category

The AlphaBetter Desk by SAFCO gives the option to sit, stand or alternate between the two. Students can use the swinging footrest/fidget bar to expend energy. They will receive the postural support they need to focus on instruction so teachers can teach with fewer interruptions. safcoproducts.com

Specialty Racks from A.W.T. World Trade provide an efficient solution to your drying and storage needs. From storing classroom artwork to drying prints in a studio, the racks are versatile and affordable. Featuring all-steel construction, a rust-resistant, powder-coated finish, and a variety of shelving options, they are available in a wide range of models. dryingandstorageracks.com

Talking Tubes can be used in any educational setting indoors and out, to help children develop communication, personal and social skills. The set includes two handsets and nearly 10 feet of strong tubing. 1-866-564-8251, learningadvantagedealer.com

The innovative Kore Kids Wobble Chair with its rounded ergonomic base transforms a boring conventional seat into a playground for your child’s imagination where their knees, hips and back can find comfortable and ever-changing positions. Homework, drawing, eating and playing video/board games are no longer sedentary activities. Available in multiple sizes and colors. 516-662-0108, info@korestool.com

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High Impact Polystyrene Support Panels can be installed into existing units to maximize storage space. The panel grooves are interchangeable with all Shirley K’s trays, and can be attached inside bookshelves, closets and cabinets with screws, staples or strong glue. shirleyks.com

The Kore Office Everyday Plus Adjustable Chair is the ultimate active sitting stool because you can move and flex without leaving your seat. You can rock, swivel, move and exercise your lower back, abdominal and leg muscles while you sit. It increases “Secondary Focus” so you are less distracted. Adjustable from 18.5 to 26.75 inches. Available in black leather-like or fabric. 516-662-0108, info@korestool.com The 4-Rings Basketball Stand with Storage by Children’s Factory includes four hoops at different heights to accommodate and challenge little ones. The design has been updated for easy assembly and a sleek look. childrensfactory.com

The TrueModern Play BBQ Grill from Jonti-Craft includes realistic features like a push “starter” button, grill grate, two fixed side trays, and four wooden temperature controls. It’s constructed with KYDZSafe, KYDZStrong, KYDZTuff and KYDZHinges features and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified. 800-543-4149, www.jonti-craft.com

The new T-PRO Series Headsets are exclusively designed to deliver on all testing specification requirements. Available with a TRRS or USB plug, they feature superior sound, noise-reducing ear cups, and an ambient noise-cancelling ambidextrous gooseneck microphone to accommodate both left and right-handed users. 1-800-631-0868, hamiltonbuhl.com

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EYE ON EDUCATION

“Smart Scents” Enhance New School

“Your line of books was the best-selling retail line for us.” “My students and I love your books so much. Pure magic!” 50% + Free Shipping (U.S. orders over $100)

To order: 480-438-2977 cameron@coloringsquared.com

Aroma360, a sensory branding company that scents hotels, restaurants and luxury homes worldwide, is the official scent provider for education management company Endeavor Schools. Known for converting pre-existing facilities into the signature Endeavor educational model, the company is building its first school from the ground up in Austin, Texas. The flagship school will feature two signature scents: Cottonwood and Sea Air Sand, designed to evoke feelings of freedom and give children confidence. “It has been proven that scent affects peoples’ mood, work performance and behavior in a variety of ways,” says Farah Abassi, Aroma360’s founder and chief aromachologist. “The benefits of aromatherapy are significant when incorporated into an educational setting. We worked with Endeavor to choose scents that promote mental clarity and increase concentration.” In addition to

providing a “scent identity” for the school, Aroma360 wants to provide students with an energy boost that keeps them mentally engaged at school until the final bell rings. Aromatherapy uses natural essential oils to drive behavior on a subconscious level. Benefits of diffusing these oils can help boost academic performance, calm down a chaotic situation and improve concentration. Many schools have noticed improvement when implementing an essential oils program. In fact, according to a German study that began in 2005, students’

