Every year, teachers send out a list of items they would like to have donated to their classrooms. The items may range from copy paper to empty shoe boxes for a diorama, from colored pens to toilet paper rolls for an art project. But what if teachers could ask for what they REALLY want? Parents and administrators, if you want to make an educator happy, this is the true teacher wish list.

1. Respect

Aretha Franklin had it right all along. R-E-S-P-E-C-T come on peeps, give it to me! You know you are singing it now. You’re welcome.

2. A cancelled staff meeting

Would it really kill admin to cancel just one meeting? Those 90 minutes could be used for so many more useful things, especially since everything could most likely be covered in an email anyway.

3. Smaller class size

What a gift it would be to be handed a class list with less than 30 names on it! And while we are at it…

4. Class lists that don’t change every week

Kids move in, kids move out. It happens. Unfortunately, it usually happens at 8:00 on a Monday morning with no warning when the teacher has only had one cup of coffee and is running late and, of course, the copier is broken so they are one worksheet short all day long. Which brings us to…

5. A day without interruptions

I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight… no fire drills, no phone calls during teaching time, and no sweet cherub throwing up on the classroom floor.

6. No strings attached compliments

“You are the queen of organization.” Did you see that?  That dot at the end there? It’s a period. It’s where the compliment stops. This should not be confused with, “You are the queen of organization so I put you on the disaster team committee where you will be in charge of organizing the disaster bin.”  That compliment was a disaster all by itself.

7. A sincere “Thank you”

Thank you. Two simple words. Note that the thank you is not followed by a “but.”

8. Gift cards for wine

Teachers have plenty of coffee cups and tumblers. What they need is something to put in those cups other than coffee or water. Teachers don’t drink water anyway because it makes them have to pee and no one has time for that.  It is guaranteed that your child probably has a bit to do with the teacher’s need to drink after 3:00 so give them something they will use!

So there it it. Out there in the open – the real teacher wish list! While teachers still need the copy paper, toilet paper rolls and colored pens, why not throw in one of these items as well? It may just make a teacher’s day.