LOVE OF LITERATURE Serving as a role model is a great way to guide student learning, and Douglas County (Colo.) elementary teacher Irma Sturgell and other teachers provided a great example for students studying literature. Members of Sturgell’s book club, most of whom are teachers, held a session in the classroom while the students observed. Afterward, the students talked about what they had seen and how they could use it in their own discussions. Sturgell says the session was fun for all, and it reminded the students that reading and learning are lifelong endeavors.

NOT JUST FOR BATHROOMS Individual dry-erase boards for students can be expensive, but middle school teacher Maria Williams of Lynn, Mass., has an alternative. Building supply stores sell white bathroom paneling that can be cut into smaller sizes. She says a 4 foot by 8 foot piece, which costs about $10, can be cut into 32 pieces that are 12 inches square, or fewer large pieces if that’s preferred. Besides being great for individual or group activities, the paneling can turn dead wall space into useable board space.

NO LATE RETURNS Pittsburgh PE teacher Matthew Milanak has developed a way to get all the athletic equipment returned on time after recess. When it’s time to go back to class, he blows a whistle and records the names of students in order as they return their basketballs, jump ropes, etc. The next day, he reads out the names of the students who returned their equipment first, and they get first choice of equipment and get started playing first. Students rarely waste time anymore at the end of recess. First come, first served.