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“concentration, attention, motivation, and social behavior” improved when essential oils were used in the classroom. “The signature scents pay homage to the school’s design and architectural aspects, and the city’s natural surroundings,” explains Abassi. “Top notes depict a light, crisp and clean aesthetic meant to complement the high ceilings and skylights featured throughout the building. Citrus and ocean notes were chosen for their fresh, uplifting and energizing connotations. Green notes and understated soft florals represent Austin’s natural beauty and simultaneously serve as natural mood enhancers. Woodsy

scents native to Austin, such as oak, cypress and cedar, were used as base notes to complement the school’s exposed wood beams. Subsequently, woodsy notes evoke feelings of luxury and are known to help with depression. Sandalwood has been shown to increase self-confidence, a feeling many children strive to achieve.” Abassi has more than 15 years in olfactory experience. She has created signature scents for Ritz Carlton, Lexus and Disney, among others. Endeavor Schools is a family of unique private schools in a growing number of markets across the U.S. Each school subscribes to proven, research-based curricula that are delivered by seasoned educators.

SITTING STILL IN CLASS IS A THING OF THE PAST

ALPHABETTER ® STAND-UP DESK

In AlphaBetter ® classrooms, students have the option to sit, stand or alternate between the two, and can use the swinging footrest/fidget bar to expend energy. It’s time to take your classroom to new heights with AlphaBetter Stand-Up Desk.

www.safcoproducts.com/alphabetter

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EYE ON EDUCATION

Globally, Girls are Better Collaborative Problem Solvers

2 Business problem solvers are in high demand as industries around the world look for employees who can think like entrepreneurs and collaborate with people from all backgrounds. It’s impacting how and what we teach our students. That’s why the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) conducted the first-ever international student assessment on collaborative problem solving skills (CPS). The PISA Test was conducted to help countries and economies see where their students stand in relation to their peers in other education systems. Students in 52 countries completed the test, in addition to the main OECD PISA 2015 Survey on Science, Mathematics and Reading. Here are some of the important takeaways

according to a report by New York City-based CMRubinWorld. The 58-year-old organization studies what kind of education would prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing globalized world. Its award-winning series, “The Global Search for Education,” takes the pulse of key issues facing every nation and the collective future of all children.

Girls outperformed boys in collaborative problem solving in every country around the world. “Girls show more positive attitudes towards relationships, meaning that they tend to be more interested in others’ opinions and want others to succeed,” says Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for the Directorate of Education and Skills.

Students who do well in PISA’s reading and math assessments also tend to be strong performers in CPS. This occurred with students in Japan, Korea, Estonia, Finland and Canada. “There were also countries where students had different results in CPS than you would predict from their performance in science, reading and math,” notes Schleicher. Japanese students do well in those assessments, but even better in CPS. Chinese students were just average in CPS despite being strong performers in math and science. BUT, “Strong academic skills do not automatically lead to strong social skills,” he adds. “Part of the answer lies in giving students more ownership over the time, place, path, pace, and interactions of their learning. Another part of the answer can lie in fostering more positive relationships at school, and designing learning environments that benefit students’ collaborative problem-solving skills and their attitudes towards collaboration.”

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New “Passport Program” Simplifies Out-of-state College Transfers Nearly four in 10 students will transfer institutions at least once during their college careers. Almost a quarter of those will enroll in an institution in another state, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse. Until now, transferring between schools – especially across state lines – has required lengthy credit evaluation processes and loss of credits already earned. But last year, Interstate Passport was created by a team of academic leaders from colleges and universities in multiple states. It is designed to make the college transfer process “more economical, efficient and seamless for students,” says Patricia Shea, director of Academic Leadership Initiatives for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), which is managing the network. “It also improves institution performance metrics by increasing student completion rates.” The groundbreaking program is based on a set of learning outcomes rather than on specific courses and credits. Participating institutions agree on learning outcomes on the front end rather than credit evaluation on the back end of the transfer process. Institutions that participate award Passports – confirmations of a student’s successful completion of lower-division general education requirements, indicated on a student’s transcript – to all students who achieve the Passport Learning Outcomes. When students with Passports are admitted to other network member institutions, their lower-division, general-education coursework transfers as a complete block. In its inaugural academic year, nearly 28,000 students at 16 participating institutions earned Passports. For those who opt to transfer, the process, once admitted, is simplified. As Peter Quigley, associate vice president of academic affairs for the University of Hawaii System and a co-chair of the Interstate Passport Review Board, notes: “Half of Hawaii’s community college transfer students go out of state. We care about their degree completion and know that Interstate Passport will provide them with an easier and more welcoming transfer process. And, the process of establishing two-to-four-year transfer expectations begins inside each state and helps start much needed conversations at home regarding general education outcomes.” March 2018 — EducationalDealerMagazine.com 41

