Stories Behind the Desks: The Treasures of Our Teachers
Teachers’ desks are often like mini-museums of their lives, packed with personal treasures, student gifts, and cute mementos. I recently had the chance to sit down with two of the faculty members, Ms. Maniscalco and Mr. Tobler, to get a tour of the most meaningful items sitting on their desks, and the heartwarming stories behind them.
If you ever stop by Ms. Maniscalco’s desk, the first thing you might notice is a collection of meaningful gifts that bring a little piece of home into her daily work routine. Among her favorite items is a small, cute raw amethyst crystal shaped like an animal, given to her by Ms. Wainwright.
Sitting nearby is a U Matter painted rock, which was a keepsake given to her a few years ago by a student during a mental health awareness campaign. Another item close to her heart is a silver ladybug gifted by her eldest aunt, who lives in Italy.
Growing up, Ms. Maniscalco looked up to her aunt as a major role model, shaping the kind of aunt she strives to be today, and keeping the ladybug on her desk helps her stay connected despite the distance.
Surrounding her workspace are photos of her nephew and godkids, serving as a reminder of family in a space where she spends so much of her time. As she puts it, since school feels like a second home, it only makes sense to surround yourself with the people and memories you love.
Moving over to Mr. Tobler’s desk, you’ll find items tied to fun classroom traditions and personal milestones. Prominently featured is a Toothless piggy bank from How to Train Your Dragon, his favorite animated movie of all time.
The story behind it started over eight years ago in his physics class, when students created a lighthearted “roast jar” for every time Mr. Tobler called out a silly comment in class. Over time, the concept turned into a swear jar, with the proceeds designated to buy something fun for the classroom at the end of the year.
After the original plastic pig broke, his students surprised him in 2018 or 2019 with a Toothless piggy bank. Though that first Toothless was eventually broken and replaced by the person who accidentally cracked it, the current one remains a staple of his desk.
Right beside Toothless sits a delicate collection of dried roses, a tradition he started a couple of years ago. Every time he donates blood, he saves the rose he receives, dries it out, and keeps it on display as a quiet badge of honor.
Finally, stepping up to Ms. Thomas’s desk feels like stepping directly into a vibrant history of her time at school. The most used, practical items you’ll spot right away are her daily go-to supplies like thumb tacks, rubber bands, and a whole collection of hot sauces.
Among her favorite unique pieces are a custom student-made nameplate, a mini René Magritte statue, and a vintage teacher-themed tape dispenser shaped like an apple and notebook paper that she found at an estate sale.
Her most sentimental items, however, are the handmade turtle and monster ceramic mugs used to hold her pens, crafted and gifted to her by students over the years.
In fact, Ms. Thomas views her entire desk as a “living yearbook” or scrapbook from her 17 years at the school. It’s a complete collage covered in stickers, doodles, photos, and messages signed by students, and even features a few quirky relics like hair clippings taped down with notes.
Whether it’s a silver ladybug connecting family across the globe, a dragon piggy bank born from years of classroom inside jokes, or a desk transformed into a 17-year living scrapbook, these desk treasures show that the best parts of a teacher’s space are always the stories behind them.
