The Mailbox in Your Mailbox

coverI’m guessing not all of my blog buddies subscribe to The Mailbox magazine though I think you should. 🙂For those of you who either have your own subscription or have access to the magazine through your school, I’d love to know which edition you subscribe to—Preschool, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grades 2–3, or Intermediate— and what your favorite parts of the magazine are. Do you always turn first to a favorite department? Do you start at the front (or the back) and flip through the magazine? Or maybe the information on the magazine cover influences how you read The Mailbox.

Fill me in before the official first day of summer arrives (that’s Friday, June 21, at 1:04 am EDT), and your name will be placed in a drawing for a fun summer surprise!

Eager to learn!

Diane

Congratulations to Barbara! She’s our winner!


48 thoughts on “The Mailbox in Your Mailbox

  1. We get Kindergarten, grades 1, grades 2-3 and Intermediate. We actually have a collection of over 1000 older Mailbox Magazines for teachers to go through. My favorite are the poster inserts, and the adjoining lesson. (However, they tend to get stolen quickly.

  2. When I first get my magazine in the mail, I lay it beside my bed and look forward to reading it at bedtime. I always start from the front page, looking at the Table of Contents and then reading the Letter from the editor article. I turn to each page and read what interests me. Most of the time, I have a hard time going to sleep because the numerous ideas inspire me and seem to motivate and re-energize me!

  3. I subscribe to both Gr. 2-3 and Intermediate. I especially like the Management tips and timesavers, but always get lots of ideas from all sections.

  4. I subscribe to 2/3 grades and I love it. I read mine cover to cover first then flip back thru it more thoroughly later. I have saved every issue that I have according to seasons. My favorite part or parts are the time savers and organizational tips.

  5. I get the 1st grade Mailbox. I have kept the previous issues of 1st grade as well as issues when it was K/1st combined. I often first look at the some of articles that are on the cover and then put sticky notes on things I want to make sure to use or try. I always pull out the insert and get it laminated and ready for use as a poster or game, etc. Mailbox never ceases to offer great ideas and inspiration!

  6. I receive the preschool edition each month and love every issue!

    I usually read it from the beginning and then on the 2nd time through, flag all the pages I want to add to my plans.

    I keep every issue and refer back to them quite frequently!

  7. I just retired from 39 years of pre school teaching both on L.I. N.Y. and here in the Wenatchee, WA. area. I lstarted with the Kindergarten edition of mailbox but switchec to per k when that became available. The school provided subscriptions at times and I bought them at the local teacher store and I have had my own subscription. It is the best magazine as far as I’m concerned. I have left all of them to my replacement. I am going to gift her with a subscription for her first year just to get her off to a great start.

  8. I receive the 1st grade edition. I start at the beginning and flip through the pages. I love the center activities, especially the phonics/phonemic awareness sorts.

  9. I have been a subscriber of the Mailbox Magazine on and off for years. I love everything about the magazine and use it all the time can’t wait to start flipping threw it when it comes in the mail. I love getting bullet board ideas,center ideas and love process art.I keep all my issues and refer back to each one to find new ideas so we aren’t having preschoolers repeat same things year after year the children love the ideas we get from the mailbox!

  10. I read the Intermediate issue. I don’t want to miss a single thing so I start at the front, work my way to the back and fold pages as I go along. I love this magazine so much that I usually have almost every page folded. Unfortunately due to budget cuts I know longer get my own copy. I now have to read the ones in my school library (when I can get it) and I use scrap paper as a book mark instead of folding the pages. Anyway…I LOVE Mailbox magazine. I have even been published in the magazine twice! 🙂 I have been a faithful reader of Mailbox for over 12 years! I started with the Preschool edition when I was teaching and running a preschool then I got a job as a 6th grade teacher and have read the Intermediate issue since. Thanks for making Mailbox such a teacher friendly-teacher used magazine! 🙂

  11. I get the Preschool edition. When it arrives I read it cover to cover. I then will then take sticky note tabs and then also i make a list of what exactly in that edition I like. I keep all my back editions and use them often. One of my favorites is Kids in the Kitchen and also Time Management tips. My coworkers usually come in and borrow them to get new ideas.

  12. I can’t wait for my Mailbox magazine to arrive! I start at the front and work my way to the back. My favorite part is the ready made centers! Tear out, laminate, and ready to use!

