A new year brings new challenges and opportunities, and even though we don’t know what lies around the corner, there are some things you can do to prepare for the year ahead. We have compiled a few handy tips to help you get off to a good start. 

1. Source textbooks and organise lesson materials

The first step is to source the textbooks and lesson material you need. When you decide on which textbooks to use, consider whether they contain:

• Comprehensive explanations of concepts in plain language
• Strategic use of colour, images, and graphs to lighten the cognitive load
• Relevant content illustrated with real-life examples
• Learning activities aimed at helping learners master the content
• Year plans to help guide and track individualised learning

Optimi Publishing’s unique CAPS-aligned textbooks for Grades R–12 include all these features and more. Their books are based on the latest insights from the learning sciences to help educators and learners achieve their learning goals.

2. Make teaching a little easier

We know how much planning you do for each term. Why not make teaching a little easier? Optimi Publishing provides comprehensive teacher guides to help you facilitate learning. Plus, the guides include the planning for the year, so most of the work is done for you.

Once the lesson plans are organised, you might want to start on the year’s assessments. Optimi Publishing can help with that too! They provide a complete set of CAPS-aligned assessments for the year for every grade, which includes:

• Tasks
• Tests
• Examination papers (for June and November)
• Memorandums

3. Set your learners up for success

While you might now be ready to conquer the year ahead, your learners need to be set up for success too. Help them make the most of their study time to achieve the best results in tests and exams. Here are two ways to do just that:

• Buy Quanta books for learners studying Physical Sciences. The Quanta series for Grades 10–12 is an excellent resource for exam preparation, as it provides easy-to-understand, bite-sized Physics and Chemistry explanations.
• Bring lesson material to life for your Grade 7–12 learners with Excom’s ‘talking textbooks’. 

4. Be inspired

If you are motivated about the academic year ahead, your learners will be excited about learning too! Find a mentor or instructional coach to enrich your teaching experience. 

TED Talks are excellent tools to help you keep up-to-date on the latest trends in education and find inspiration. These presentations encourage curiosity and spread ideas. Use them when you teach (as they cover almost every subject) and include a video in your lesson to help your learners gain a deeper understanding of a specific topic.

5. Help your school function effectively

As you know, both public and independent schools need comprehensive policies to function effectively, and comply with the required standards of quality and levels of accountability. However, compiling these policies involves legal expertise, which not all schools can afford. 

Optimi Publishing has developed extensive school policies that comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and cover most of a school’s policy needs, from admissions to assessments. The policies are available electronically or in a printable format, allowing educators and principals to tailor them to their needs – all at an affordable price.

Optimi Publishing is here to help you and your learners start 2022 on the right foot. If you need more information or have a few questions, send an email to optimipublishing@optimi.co.za or give us a call at +2787 405 2244.