It’s that time of year once again. You know, that unnerving time when any given passerby might flag you down and into what you’re thankful about. There’s plenty to be thankful for, to be sure, but it’s not always easy to come up with something compelling off the cuff.. Don’t worry, teachers—we can think of a few things you can comfortably retort with.

1) Hand Sanitizer

Enjoy the little things, they say. As sage of advice as it may seem, there are some little things that people should beware of, teachers especially. We’re looking at you, germs. No matter how much you love your class, flu season is a minefield of sneezing, sniffling students, and the rest of the year can be just as treacherous. .

Luckily for all, hand sanitizer is a thing. Remember having to go to the bathroom every time you wanted clean hands? Neither do we—we cleansed ourselves of those memories as soon as we discovered Purell. Given how many teachers we know who are never without hand sanitizer, we think they’re all on the same page.

2) Digital Devices

Yeah, it’s pesky when kids fiddle on their phones in class. But despite the ever-diminishing age threshold for cell phone ownership, devices actually have a special place in our hearts. Widespread technology in the classroom has contributed to streamlining the learning process and making teachers’ lives everywhere easier. Educational games and activities have never been easier to set up, and kids are all the more amenable to learning when the lesson plan is disguised as play!

3) Pinterest

Pinterest holds a different place in the hearts of teachers than it does more casual users. It’s no time-waster—it’s the ultimate compendium for teaching activities and ideas. In a few deft keystrokes, you can find a lesson plan centered around raisins, get inspired for tomorrow’s lunch, and compile twelve thousand pinecone-based crafts. Sometimes it can be tough to keep fresh ideas coming in the classroom. With the magic of Pinterest, you can crowdsource ideas from what seems like half the world’s pedagogical population.

4) Ready-to-eat Foods

Teachers will often find themselves short of time, especially when they’re on school grounds. Cutting temporal corners is important for maintaining sanity (or at least a manageable schedule). That’s why things like Chobani Flips and microwaveable burritos are your proverbial bread and butter. In today’s ready-to-eat food market, you can opt for anything from falafel to Indian curry to chicken pot pie, all edible within 5 minutes of opening the package. While we’ll probably pay for the convenience later down the line, nothing’s going to stop us from enjoying our delicious, expedited lunches.

5) ECR4Kids

Whoa, this is embarrassing. Who nominated us? Steve, we’re looking at you. We suppose we can’t be too miffed—it’s our goal to make the classroom a smoother and more vibrant place, after all. With a catalog of products adored by teachers and students alike, it’s easy to stock up for the classroom in one fell swoop. We also put out regular content for teachers and parents alike—it’s our way of giving back to the amazing educational community!

Teachers—what else are you thankful for? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments below! And don’t forget to follow ECR4Kids on Facebook, Pinterest, or our blog via email for more of these posts!