Reigniting excitement doesn’t require elaborate prep or expensive materials. Many games and activities are easy to execute in the classroom and free, with limited or no materials needed.

We’ve gathered a list of these games for elementary, middle and high school teachers to kick up the excitement in the new year.

From rethinking creativity to tackling systemic inequalities, these 15 TED Talks feature expert speakers who understand what educators face every day. Viewers walk away with new concepts to explore, ideas to brainstorm and a classroom full of students ready to engage.

Teachers recognize that collaborating, sharing ideas and seeking advice from one another is necessary for their own success. The best part? This advice is easily accessible.

Through combing through quotes from our own Rutgers Alternate Route teachers, as well as scouring forums like Reddit and Facebook Groups, we’ve rounded up the best tips teachers across the nation have to offer.

Education professionals are navigating rapidly changing schools, evolving student needs and increasing professional demands with limited time and resources to process these challenges. As a result, the need for strong, reliable support systems is urgent in order to prevent burnout, which teachers and education leaders know too well. Virtual support groups and forums exist to meet this need. Together, these virtual communities create powerful frameworks that empower teachers, support their well-being and strengthen the profession overall.

This fall, Rutgers Alternate Route teachers participated in an invigorating #EdTech chat to discuss strategies for engaging digitally savvy students and leveraging technology in educational practices. Using the hashtags #EdTech and #TeacherEd, educators shared and discovered technology-centered ideas, responding rapidly to questions posed by the Rutgers Alternate Route host account. In just 60 minutes, hundreds of participants tackled five questions on technology use in schools, showcasing the power of social media for professional development.