DIY Dry-erase Boards for Classy Teachers

Hey there, resourceful teachers.  This past school year, I decided to experiment with individual dry-erase board ideas for my students, and I came up with an inexpensive solution: 67-cent picture frames from Wal-Mart.  I inserted decorative scrap-booking paper and dabbed a few layers of magnetic paint on the pack, and I was able to store the attractive frames with markers magnetized to the backs.  I loved the unique aesthetic value, as well as the financial bargain!  Take a look through the pictures below, and let me know about any other DIY classroom hacks that have worked for you!

The Smaller Desk

Some days I miss the smaller desk 

Where I sat and I listened and learned.

I answered when called upon -- that was enough--

And my teachers' approval I'd earned.

Some days I miss the smaller desk

Where I read when they told me to read.

I wrote when they told me to write.  That was all

That I needed for me to succeed.

Some days I miss the smaller desk

Where I kept just a notebook and pen.

I'd write a few lines that I thought sounded smart,

But if not, I could just try again.

Some days I miss the smaller desk

Where I counted down days 'til I'd leave.

The end was in sight, and my thoughts flew beyond

To the dreams that I knew I'd achieve.

Some days I miss the smaller desk,

For now twenty such desks point at me.

But the bigger desk gives me the chance to become

Who the smaller desk taught me to be.