Students,

A few years ago I spent a semester in your classroom. I was there to help you, and your teacher, but in the end, I was the one who learned the most. In a matter of days your small hands and big smiles grabbed my heart and claimed it as your own. Throughout the course of that semester, I laughed with you, I cried for you, I celebrated the small victories with you, and I laid in bed at night worrying about you. I sincerely loved you, and because of that I felt a pride like I never have before watching you succeed on tasks that you once struggled with. Watching you tackle fractions, and succeed at spelling, soaking up new information as if it were oxygen, is something I can never adequately express the beauty of. The day I had to leave you, you still had a firm grasp on my heart and with tears in my eyes I walked out the door, and promised myself that I would be back one day. You made such an impact on me, and you never realized it.

I'm sure those around me were overjoyed when the semester was over, because I have little doubt that they were tired of hearing me talk about all the fun things we got to do together, and all the interesting things we were learning about. I couldn't help it though, for that semester, each and every one of you was my pride and joy. You wrote me notes and drew me pictures, and I still have them all in a box under my bed, I look at them from time to time, I think of you and smile.

It is because of you that I am who I am today, and it is because of you that I am working towards becoming who I want to be. You opened my eyes to the most beautiful career that has ever existed, and you've shown me that nothing will ever satisfy my soul the way you did. You molded me. You challenged me, and on occasion, you overwhelmed me. You are the reason why I stay up late at night, reviewing, revising, and reading material again and again. You are the reason why I am perusing my education degree. You are the reason why I want to be the very best educator that I can be. When people frown at me, and ask why in the world I would ever want to be a teacher, when people tell me I am wasting my potential, you are who I think about.

You taught me so much in such a short time. You taught me that sometimes the smallest of minds can say some of the most profound words. You taught me that persistence is key, and that patience is truly a virtue worth praying for. You taught me that love can be shown in the smallest of ways yet have the deepest of impacts.

Maybe you'll remember me, maybe you won't. At the end of the day, all I was to you was someone else you called "Miss". But I can promise you this, I will never forget a single one of you, and the impact you made on my life.

Sincerely,

Miss Garner