  13. I started getting the kindergarten editions in 1995. Then I stayed home with the kids for awhile so to save money I stopped my subscription. Now that I am back to work the first thing I did was renew my subscription to the preschool edition! Love it! Read it cover to cover and then mark each thing I will do. My school also get issues.

  14. I get the Kindergarten magazine and the on line tools. We also get it at school but I like my own to look at and pull apart. I like to look at the games and activities for reading and math. I keep my old copies to revisit and I also use the 1st grade ones at school to get ideas out of. The common core has pushed us and some of the skills in the “K” are not rigorous enough so I have turned to the first grade one for help.

  15. I subscribe to the 2/3 edition. I think my oldest copy goes back to 1999. My favorite thing to do is to download and make paper copies of the “extras”. I also like the subscription savings when I renew 3 years at a time. I read it cover to cover and am thankful for the time saving Common Core references!

  16. I read through it page by page and mark the pages I want to use with a post-it flag. It’s a great resource. This past year I used both 2-3 and Intermediate while I was teaching 3rd grade.

  17. I have been a scriber since 1999. I started with Kindergarten and Preschool, but now only get the Preschool. Our Nursery school no longer has a Kindergarten program. I enjoy reading it cover to cover and usually have a pack of post-it on the ready to mark off things that I want to use. I usually make a copy of the songs and glue them to a 5 x 7 notecard and put them into my song box immediately! My co-workers say I have OCD, but they know who to ask when they want a song for a specific topic.

  18. The Preschool Mailbox is an excellent resource for our nursery school. I love seeing the front cover; every month, the artwork is so sweet! It’s so hard to pick a favorite section. I start at the front and flip through quickly then when something catches my eye, I really study that article to see if I can use it in my room. I then go back and read every last word! I’m so impressed with all the great ideas, I’ve been keeping a notebook of everything I want to try!
    Thank you Mailbox!

  19. I subscribe to the Preschool edition, but have been known to pick up a copy of kindergarten as well. I will read cover to cover, sometimes more than once, as to be sure to not miss any valuable information. Then I go through and separate the pages in to lesson plan file folders I have separated by theme. That way I have many ideas on the same theme for future references each year! I only wish the magazine would be published monthly because I get too impatient waiting every other month!!!

  20. I subscribe to the preschool magazine for over 10 years. I have been teaching for over 30 years. I love your magazine. I look at the cover to see what your featuring this month and then I go page by page because I don’t want to miss anything. Although some of the ideas that I read about, I have done. On the other hand, there are many that I have not done and I use everything that is in there that I can. I keep a file of theme ideas so when I get to that unit I am fresh with great ideas. I love reading the teacher tips. Your science section is always good too as the experiments are easy and my kids understand the concept. The books that are featured are always good too and there are always simple ideas of how to incorporate them into lesson plans. After I go through the book, then I do it one more time skimming the pages for anything I may have missed. It is one of the best resources that I use and will continue to use as long as I am a teacher!!!

  21. I subscribe to the preschool magazines. Been getting them for quite a few years now. They are getting better and better every year. I read them cover to cover. I have saved them all. I used a lot of the ideas in my lesson plans and the children enjoy them

  22. I receive Grades 2-3 of the Mailbox Magazine. Mailbox is the only teacher magazine that I still subscribe to. I usually start with the center to see what the poster or game activity skill focus Is on. Then I read “Our Readers Write” followed by “Learning Centers”. I have 12 years of magazines in my collection, not counting the treasure of magazines I found in the closet of the first classroom that I taught in. Some as far back as the 80’s!

  23. I have been teaching in one room schools, so I have every level of Mailbox! As soon as I get my magazines, I tear off the covers, cut the binding off all the pages and give them a three hole punch. I put them in a grade level binder by months, so that all my Jan/Feb etc are together. These are my go-to binders. When I want to give a student more practice, elaborate on a lesson or have take home projects for students. I love the fact that there is a reference page for the years issues, so I can look up what I need quickly. I have some favorites and every binder has post-it tabs stuck everywhere. I like to take the issues apart because it is easier to make quick copies of several pages at one time.
    For my Kindergartners, my favorite pages are the cut and paste and the elaboration of Children’s books such as Cookies Week.

  24. I love Mailbox. I have subscribed to both intermediate and 1-2nd grade at different times over the years. I have used ideas, worksheets, and patterns for a myriad of ideas. I think it is the best friend of any teacher in any school. Game ideas are great for concept reinforcement. Worksheets help reinforce lessons taught. I LOVE your posters. They keep for years and the ideas and worksheets never go out of style. The yearbooks are a great compilation of a year’s Mailbox.

