WELCOME MAP New students can come from lots of different countries these days. So, to make her high school students in Orlando, Fla., feel welcome, guidance counselor Terrie Scott uses a map of the world. One of the first things new students see is the map, which shows how many international students the high school has. The new students add their own pin to the map, marking their name and place of origin. She says it is a good conversation starter and helps assure nervous students that they’re in a kind environment.

PICK A STICK To prevent herself from always calling on the same students, fifth-grade teacher Annette Gervase uses craft sticks (or tongue depressors). Each student in her class in Williamsville, N.Y., gets a stick to write down his or her name. The sticks go into a cup, and when it’s time to pick a student during a lesson, she pulls out a stick. She says it keeps students on their toes because they never know when they’ll be selected. Color coding can help with students who have the same name.