How often do you loan students a pencil and never see it again? Every time I give the students a test I loan them a pencil from the "Pencil Tree" Pencil tree and sign out sheet the student signs out the pencil and crosses their name off when it is returned. By storing the pencils in the "Tree." missing pencils all pencils returned! By the way...my students love that they have Mirado Black Warrior pencils to use...they just love the name and it's easy to see if it is my pencil or theirs. You can buy Mirado Black Warriors by clicking on the image here:  I can quickly look and see if all were returned. It saves class time and I never lose a pencil!  This post originally featured on ballinwithballing.blogspot.com

   Show that you are a certified professional by posting your college degrees in your classroom. above SmartBoard front board I scanned and printed new copies of my actual degrees and hung them on the front wall in the room.  You can buy diploma frames here: (My originals are in my office at home). Every professional I know whether they are a dentist, doctor, accountant, etc. hangs their degrees on the wall...why don't teachers? my Master of Science Education degree I do now. This post originally featured on ballinwithballing.blogspot.com