mhollifiel

Truer words were never spoken. Make totes PLEASE!! Having been in education, every Christmas teachers joke about being "mugged" so I'd stay away from the mug rugs because of this. Most really great teachers aren't "anchored" to their desks and tend to use cups only in the lounge. This because they set their cups down all over the room otherwise. There are exceptions but the majority of those live in high schools. Elementary school teachers tend to move around. With hot drinks there is a safety issue as well. On the other hand, any kind of desk organizer would be a useful item but hear this. Teachers covet any kind of tote and any size from large stacks of test paper holders to what we used to call "Tow-Sacks".

Personalizing is good but not too much. For example, teachers do change rooms so room numbers are out. They have also been known to change grades! I would have loved anything with books or reading themes, of course. My nickname was Holli so anything with holly incorporated, I could use all year long (as I did my Christmas china at home). Any one who gifted me a lap quilt, I would have LOVED especially if the child picked out the fabrics and the label included his/her name along with the quilter and date.