Contributed by Tim Brugger, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

I think we can all agree teachers play a critical role in the lives of our youth.

A good teacher, one that instills a love of learning, can literally change the course of our children’s lives. That’s some pretty powerful stuff and certainly worthy of your appreciation.

To honor our teachers, teacher appreciation week is May 6 -10, 2013. How do you say “thank you” to these all-important role models? Naturally, using the following list of Best of Teacher Appreciation Week Gifts.

Jewelry

A gift that grows over time

Charm bracelets are one of those timeless gifts that grow in meaning as each year passes. So why not start a tradition for your favorite teacher by giving her a charm bracelet to fill with memories over the years? Add a single charm to represent what she means to you, and then pass the word on to next year’s class so they can add their own charms.

Light

Make all those essays a little easier to read

Teachers have to spend a lot of time reading, whether it’s preparing lessons, reading student papers or grading tests. And then there’s all the time they need to spend on the computer, too.

All that close work can be hard on the eyes. But you can show your teacher how much you appreciate their dedication and help make their work easier too, with a Smart Lamp. These specially designed full-spectrum lights reduce eye strain and help to improve attention and efficiency. That just might make for a happier teacher. Now what student wouldn’t like that?!

Handmade

Meaningful and personal

Yeah, this is becoming kind of a theme I know, but well-thought out, handmade gifts are some of the best. And coming from a favorite student will make it that much more special. This ready-to-decorate tote bag is one of hundreds of customizable craft ideas you’ll find.

Personalized

From the whole class

Personalized gift catalogs are chock full of personalized gifts and novelties, including this customized mug. Perfect for teacher appreciation week, Personal Creations makes it easy to add the teacher’s name, plus up to three lines of text inside of the apple. A few cents donation from each student will remind him of his favorite class for years to come.

School supplies

Save their dwindling classroom budgets

It might seem weird to give a teacher school supplies as a Teacher Appreciation gift. But if you have friends or family who are teachers, they’ll tell you it’s anything but crazy.

Every year, teachers get less and less money to provide supplies for more and more kids. And the recent economic woes mean that families are having a harder time sending kids to school with the basics they need like notebooks, markers, and paper. So teachers are spending more of their own money, just to keep classrooms stocked and kids learning.

Giving a teacher a gift of school supplies is a wonderful way to say thank you for all they do…and to allow the teacher to keep more of their pay for their own family needs. What could be better? Almost nothing…just ask a teacher!

Gift Cards

Teacher’s choice

When you simply can’t decide; don’t. A gift card from will put the ball squarely in her court, which is perfect in this case.Catalog Favorites is a collection of the best of multiple catalogs, so she can rummage around until she finds the ideal teacher appreciation week gift. And in multiples of $25, you can choose to spend as little or as much as you want. Whew, that certainly makes things easier.