With two boys of my own—one in third grade and one in fourth—I’m on the other side of the parent-teacher relationship now. Still, I haven’t lost the sense of everything a new year brings to the lives of teachers. This annual back-to-school season evokes in me a deep need to make name tags, create bulletin boards, and sharpen pencils. There’s just something so magical to me about the endless possibilities wafting through the waxy rainbow scent of a brand new box of the Crayola 64. I love the start of a new school year. Love it.

Your child’s teacher is living, eating, and breathing thoughts of her students. She has lists upon lists—and lists of lists. She is awake past midnight completing lesson plans, field trips arrangements, parent correspondence, and updating the most current information for her page on the school’s site. She thinks of your kids when she’s eating breakfast, brushing her teeth, and taking a shower. It’s not weird; it’s the teacher brain.

Read the article “Want Your Child to Succeed in School? Start by Encouraging His Teacher” on pjmedia.com.