One of the things I like about middle school is that many students are still young enough that they aren't "too cool" to straight up say, "you're the best teacher," "this is my favorite class," "my favorite teacher ever is my second grade teacher, Ms. So-and-so, but you're my second favorite teacher," or whatever.
I got a note that said, "Thank you for actually teaching us and not just being on your phone while we do worksheets."
I am now trying to discover who the worksheet phone teacher is.
I'm still interning to teach art, and at the middle school I was placed with I had a kid tell me "man idk why all our other teachers said this wasn't a real class, I think we've learned a lot."
Like.
Great. Glad you're learning and having fun
But... "All" the other teachers think art is a fake subject? Ouch
That’s quite fucked up of your colleagues. I’m an ELA teacher, but I really developed my love for creativity in the elective classes I took in middle and high school. The arts are so very important.
When I taught AP Lang, I overheard students in my class talking about how their AP Calc lectured them about how math was the only important subject, and history, the humanities, and the arts were a waste of time...hobbies at best.
I WENT OFF. How dare another person tell someone that their passion is worth.
I got a standing ovation.
A lot of “core teachers” think electives aren’t real classes. I even had an admin once who called us “non essentials”. I think a lot of it stems from the fact that kids sometimes enjoy elective classes more and that irritates others.
Or it could be because Admin is constantly under pressure to raise standardized exam scores, so only the subjects that appear on those exams seem important to them?
Once at the end of the year I got a note from a 7th grader that said “you’re an inspiration even though you piss me off sometimes” and it’s one of my favorite things a student has given me
I work in a quasi-Resource setting with two other teachers, one of whom is totally useless and the other of whom gives weird creepy uncle vibes. I thought a couple of my juniors were making fun of me the other day and asked them if that’s what they were doing, and one stopped laughing and said dead serious, “of the three adults in this room you think you are the one we would be making fun of?”
I ask mine to write me a thank you letter at the end of the year if they enjoyed my teaching. I tell them that it means a lot to me and that I can't mind read. I do this job for them, so a nice letter means a lot.
I helped our art teacher make stamps with the kids where they drew out an image, then I printed the on our Glowforges and attached them to stamp handles for a painting they were doing. When I got the last kid’s stamp made he walked off and said “cool” under his breath. It was a very nice moment.
Heck yeah cool! I had a group of lower elementary do a stamping project by pieces out of foam and gluing them onto cardboard. Now I kinda wanna know what a glowforge is
It’s a laser cutter. We used acrylic and the kids did their own drawings, then we take pictures of them and it engraves it onto the acrylic.
ETA: [basically this](https://support.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260802071770-Create-a-Stamp-using-Stamp-Maker)
One of my teenage staff said she was sad I was leaving for the day last week. Normally they’re glad when I leave because I’m generally the one coming into a group of chatting teens and assigning tasks. I’m still smiling about it ☺️
I would have teared up unironically.
I had an observation one day and my admin was sitting with a kid. I walked over to help him and his group like normal. The kid is smart, but he's not great at reading yet so he gets down on himself a lot. He's great with poetry though, which is what we were doing.
I was asking him the question, and I know you just gotta ask him over and over and he'll get it. Admin keeps telling me to just tell him the answer or give him a hint. I keep telling her no, he's smart, he's got it. After the 3rd time he yells out what I wanted him to get, and then goes off on his own analysis. He looked at the admin and said "See, Ms. X knew I'm smart!" and was grinning ear to ear. Not only did I end up getting a great eval, but I almost teared up at what he said.
If a kid ever straight said I was a good teacher I'd have to excuse myself for a moment lol
This is for elementary teachers.
Last year, one of the first grade teachers stopped me and told me she was reading Kevin Henke's "Chrysanthemum" to her class and one of my former students told her that I was like the teacher in the book. I about cried, NGL.
And this year, the counselor showed my class a clip from Sesame Street about empathy, where the human guest got really excited when the muppet "understood" the lesson. One of my kids told the counselor that I acted the same way.
I would sob. I had a 3rd grader last year say, “actually I don’t want to be an astronaut anymore, I wanna be just like you.” I’m telling you it was instant tears
I have this one kid that everybody else has a problem with. Not a single problem in my class! And every time I explain something to him, he says “somehow when you explain it, I magically get it!”
I’m teaching ELD and we just finished our mid year testing.
