Everyday, I model for my students how to minimize the amount of waste I contribute to the environment. Whether it's through my reusable water bottle or consistent recycling, I am subconsciously teaching them how to be a responsible consumer in the modern world.

As the leader in your classroom, consider these Tips for How to Run a Green Classroom and show your students how to be green every day.

Did I miss any good green tips? How do you show your environmentally conscious side in the classroom?

When I first entered the classroom, I organized an after-school Writers Club for the students at my school. The idea and momentum came from a pair of particularly enthusiastic students who loved to write short stories for fun at home. They heard I was a writer and the spark was lit!

The Writers Club became an extended Teachable Moment that inspired a small group of young students to take themselves seriously as writers. I hope that this experience gave them the motivation to maintain a lifelong passion for the written word.

So, I speak from experience when I tell you my tips for How to Start an After-School Club. The topic could be stamp collecting, music, chess, animated novels... whatever! The important thing is that you and your students work together to further your collective love for a given topic.

I'm curious... has anyone else successfully started an after-school club? What is your favorite tip for club success?

So what'd you think? Weigh in and let's see how teachers think the candidates did tonight in their debate.

More specifically, did you hear any encouraging (or discouraging) comments that would affect the world of education?

The Elementary Education community here has so much respectable insight into the tricky issue of teacher turnover.

Most of all, I was struck by the responses that had a tone of sadness and resignation mixed with an abiding optimism. It doesn't feel good or right to anyone when a teacher feels she can no longer do her job. Not to the parents, the kids, the principal, the community, and especially not to the teacher herself.

I believe Katie summed it up best with her Blog Comment of the Week:

"I have taught for 15 years (I entered the profession as an adult) and I think the problem is lack of parental expectations for their children, more expectation on us to fill the role as parent, and the stifling atmosphere created by state-mandated tests. Parents want us to excuse poor behavior, late work (or no work at all) and just “give the kids a break.” I have become the teacher I swore I’d never be: a worksheet dispensor to prepare students for assessments. I have shelved the creative projects that my students and I used to love. Ignoring Bloom’s taxonomy, I copy worksheet after worksheet to prepare kids to meet benchmarks and standards for three crucial days of testing. I get so fed up with the way things are. The kids are bored and I’m bored too."

I applaud Katie for her honesty in saying the thoughts that surely every teacher has thought at one time or another. I know that teachers are not inherently whiners, so let's brainstorm - If you could snap your fingers and change one thing in education today to make our teaching efforts more effective, what one change would you make?