I am a middle school teacher who absolutely loves my job.  I get to read with students all day long for an entire year and get paid for it.  What could be better?

For me, back to school season is kind of like Christmas.  You know how much you love Christmas even though it requires a bunch of work?  I mean, you make cookies, get the lights out of the attic, find the perfect present for everyone, search on Pinterest for interesting stuffing recipes until your eyes start to cross,  and yet it’s all totally worth it?

That’s back to school time for teachers.  We are working like crazy to prepare our classrooms, our curriculum, and our hearts for your little ones.  And it is totally worth it.

Over the past few years  I have noticed a trend among bloggers and the Pinterest-crafty sort who have begun to promote this idea of back to school teacher gifts.  If you don’t believe me, just Google it.  You will find thousands of ideas.  And they are beautiful, and cute, and crafty, and thoughtful.

But, I thought I would give you the insider’s scoop.

Here’s What Your Child’s Teacher REALLY wants:

What Your Child’s Teacher REALLY Wants

1. Extra Classroom Supplies

Teachers spend hundreds of dollars out of our own pockets to supply our classrooms with essentials.

We know that you get a list that seems a mile long each year, but if parents don’t bring in tissues, disinfecting wipes, or crayons, we have to buy them ourselves.

Plus, many of the students in our classes can’t afford to bring in those supplies.  So, if you have the means, please consider bringing extra.  It may not ever make it onto Pinterest, but a box of tissues brings a smile to our faces.

2. Books

We try to provide an environment that promotes literacy and, in my case, voracious reading.

 Consider donating some of your gently used, age appropriate books to the classroom.  Or, you could give gift cards to Barnes and Noble or Amazon.  By giving that copy of The Magic Treehouse or Percy Jackson, you can help a child discover new worlds.  Seriously, what is better than that?!

3. An Understanding of Your Child

Teachers want to know all about your child so that we can teach him or her to the best of our ability.

Each year I send students home with a paper on the first day of school.  It is called “A Million  Words” and asks parents to tell me about their child in “a million words or less.”

Parents have told me about a wide range of things: from fears of public speaking to the recent death of a grandparent, from an avid interest in soccer to a new baby in the family.

All of this information helps teachers understand your child.  If your child’s teacher doesn’t do a “Million Words” type activity, consider sending a quick e-mail with any pertinent information.

If done in a polite, supportive tone, I promise that it will  be appreciated.

4. Supportive Parents

And that brings me to my last point.  Teachers want to know that you support them, that you trust them to guide your child’s education, that you are truly in this together.

We love parents who respond to requests for field trip volunteers or bring in treats on special occasions.

But we also love parents who come to see us if they are concerned about something in the classroom instead of going directly to the principal or to Facebook.  

One of the best gifts that I ever got was an e-mail from a parent.  She told me that her daughter, who had stopped reading for pleasure back in fourth grade, had suddenly become a wild reader while in my class.  And she thanked me.

It truly doesn’t get any better than that.

So, if you haven’t made your clever back to school goody bag for your child’s teacher yet, do not despair!

Drop by with a box of Clorox wipes and shoot an e-mail saying, “I’m so glad my child is in your class.  I can’t wait to see all that she learns this year.”

That should about do it.