During summertime, before school ends and the hard physical labor begins, it is best to reflect on the touchups and renovations that need to be done to a teacher's classroom instruction. This article presents two innovative lesson ideas that will inspire teachers to rethink, retool, and recharge as they decide what some of their summer renovations need to be. These ideas are shared by Michael J. Vokoun, who describes a parental homework assignment that has helped him to instantaneously learn about the parent-child dynamic; and by Freda Abercrombie, who shares a mnemonic technique she employs to help children improve their scores on a state-mandated writing test.