To my teachers from kindergarten through high school,

In elementary school, I used to accidentally call one of you mom once or twice. In high school, I deliberately called one of you mom because, in our tight-knit classroom, that's exactly what you were.

I still talk to a handful of you. That is not a coincidence. It is a direct reflection of the impact you have had on my life.

Too many teachers and education officials think school, has the sole purpose of preparing students academically for the next grade. In reality, there is so much more to it and you recognize that. I have learned communication skills, how to be a more competent adult, and so much more just from being in your classes. And none of that was part of the curriculum. You taught us those things because you care about your students and want to see them succeed. You give them life advice because you're like their “parents away from home.”

Not all of my teachers have been so invested in their students but I learned something beyond the curriculum from them, nonetheless. Those who so kindly welcome in sometimes 20 new students each year with open, loving arms make school such a more bearable experience. Many times, a teacher like this can make even the most difficult course (like perhaps college level physics) a much more enjoyable experience. And those who view teaching as just a job, well, they teach you things along the line of how to grin and bear it.

High school was an odd experience. Certain teachers were more than teachers. Some felt more like friends. I know I am not the only one who would spend my free time in my favorite teacher’s classroom just talking or helping them. Every morning before classes I would visit my freshman year earth science teacher. I would clean his board, change the date, and take chairs down. In return, he would always be there for good conversation when I was feeling down. School became less of a hassle and more of a time to learn and spend time with really interesting individuals.

Thank you for caring about my life. Thank you for caring about my success and my troubles outside the classroom walls. I hope you realize that this went both ways. I really did care when I asked you how your weekend was. I loved when you told stories about your family. No, this was not a ploy to get out of coursework. I genuinely cared about you as a person because you took the time to do the same for me.

Thank you for really listening to me when I spoke. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me in those “mic-dropping” digressions. Thank you for being an inspiration and role model. You inspire me to go on and do great things in the world. Thank you for providing me with dozens of memories I can look back on and smile about. There are about a million and five things I could thank you for. Most of all, just thank you for being you. I am so lucky to have spent time in your class. It is an honor to call you my teacher. And I will never forget you.

Thanks a bunch,
Your former student