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Even for students who don’t transfer, earning a Passport can be beneficial. Because of its specifically defined learning outcomes, the Passport can become a widely recognizable documented completion benchmark from which employers can gauge a prospect’s skill level and readiness for a job. Participation in Interstate Passport Network also promises its member institutions a competitive advantage. “We’ve seen declines in students entering our system, which is why we’re so interested in the Interstate Passport Network,” said Paul Turman, system vice president for academic affairs, South Dakota Board of Regents and co-chair of the Interstate Passport Review Board. “Making transfers easier is a huge benefit that will help us attract and retain more students in our state.” Currently, 24 colleges and universities are members of the nationwide Interstate Passport Network, with more institutions exploring participation. Wider adoption by institutions and states would mean broader availability and more choices for students, and better insight into understanding and improving transfer. To encourage early adoption, the first 100 institutions can join the Interstate Passport Network at no cost for the first five years, after which institutions will pay modest annual dues.

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Video Games: A Teacher’s Friend or Enemy?

In Denmark, the debate about using video games in learning coincides with the success of the Danish electronic-sports team Astralis. The team plays the video game “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive,” and competes with other teams around the globe, reports ScienceNordic, in an article based on the book, Game Education by Andreas Lieberoth. As a result of the team’s growing popularity, Danish schools are increasingly looking for ways to include games in their teaching activities. But the question being asked is, “Does game-based education work?” Lieberoth says it depends on the teacher’s ability to lead the interaction between impressions from the game and everything else in the school curriculum. The assistant professor of educational psychology at the Danish School of Education believes that games as a learning tool are here to stay, and teachers need to learn how to use them effectively. He points to the fact that in playing games, especially new ones, everyone is fallible, even the teacher. “Lack of knowledge and the challenge of learning is shared and genuine, and we cannot progress without actively solving a problem.” In other words, even the teacher doesn’t know the right answer. “It’s what makes a game so alluring,” he concludes.

42 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — March 2018

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BUSINESS NOTES If You Want to Reach Millennials, Use Snapchat Marketers say Snapchat’s younger audience and safeguards against poor placement drive enthusiasm for advertising on the app. In fact, Snap Inc., the company that owns it, recently reported a 72 percent rise in quarterly revenue. According to a Reuters’ article, it’s all about demographics. Members of the Millennial generation who popularized Snapchat’s disappearing messages and animated face masks remain loyal to the app even as Instagram tries to woo them away. In the U.S. this year, research firm eMarketer predicts that Instagram will add 1.6 million Americans under age 25, while Snapchat will add 1.9 million in that age group. Advertisers are “all people who are reaching youth,” says Aaron Shapiro, chief executive of digital marketing firm Huge.

“What’s more, one section of Snapchat is perceived among marketers as a potential haven from the amateur posts that define much of social media, created by users or aspiring internet stars rather than by professionals at media companies,” says Reuters. The app’s “discover tab” highlights short videos from reliable outlets like ESPN and The New York Times. Snapchat chooses the outlets it works with, giving advertisers some assurance that their video ads will run adjacent to shows that are professionally developed. Instagram and Snapchat, both built around the smartphone camera, have been locked in a rivalry that heated up in 2016, when Instagram copied the popular Snapchat feature known as “stories,” adds Reuters. The feature allows people to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

Busy Container Ports Signal an Increase in Retail Sales Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to grow 4.9 percent during the first half of 2018 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates. While cargo volume does not correlate directly with sales – only the number of containers is counted, not the value of the cargo inside – the NRF believes the increase is a barometer of

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retailers’ expectations.“We’re forecasting significant sales growth this year and that means retailers will have to import more merchandise to meet consumer demand,” says Jonathan Gold, the federation’s vice president for Supply Chain and Customs Policy. The import projection came a day after NRF forecast a retail sales increase of between 3.8 and 4.4 percent for 2018 compared to last year.

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BUSINESS NOTES

ENDCAP (continued from page 46)

The Store of the Future is Brick & Mortar

On the flipside, our Soft Tunnel Climber, one of the original Children’s Factory designs, is still a customer favorite.

