LilSugar

Say Thanks! 5 Terrific Gifts For Teachers

Nicole Abbott — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:07:17 PST

Teachers are pillars of our communities. They teach our children their ABCs, their 123s, and about the world. They care for our children - and during the holidays we want to say thanks!

Shopping for a teacher's gift can be a little difficult, since most mamas don't know their tots' instructors outside of school. Check out these five thoughtful gift ideas for teachers and show them how appreciated they really are with a gift they're sure to love!

How Often Do You Email Your Kids' Teachers?

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:32:12 PST

Ask a child what he did in school today and more likely than not, he'll say "nothing." As parents, we crave information about our kids, but they aren't always very forthcoming with details. To get answers, many mamas turn to their tykes' teachers, often cornering them during inconvenient times like drop-off or pick-up. To make the system easier, many teachers have set up classroom email accounts where moms and dads can write in their questions or concerns, but in the information age, that system may be backfiring.

An elementary school in Seattle recently sent a note to parents asking them "to limit e-mails to 'important issues' keeping them to 'one paragraph' and just 'one email per week, maximum.'" Parents are outraged. Administrators say they are only trying to make things more manageable for overwhelmed teachers. What do you think?

10 Student-Teacher Relationships That Cross the Line

TresSugar — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:52:30 PDT

At what point does it become acceptable for a student to date a teacher? It's obviously a no-no if the student is 13, but last year even Yale banned student-teacher sex, and coeds called the policy unrealistic. For years, the topic has fascinated filmmakers far beyond the made-for-TV movie about Mary Kay Letourneau. Here are 10 student-teacher liaisons that cross the line from cute to questionable or just plain creepy.

How Do You Rate Value-Added Teacher Evaluations?

babysugar — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT

The great teaching debate has everyone talking. The Los Angeles Times recently released the results of the LA Unified School District's value-added scores which measure how well a teacher has improved a student's test scores compared to the previous year. The difference between a student's current score and her expected performance based on past test scores is the teacher's estimated "value." Fans of this system say it should be used to grant merit bonuses and tenure. What's your opinion?

Facebook Friend Your Child's Teacher: Like or Dislike?

LilSugar — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:00:48 PDT

There's a new type of parent/teacher conference! Education has moved to the Internet with everything from supply lists to grades to school assignments being posted online. Some really involved mothers befriend their kiddo's teacher via Facebook. Educators often have their professional life while keeping classroom hours and a social break after the final bell rings. Do you think parents overstep their bounds by reaching out this way?

Teacher Fired For Facebook Comments: Right or Ridiculous?

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:15:37 PDT

A Massachusetts teacher should have taught herself this lesson: don't post anything on social networking sites that you want to keep private. June Talvitie-Siple was forced to resign after she made unfavorable comments about students and their parents on her Facebook page. According to one report, Talvitie-Siple used the terms "germbags," "arrogant," and "snobby," believing that she was talking with friends, but the comments were public. The educator also wrote that she was less than enthused about the upcoming school year. Would you be upset if your child's teacher vented his or her frustrations on a social networking site?

Have You Had a Crush on a Teacher?

TresSugar — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:00:48 PDT

I met the head of my college's English department the first day of my junior year. Swedish and 6'5", he was like a 40-something Alexander Skarsgård. He was a Renaissance man, and by that I mean he taught literature from the 16th and 17th centuries. It wasn't my area of interest, so he told me he'd be my adviser until I found someone more appropriate. I didn't think that would be necessary, I said. It was.

His classes overflowed with women, more so than the average literature class, which is how I envision James Franco's class looking at Yale. The actor will enroll this Fall to earn a PhD in English literature, and by January he'll bypass the TA thing and teach his very own class.

Since Yale banned student-teacher relationships this Spring, students will probably have to keep Franco in their daydreams. Nonetheless, I imagine a few inappropriate crushes will blossom. Were you ever more interested in a teacher than his course?

OnSugar Blog: Sugar Cookies For Our Sweet Teachers

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 04:00:44 PDT

Lots of moms are planning for the end of the school year and mrb929 is too. Sugar Cookies For Our Sweet Teachers comes from the 52 Weeks Without Sugar blog at OnSugar.

I feel like it was just yesterday when I made those apple rice krispie treats for my daughter's first day of school. To bookend the sweet year we've had with her teachers, I whipped up some cookies for them. My girl helped me pick out four cookie cutters - a crab (her favorite), a star, a water pitcher, and a moon. With a little icing and some creative thinking, the little packages of cookies turned out pretty cute. And for parents looking for an inexpensive but thoughtful way to toast your teachers, you can't beat sugar cookies but the temptation to eat them is overwhelming. Still I resisted.

To see the significance behind the cookie shapes, read the rest of the post here. Start following OnSugar blog 52 Weeks Without Sugar or start your own OnSugar blog.

Teachers Teach Mom and Dad a Thing or Two

babysugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:00:36 PDT

The sneakers are glowing and the lunchboxes are fresh. It's time to head back to the little red school house for another year of education. Entering a new classroom promises never before seen math problems, spelling rules and lectures in science for sponge-like brains. While most everyone expects that type of learning, it is sometimes a different lesson that gets moms and dads fired up for a new year. Parents see their children grow every day, but it is a fresh perspective from their child's new teacher than can often offer them a new vantage point into their kiddo's life. An art instructor may spot a budding Van Gogh or the P.E. coach sees the next Mia Hamm. The reading teacher may see a writing future while the math tutor discovers a counting issue that needs special attention. What have you learned from your child's teachers?

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Parents Use Their Wallets and Opinions to Influence Education

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:00:00 PDT

How much say should parents have in their children's education? In an age where adults are known to begin educating babies in the womb, obsess over their tots' preschool admissions, and sign them up for dozens of activities, it's no wonder that some parents try and control their child's class placement. Whether it's mom asking that her son not be placed in the same class as his nemesis, or dad requesting a specific teacher based on reports from PTA members, principals deal with a legion of requests. And many helicopter parents are used to getting their way - even paying to push their opinions on the institution. In some private establishments, mothers and fathers have pooled their funds to buy members of the faculty out of their contracts. Is this appropriate - what's your opinion on the issue?