  25. I receive the 1st grade edition. I start with something that catches my eye on the cover. Then I go back to the beginning and work my way through. I can’t wait to make copies of pages to use and I love to share new ideas. The poster and the lesson that goes with it is usually a favorite.

  26. I, actually, just sent in my subscription form a few weeks ago, but have still not gotten my first issue, I’m so excited for when it does come. I believe I will flip from start to finish, as I do with my other magazines. We’ll see…

  27. I have the preschool issue and love it. I get so many ideas for activities for my centers and the whole class too. I really like the themed sections because they give a variety of ideas and most of the themes they cover are ones that I do too.

  28. I’ve been a scriber since 1997. I use the Preschool Mailbox alot. I love it. I start at the front and continue until I get to the last page. When I first started subscribing to the Mailbox you had “Building Bridges”. I enjoyed it because you could send these home to the parents. It gave the parents some kind of ideas on what to do with their child during the two months,where it was self help skills or activities to do with them to learn a skill. I enjoy the center fold also. The children can have hands on experience with these activities. Just keep up the good work you’re doing.

  29. I have gotten the preschool version for over 10 years and look forward to each one. I scan through it first. I mark some pages and then check out the online material. I love the creative art ideas since we are not allowed to do process art-I appreciate the new ideas. My coworkers love to look through the book also and enjoy the unique ideas.

  30. I suscribe to the Prek issue of Mailbox. I start out at the front as soon as it comes and thumb through and read what catches my eye. Then its back to the front to read it all. I put my plan book beside me the econd go through so I can write down everything I want to try
    Love Mailbox and Teaching would not be so much fun without you.

  31. I love Preschool Mailbox. I read it cover to cover and save all of them. I refer back for new ideas.They have such great ideas and I use them whenever possible. Keep up the great work!

  32. i have subscribed to the preschool edition for manyyears now. i enjoy looking at the WHOLE magazine. i go from front to back then do it again to make sure i didnt miss something. i also pick up the kindergarten issue at least two or three times a year.

  33. I love all of Mailbox magazine. I just changed jobs and changed from a Pre-K subscription to a Kindergarten subscription with no trouble at all. I am excited about receiving my new Kindergarten magazines and getting started with the new school year.

  34. I love mailbox magazine. Have been a subscriber for a long time. I like looking at the contents page that list all of the ideas and activities in the magazine. Then I look at the literacy and math sections since we have moved to common core. We do a a lot of literacy and math centers so I am always excited about math and literacy center ideas. I also enjoy activities that focus on skills.

  35. I subscribe to the pre-k edition and have bought a few copies of the year book. I love the section that specifically talks about centers… whether it be a section on math centers or literacy centers. I always read it from beginning to end,but go through it several times , while highlighting new ideas I plan to try with my kids!

  36. I have subscribed to Mailbox for several years. I receive the 2-3 edition and I start at the beginning of the magazine and read to the end.

  37. I consider the Mailbox my most valuable tool as I plan each month. I start in the front of the magazine and load my plans with ideas for the themes and letter and number reviews- it all works so well. Thank you for all the creative help- it saves me alot of time!

  38. I currently subscribe to the grade 1 edition. I love the whole magazine. I usually flip through it cover to cover when it arrives.

  39. I get Mailbox through my school’s media center. I check out the Grade 1 and Grade 2-3. I like to go cover to cover when there is time. Otherwise, I am on the lookout for math and science ideas!

  40. I buy mine at a local bookstore. When I see a new Mailbox, I immediately flip through the whole magazine and then I slowly look through the entire book. When I get home, I use sticky notes to marks pages that have lesson ideas, center ideas, and any art ideas I can incorporate in my lesson plans.

  41. I receive the Preschool addition. I Read it from cover to cover soaking in everything I can from science experiments to classroom management to lesson plan ideas. The newest addition has me so excited to start the new year. I am doing a whole dinosaur theme to teach routine and rules. Along with helping with behavior. From their we will be going into a rainbow fish theme for social skills and an All about me lesson. I look forward to getting each and every issue.I also beg my husband to allow me to spend a little extra from time to time to get some of the amazing kits you have available. My students are 3,4 and 5 years old and love the bright colors of the games in each of your kits. I could go on and on. So I think I will stop here. Thank you.

  42. I subscribe to the kindergarten edition. I first check out the bulletin board section, the poster, seasonal, which children’s books are featured, and Teacher Tips.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *