As an education major, there are a lot of things I wish I could go back and tell my teachers. Having been on the other side of the classroom, I have a whole new appreciation for who they are and what they do. I'd like to think they secretly knew this is how I felt anyway, since they seem to know just about everything else and all.
1) I’m sorry I rolled my eyes when you made us sing that song.
That’s actually a great tool, and I still use it to help me remember things in college some 10 years later.
2) Thank you for letting me borrow your pencil, when we both knew it wasn’t going to be returned.
I thoroughly appreciate you letting me borrow one anyway, because you cared more about me than the pencil.
3) Although I still talk just as much now, I’m sorry for the all the seat moves you had to make to get me to be quiet.
I know the pain now of friends who have somehow managed to circumvent the assigned seating chart and will stop at nothing to converse.
4) Thank you for trying to interact with me in “hip lingo”.
Even though I found it totally #embarrassing in middle school, I fully appreciate that you cared enough to meet me where I was. It isn’t always easy to get students to open up.
5) Thank you for explaining that one problem to me in five different ways.
There are some moments where I think that no matter what I say, it just won’t click. I understand now that you probably felt more like tearing your hair out than explaining just one more time, but it made a difference.
6) Thanks for caring/pretending to care about all the little details of my life.
Even though you probably couldn’t care less about the season finale of Hannah Montana, I appreciate that you took the time to ask me because you knew I cared. That takes more intentionality than I ever knew.
7) I appreciate the endless list of little things you did that I’ll never know about.
Enough said. I appreciated it all.
8) Thank you for pushing back that deadline “just a little bit”.
I used to think it was so unfair that things came with due dates, but now I understand it’s for your sanity not mine. Thank you for slipping my paper into the pile a little later than expected when I just didn’t have it quite together.
9) I appreciate the feedback you give me.
Although I griped a lot about the long list of corrections, suggestions and fixes you gave me on papers, tests and projects, I now know you did it all to make me better. Thank you for those extra few minutes spent grading.
10) Thank you for not giving up on me.
I wasn’t always the student I am today, and if it weren’t for the endless work and push to be better from my teachers, I don’t know who I’d be. Thank you for seeing potential in me at a time when there wasn’t much to see.
11) You’re changing my life more than you know.
You’re the reason that I want to become an educator one day, and even if I don’t show it now, you’re shaping me into the person I will hopefully become one day.
12) You’re doing a great job.
I know you probably spent way too much time planning last night, and if you hear one more thing about standardized tests you might punch someone, but regardless of how stressed you are, I still think you’re the coolest when you come into the classroom each day. You’re totally #killinit.