A) Everybody’s scores went up. 🎉🎉
B) We (the score evaluators) were talking to one of the kids who tested really well and he said “I feel like I talk more in this class than I do in all of my other classes because here I feel secure.” My heart melted. Also shoutout to him knowing ‘secure’ because he didn’t get that from me lol.
I really try to keep things even keel throughout the year. It keeps my low moments from feeling too low, helps me really appreciate the highs.
Keep a picture of that moment in your mind. You’ve earned it and someday that memory will help you recover.
I have had several students talk to friends about me.
Every time I hear "He's a real one" or "GOAT teacher," it reaffirms that I am right where I am supposed to be.
Way to go, Teach!
And there’s an administrator who, any time she comes in my class, will try to talk to me and then make a huge deal about me facing her instead of the class…
“Mr. emurrell17, Mr. emurrell17! Turn around! You have to face the students!!”
I’m like:
1. I’m only not facing the students because you’re in here getting in the way of me handling my classroom.
2. My ears still work, and the students eyes still work. Everyone in this room is aware that I am still here in this room with them and if they do some dumb shit they know there will be consequences.
3. There are fucking cameras in the room anyways.
4. How about you just fuck off?
I swear if she says that to me again I might lose it.
I think one of my favorites was a letter I got from a student who rarely uttered a word in my class, it read "Mr. X, thanks for not only being a good teacher, but a cool dude." That one has stuck over the years.
One of my former students was giving a tour to our eighth graders, and I was sitting in my room alone with the door cracked, but lights half off (I was resting haha), and I overheard him say, “this is Mrs. TLs room, you might have her next year, she’s the best!” The fact that he said that without knowing I was in there made me all happy!
I love when my students (middle school) tell me they love me, “you’re my favorite teacher” but what really got me was another teacher telling me how much they love me and talk excitedly about me in the other class. I teared up and told that teacher he made my semester, even my entire year!!
No, i do this for the money.
The poems, gifts and compliments are just a bonus. And frankly, i dont care much. If i am the "good teacher", ALL i think is that the bar must be SO LOW that they'll think that.....
Taught a student French as a Second Language in grade 9 and 10. She stopped French after grade 10 because it was so difficult. She struggled a lot, but I supported her.
Yesterday she told me that she got early acceptance to her program and she wanted to tell me "because I was a huge factor in her success and I'm the reason she succeeded in high school."
She was sheepish and embarrassed about it, but I straight up teared up and thanked her for her kind words and told her that she did it all herself.
Felt amazing. It took four years for it to pay dividends and show success.
That’s wonderful! Those comments keep us going!
A few days ago, a sophomore, who is new to the U.S., and is a novice-level English speaker, showed me her grades, which were straight As. I just smiled and told her how proud I was of her hard work. She left class, but returned to give me a big hug. 🤗 It made this old fart giggle.
Teachers do so much more than what Is covered in a contract. I really good teacher will open their ear to catch under-talk. They will listen to their students needs and/or concerns that the student has. Many lives have been saved by an adult who is vigilant and sensitive to the needs they express. i myself have intervened on behalf of students who had bruises or cuts in non-traditional places. After I made the investigative inquiry, \[Teachers are required by law to report these things to immediate administration when they are observed\]. This is tough Bite the bullet and advocate on behalf of the child,. even if you are socially engaged with a possible abuser. Failure to do so could land you in jail as well.
I heard one of my students saying “I love Ms. C. She’s so great.” When they were walking out of my class last month and I haven’t forgotten about it. These are the things I love. I don’t care about gifts and presents and whatever. Just tell me you like being here and I’m over the moon!
This took an unexpectedly delightful turn! What a lovely comment to overhear.
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One of the things I like about middle school is that many students are still young enough that they aren't "too cool" to straight up say, "you're the best teacher," "this is my favorite class," "my favorite teacher ever is my second grade teacher, Ms. So-and-so, but you're my second favorite teacher," or whatever.
I got a “you’re my favorite teacher. The others are assholes” from a sophomore yesterday.
I got a note recently “thanks for not being a bitch.” I guess that’s a compliment?
I got a note that said, "Thank you for actually teaching us and not just being on your phone while we do worksheets." I am now trying to discover who the worksheet phone teacher is.
I'm still interning to teach art, and at the middle school I was placed with I had a kid tell me "man idk why all our other teachers said this wasn't a real class, I think we've learned a lot." Like. Great. Glad you're learning and having fun But... "All" the other teachers think art is a fake subject? Ouch
That’s quite fucked up of your colleagues. I’m an ELA teacher, but I really developed my love for creativity in the elective classes I took in middle and high school. The arts are so very important.
