Post by Jessica R.

Put down the #1 Teacher mug and the cute little apple paper weight. Yes, they’re adorable. Yes, your child’s teacher will love it. Just like she loves the 50 other identical ones that line her desk and fill her cupboard.

You can do so much better!

1) Teachers are always strapped for cash, so a Visa/American Express gift card or a gift card to an office supply or teacher supply store is bound to be appreciated and put to good use long before the new year gets underway.

2) Teachers start work early. Very, very early. A gift card to a local coffee shop or her favorite chain coffee shop will make those early mornings a bit brighter. No, you can’t put the card in a mug. Resist the urge.

3) Ask the teacher if there’s anything she would love to have in her classroom and then get some other parents to pitch in so you can fulfill that dream.

4) You can’t ever go wrong with personalized note cards. Really can’t resist the teacher theme? Check out these cute options Teacher Notecard options.

This one is adorable

But if you’re looking for something a little less teacher centric? Check out the line of regular Tiny Prints notecards.

This one is generic, but still perfect for a teacher!

5) If the whole class is willing to pitch in, the ultimate gift is something that the teacher will treasure. So along with one of those gift cards mentioned above, how about getting the whole class to work together on a sweet photo book? Parents can submit photos and even notes or pictures drawn by the kids, one parent can maybe sneak in (with the school’s permission!) to take some in classroom shots and a group picture, and everything can be scanned in and compiled into an easy to make photo book that is bound to draw tears from even the most hardened teacher’s eyes!

Everyone has heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but I can’t think of anywhere else where this old saying plays itself out quite as well as in the classroom. Teachers can mean so much to the students they spend time with. They instruct, they inspire—they give their kids a growing understanding of the world around them in a supportive environment.

It’s no surprise that people will often cite a former teacher as the most influential or inspirational person they knew growing up.

As you and your little ones gear up for the first day of school, there are several ways to set the expectation for a fun and productive year. Here’s a list of ideas for your back-to-school prep straight from the people who know best—teachers!

• Stock up on supplies. Many teachers send home lists of supplies on the first day of school, but you can beat the shopping rush by stocking up on essentials like notebooks, paper, pencils, a grade-appropriate calculator and other supplies. Help ease your little ones’ stress by having these things on hand, and you’ll give them a leg up on their first homework assignment.
• Set their sleeping schedule. Waking up early isn’t fun for anyone, but you can help ease your kids back into it by setting a new sleeping schedule now. Wake your kids up at the time they will be expected to wake up for school, and then take them somewhere fun—to the park, the beach, the mall or even on a walk around the neighborhood. Just make sure your kids are awake and ready by the time they will need to leave for school.
• Have a heart-to-heart. Ask your kids how they feel about the start of the new year. Find out if they are feeling anxious about anything, and then brainstorm ideas together for how they can ease that tension, from finding a buddy to eat lunch with to explaining to the teacher that they need extra help with math problems. Then be sure to follow through with a discussion of how things went after the first day of school.
• Introduce yourself to teachers. Teacher cards and stationery make great back-to-school gifts, but you can also volunteer in the classroom, stop by with muffins for everyone or introduce yourself at a back to school event. It’s important to stay active in your child’s education to help do your part in encouraging them to succeed.

It’s the last day of school for kids across the country, and with the end of the year generally comes class parties, art projects and extended hours of movie watching.

For the most part, teachers use this time to reward students for a year of hard work and personal growth (and to steal a little time to input their grades and straighten out the classroom library before the long summer stretch). But does it bother you when your kids come home to report that they spent all seven periods of the school day watching movies?

Do your kids deserve a break at the end of the school year, or would you prefer more intellectually stimulating projects as assignments? You tell us!