I would like to extend a thank-you to all those who have been brave enough to take me on as a student. Not another person in their class, but a student — someone who can be molded and enlightened to subjects that extend beyond the “standards.” Now that I am stepping into my own journey towards becoming a teacher, I realize that there are moments which I have never expressed gratitude for and lessons that I never realized were imparted upon me.

Growing up as a teacher’s child, I’ve been all-too familiar with the short straws that teachers can find themselves holding and the moments of magic that people tend to overlook. It’s easy to stand in front of a classroom and talk, right? Sure. The kicker is, it’s not as easy to stand in front of a classroom and be a teacher. Teacher — a seven-letter word for someone who possesses the ability to guide students through lessons and life, all while passing on as much love as they possibly can.

Honestly, going through the process of becoming an educator, I’ve learned that sometimes it seems easier to pull a rabbit out of a hat while sawing an elephant in half than to tackle everything that being a teacher entails. It is for that reason that I would like to thank my teachers for a few things which I let slip through the cracks in my 16 years of schooling.

Thank you for understanding when I was not at my best.

I believe there is a contractual agreement between student and teacher to understand both the good and bad days. Learning is not always at the forefront of my life. In fact, there are some days when it is the least pressing thing on my mind. By understanding and allowing me to have my lows, you encouraged me to not only pick myself up, but to also pick my future students up on their worst days. Whether it was by simply asking me if I was okay or having a sit-down talk at lunch, you made me believe that school was not the only part of my life that you cared about.

Thank you for letting me fail.

Failure has always been a difficult thing for me to accept. Actually, getting a 99 on an essay makes my skin crawl in the worst way. Failure is necessary, unfortunately, and while at one point failing a geometry test may have crushed my spirit, it has taught me that there are bigger things in life than test scores and GPAs.

Thank you for watching me grow.

Maybe this is a small-town thing, and maybe it’s the fact that my mother works within my school system, but most of my teachers have taken up a permanent position in my life. Whether they have joined my family and I for dinner or have bravely allowed me to take care of their kids, my teachers have always been an integral part of who I am. This is, perhaps, my favorite part about forming bonds with teachers - the reunions and conversations that spur from having someone in your life who has been there to watch you grow from a sixth-grade English student to a writer for Odyssey.

Thank you for being my teacher even after I left your classroom.

Even if we haven’t spoken since I left your classroom, I can assure you that I carry part of you with me. The lessons that you taught me have molded me into who I am and have guided me towards understanding myself better. Whether you were only there for a semester or carried me through multiple years of education, I cannot begin to thank you enough for the wisdom that you granted me. Thank you.

Thank you for helping me realize my own passion for teaching.

This last point is the most important to me. I would not have the courage to teach if you had not shown me how to do so with such love, compassion, and humor. I have, without a doubt, some of the best role models to look up to when it comes to working in education; while the shoes that I have to fill are big, there is not a doubt in my mind that your constant guidance still supports me, even in my journeys through education now.