Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, It's back to school we go...

In case you ever forget what part of the year it is, just walk into a store.

Really, any store will do.

Right now, you can't miss the giant "BACK TO SCHOOL" signs all over Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, OfficeMax, JCPenney's... everywhere! Signs that fill a child with sadness (and secret delight at seeing their friends again), and fill a tired parent with delight (and secret sadness at seeing how fast the child is growing.) Teachers scramble to take one last mini-vacation and finish up one final project before heading into school. Refreshed and ready to begin rebuilding their classroom again for another year, they will then start the days of lesson planning and staff inservices before the new school year starts. 

Yes, take it from a teacher- we are there in your child's classroom for hours upon hours upon hours before you actually walk in! First, greeting each other with squeals of joy and comparing suntans (I always lose that contest.) Meeting the new teachers in the building, who you can see are trying desperately to remember everyone's names- along with the way to the copyroom, restroom, office, and their own classrooms. Then, reviewing any changes to the fire code to see what new limitations we have in decorating our classrooms this year...
  *  No candles- OK, understandable
  *  Nothing hanging from the ceilings- Drat, I used to do such cute things with the ceilings!
  *  Paper can only cover 20% of the walls... WHAT?! Is this a doctor's office or a teacher's classroom? Hmm, but they didn't say I couldn't cover the walls with other non-flammable things...!

In my classroom: Choices for Hopping out to recess (for those who need a plan); Hoppy Helpers!

We're always trying a few different ideas each year to keep things fresh for ourselves and to constantly improve the learning environment. Perhaps we'll try arranging the desks in different configurations, find a bright new rug for the Morning Meeting area, or use a different classroom theme-

    Maybe this year instead of frogs "hopping on into 3rd Grade" I'll use owls wondering "whooo is in 3rd grade", or even popcorn to show who's "popping into 3rd Grade"!  The possibilities are endless, and so fun to consider...

Then the days of staff inservices begin, and that's when you know the students are just around the corner, ready with freshly scrubbed faces and shy smiles!

Me in Third Grade
The grade which I now teach!  Don't I look innocent?  Yeah.... I was a talker.  Big time!!
(Which I'm sure comes as a complete surprise to you.)

This year, I'm also seeing things from the parent's perspective as my own son starts KINDERGARTEN! What fun it was to go school supply shopping with him, and experience his joy at finding the perfect Star Wars Legos backpack (same as his recent birthday party theme! http://craftyparty.webs.com/star-wars), find the perfect Angry Birds lunchbox, see his delight at counting out the required 18 gluesticks...

Wait wait wait...18 GLUESTICKS?!  What the heck does anyone do with 18 gluesticks?  Not to mention, that's times 24 kids!  Guess there'll be a whole lotta projects coming home this year...

Like a dutiful student, I followed the guidelines of the school supply list exactly- even purchasing brand names where they were requested (Crayola drawing supplies, Ticonderoga pencils, and of course the18 Elmer's gluesticks). I did buy "Great Value" brand ziploc bags and "facial tissue" instead Kleenex, saving a bit of money there. I don't know what I was expecting the school supply total to be, but certainly less than the $59.60 it turned out to be! I was astonished. But when I posted this total on Facebook, my friends were unsurprised. In fact, they began comparing equally expensive school supply costs, or even much higher. Wow! Guess I'm glad that my son doesn't need a calculator this year, or a special outfit for gym, or school uniforms, or more...



I wonder how many of these adorable Doodlekins property ID labels I'll need for all of his supplies?? Hmm... I'd better stock up!

But there is one more thing that I need to get for the start of school, and it's not for my classroom or for my son. It's for his TEACHER!

Which brings me to the new Question of the Day...

Knowing from my own personal experience how hard my son's Kindergarten teacher has already been working in the classroom, knowing how much of their own money they have already spent on the classroom, and knowing how much he/she will help my son this year, I'd like to give them a small present to start the year off. Occasionally a parent would do that for me, and it always touched me. So I am looking for suggestions for something small to bake, make, or buy for my son's Kindergarten teacher to start the year off right.  What do you think??

I will tell you that my very favorite teacher presents that I've received are gift cards to my favorite places, personalized items for me, Christmas ornaments (which I label with the child's name and year, and display on my tree each year), and thoughtfully-made student gifts (like the clay pot on my desk and the beautifully decorated kleenex holder which I've had for over a decade.)

Doodlekins Cartoon Family notepads, plus new (coming mid-late August 2012) insulated lunch bags and water bottles.

BUT... I don't know what his teacher's favorite places are yet, I don't know if they collect something specific, and I don't even know my son's teacher's name! Otherwise I'd already be ordering a Doodlekins personalized note pad, coffee mug or water bottle, tote bag, or even some personalized cookies for his teacher.  Because I adore all of the personalized gifts I've received from students over the years, and I use them still!  (Except the cookies.  Blink, and those are g-o-n-e.)

So... what do YOU think is a creative gift to start my son's Kindergarten teacher's year off right?

I hope to hear from you soon, and I hope your own back-to-school preparations are going well.  And if school has already started in your area, then I hope those freshly scrubbed faces are coming home with big smiles each day!

With one last mini-vacation planned and one final project to finish up, I know that I will also enjoy every moment of the summer sun.