Dear High School Teachers,
Thank you.
Seriously, thank you. I never quite knew just everything that you have done for me when I was your student. I apologize for taking for granted all the long nights that you spent working on lesson plans and for getting fussy with you when I didn't get my grade back soon enough. You are a person to and you have a family, I want you to know that even though you don't hear this enough, I am so appreciative of the time you spent away from your family to stay as caught up as possible on all the planning and preparation it takes to run a classroom as successful as yours.
You played a key role in making my high school experience what it was and I am quite certain that I will never forget the memories that were made at the desks of your classrooms. College is hard, and it's scary, and it is very, very real, but I feel like I can handle it because of the preparation that you gave me and the confidence that came from it.
You taught me so much about math, and polynomials, you taught me about Andrew Carnege and about the Battle of 1812, we discussed literature like Frankenstein and The Scarlet Letter and even some of another language. I learned so much from you, but you taught me so much more than what can be learned from a textbook. You taught me about persistence, and about determination by constantly seeking out new teaching methods. You showed me patience by not getting aggervated with me when I asked you to work out that math problem over..and over..and over again only to have me reply with "I have no idea what you just did." You showed me passion and love by the care and attention you gave to each and every student in your classroom, regardless of how badly you just wanted to go back home and get back into bed.
Those nights when I would get so mad at you because I had absolutely no idea how to do the homework assignments or blame my less than desirable grade on that dreaded midterm or your teaching skills, just know I didn't mean any of it. Okay? Looking back now, and looking at my first semester college classes, I would give anything to be back in your classroom where I know you would teach me exactly what I needed to know and exactly how I needed it to be explained; like I admitted earlier, I took all that for granted.
High school was four of the best years I could have asked for and I couldn't imagine how differently it would have all gone if I wasn't in your class, if I didn't have it third block, first semester of junior year and you rearrange our seats and sat me beside a stranger who quickly became the best friend I had ever had. See? You played a role in enhancing my high school experience without even realizing it, didn't you? Funny how that stuff works.
So, just know that what you are doing and all the time going into it isn't in vain. You're good at what you do, and even when it doesn't seem like it, you're making an impact.
You certainly impacted me.
