It's time to throw out the old rulebook. Today's classroom demands teacher innovation, embracing of new technology, and rejection of outdated practices, especially when someone tells you it's "e;always been done"e; a certain way. Meet Josh Stumpenhorst, recently named Illinois Teacher of the Year. Stumpenhorst's orthodoxy-challenging methods have produced outstanding student outcomes, and in these pages he details how to maximize teacher effectiveness by thinking outside the box: Build student relationships on trust and respect rather than fear and punishment Rethink homework and letter grades, which-in their current forms-are harming learning Leverage technology by not treating it as a "e;shiny toy"e;, but rather understand its power as a tool for rapid progress Educators who welcome large-scale change are about to pull ahead of those who don't.