"Give Me 5!" Richard Dela Calzada, Grade 7 teacher

"If you want students to be attentive at the drop of a hat, just use this: I learned it from a grade 3 teacher. It's called give me 5. When you say this, the students should fold their hands on their desk, have their eyes on you, sit up tall and listen attentively. This works! I used this strategy last year and I am using it now. Presto, attentiveness is just as easy as, "give me 5!". One could make a poster as well for the classroom."

Music Box Jenn, 3rd Grade Teacher

"I have a music box on my desk. It is the kind that when you open it the music starts and it stops when you close it. I tell my class on the first day that if they start getting out of control I will open the box until they get back on task. The deal is that if they have music left on Friday, they will not have homework on the weekend. Works like a charm!"

Bathroom "Pass" Maria Smith, Title I Reading Teacher

"I teach Title I Reading to 1st and 2nd grades. I have 9 sections of classes who come to our Reading Lab every day. The students work in centers while the classroom teachers and I work with students in small groups.

I made a chart with poster board and library pockets. Each chart has the teacher's name on it and a pocket for each child in their room with his/her name on it. I have two clothespins (boy/girl) marked "Bathroom".

Should a child need to go to the restroom, while we are working with a small group, they put a clothespin on their pocket and go. They don't need to ask and only one boy/girl can be gone at a time. We also use the pockets to designate who will be working on the computer and/or other special tasks.

(I stole this idea from my cooperating teaching while I was student teaching---thanks Stephanie!)"

"Getting students to class on time." Retha Lippard: East Carter High School / FACS Teacher

"Prepare a 10 point lesson review handout quiz to be given as the students come into the door. Once the bell rings, it is too late to receive the quiz. Students will be rushing to class so as not to lose the 10 points."

"Quiet Dynamite" Melissa Brooks: Student Teacher

"To calm students down after an exciting activity or before going to their next class, play this game by tossing a ball back and forth between students. They cannot say ANYTHING or the dynamite will "explode" and they are "out." This really helps to quiet the class down quickly."