In 13 years, stores will be showrooms focused on delivering brand experiences, says a report called “The Future of Retail 2030” from CBRE Group, the largest commercial real estate services and investment firm in the world. By then, shopping will be a completely immersive and sensory brand engagement because consumers still like to interact with products before they buy them (despite the speed and ease of ecommerce). That’s just one of the report’s 40 fascinating insights that demonstrate the continued evolution of buying and selling, writes content strategist Bradley Daves on his blog at medallionretail. com. “The very idea of a ‘store’ will be transformed, fueled by changes in lifestyles, urban environments, retail operations, logistics and technology.” CBRE predicts fundamental shifts in the way retailers interact and connect with shoppers. For instance online-only retail will be no longer be an important part of the retail scene. “Retailers have recognized the integral and critical role the physical store has to play,” explains Daves. “Major pure-play retailers have become key owners of physical store real estate.” Since shoppers have a keen desire for new experiences, retailers in 2030 strive to make connections on an emotional level and build relationships. Retailers know a customer’s buying habits, leisure interests, and style and color preferences so they can offer an experience that’s specific and tailored. Personalization is now the key differentiator in retailing. “Buying what she wants, where and how she wants, is the shopper’s new normal,” writes Daves. “Advances in smart device technology have allowed her to literally buy what she sees – anywhere, any time. Simple, real-time image-capture analysis makes everything ‘shop-able’ from any source.” By 2030, the Internet of Things is a way of life. Thanks to the advanced integration of trillions of connected sensors, retailers know buying patterns and shopper preferences. They can accurately anticipate consumer requirements, which allows the supply chain to become more refined and efficient.

What is your current bestseller to the school market? Kelly Madden: The most popular Angeles-brand products include commercial-grade trikes, SpaceLine® cots, dramatic play furniture, and a wide assortment of table and chair sets. On the Children’s Factory side, soft block sets and climbers are in high demand because they promote free movement, exploration and social interaction for growing children. What do you do to differentiate your products from others like them in the market? Bob Graman: While there are similar products available from other sources – and yes, we even see some of our original designs popping up in other places – we choose to continue to innovate and to keep moving forward. In the end what sets our products apart is our attention to detail. Our quality standards and safety features are simply unmatched. With the merging of our brands, we now also provide the ability to purchase all classroom equipment and furnishings from a single source.

44 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — March 2018

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ENDCAP Children’s Factory

Bringing Favorite Early Childhood Brands to the School Market by Tina Manzer

t about the same time Missouri-based Children’s Factory® celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2016, the company known for making colorful and safe play spaces for children joined forces with Angeles®. The 60-year-old brand is known for its commercial-grade tricycles and early childhood transportation buggies, furniture, storage and rest-time products. Learning Carpets, a 20-year-old maker of play carpets and cut pile rugs recently became part of the Children’s Factory family, too, making it a one-source solution for high-quality classroom furnishings and active-play products. Discussing the companies’ longevity and its latest innovations with us recently were President Bob Graman and VP of Marketing Kelly Madden. Here’s what we learned. Educational Dealer: Children’s Factory, Angeles and Learning Carpets combined have more than 100 years of educational product manufacturing experience. To what do you attribute their longevity? Bob Graman: We hire people who are not only experts in their respective areas, but also people who sincerely care about the children who will be using our products. Our team is passionate about early learning and works tirelessly to make sure our products are safe, durable and have the most play-value possible. Besides the education market, in what other markets are your products popular? Kelly Madden: Our school products

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Angeles-brand commercial-grade tricycles continue to be bestsellers.

translate well into other areas such as pediatric waiting rooms, children’s libraries and church daycares. We also produce proprietary products. We’ve found that many of our larger dealers want products that are unique to them, and we are happy to partner with them to make that happen. How often do you launch new products? Kelly Madden: We introduce new designs every year at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair in Germany, and exhibit domestically at some of the larger shows such as EDspaces and at NAEYC. Throughout the year we also roll out new products by introducing them on our website.

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Our design team at the corporate offices in Union, Missouri is intricately involved in the product creation process, from the sourcing of materials to the point at which new items are production ready. We have three U.S. manufacturing facilities: two in Missouri and one in Indiana. We also import from select countries when necessary. We routinely evaluate our product offerings to add and retire products as needed. We listen to our customers and respond to their needs as preschools and classrooms evolve. For instance, our Angeles® Technology Tables are relatively new and were created to securely hold the electronic tablets so many children now have access to in their learning spaces. (continued on page 44)

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