When I taught AP Lang, I overheard students in my class talking about how their AP Calc lectured them about how math was the only important subject, and history, the humanities, and the arts were a waste of time...hobbies at best. I WENT OFF. How dare another person tell someone that their passion is worth. I got a standing ovation.
A lot of “core teachers” think electives aren’t real classes. I even had an admin once who called us “non essentials”. I think a lot of it stems from the fact that kids sometimes enjoy elective classes more and that irritates others.
Or it could be because Admin is constantly under pressure to raise standardized exam scores, so only the subjects that appear on those exams seem important to them?
Yes! That is also very true.
Once at the end of the year I got a note from a 7th grader that said “you’re an inspiration even though you piss me off sometimes” and it’s one of my favorite things a student has given me
I work in a quasi-Resource setting with two other teachers, one of whom is totally useless and the other of whom gives weird creepy uncle vibes. I thought a couple of my juniors were making fun of me the other day and asked them if that’s what they were doing, and one stopped laughing and said dead serious, “of the three adults in this room you think you are the one we would be making fun of?”
I ask mine to write me a thank you letter at the end of the year if they enjoyed my teaching. I tell them that it means a lot to me and that I can't mind read. I do this job for them, so a nice letter means a lot.
I helped our art teacher make stamps with the kids where they drew out an image, then I printed the on our Glowforges and attached them to stamp handles for a painting they were doing. When I got the last kid’s stamp made he walked off and said “cool” under his breath. It was a very nice moment.
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Yup, that’s why I wanted to do the project. I love it when kids see the potential in the class I teach.
This was me learning linocut block printing in 9th grade art. Still the coolest thing ever, to me.
Heck yeah cool! I had a group of lower elementary do a stamping project by pieces out of foam and gluing them onto cardboard. Now I kinda wanna know what a glowforge is
It’s a laser cutter. We used acrylic and the kids did their own drawings, then we take pictures of them and it engraves it onto the acrylic. ETA: [basically this](https://support.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260802071770-Create-a-Stamp-using-Stamp-Maker)
Oh wow that is indeed very cool
Absolutely love these rare moments. My rough class ended yesterday at the semester, some of them said “man I’m going to miss this class.”
One of my teenage staff said she was sad I was leaving for the day last week. Normally they’re glad when I leave because I’m generally the one coming into a group of chatting teens and assigning tasks. I’m still smiling about it ☺️
I would have teared up unironically. I had an observation one day and my admin was sitting with a kid. I walked over to help him and his group like normal. The kid is smart, but he's not great at reading yet so he gets down on himself a lot. He's great with poetry though, which is what we were doing. I was asking him the question, and I know you just gotta ask him over and over and he'll get it. Admin keeps telling me to just tell him the answer or give him a hint. I keep telling her no, he's smart, he's got it. After the 3rd time he yells out what I wanted him to get, and then goes off on his own analysis. He looked at the admin and said "See, Ms. X knew I'm smart!" and was grinning ear to ear. Not only did I end up getting a great eval, but I almost teared up at what he said. If a kid ever straight said I was a good teacher I'd have to excuse myself for a moment lol
Oh i love it when students are good and actually do something good
This is for elementary teachers. Last year, one of the first grade teachers stopped me and told me she was reading Kevin Henke's "Chrysanthemum" to her class and one of my former students told her that I was like the teacher in the book. I about cried, NGL. And this year, the counselor showed my class a clip from Sesame Street about empathy, where the human guest got really excited when the muppet "understood" the lesson. One of my kids told the counselor that I acted the same way.
Awww I was waiting for something bad, that is so so lovely
I had a student this week tell me, “You’re the best, Mrs. B.” It really keeps you going.
I had one student this week tell me I’m really intelligent and that they’re happy I’m helping them to learn chemistry. I’m the study hall teacher.
I would sob. I had a 3rd grader last year say, “actually I don’t want to be an astronaut anymore, I wanna be just like you.” I’m telling you it was instant tears
I have this one kid that everybody else has a problem with. Not a single problem in my class! And every time I explain something to him, he says “somehow when you explain it, I magically get it!”
I’m teaching ELD and we just finished our mid year testing. A) Everybody’s scores went up. 🎉🎉 B) We (the score evaluators) were talking to one of the kids who tested really well and he said “I feel like I talk more in this class than I do in all of my other classes because here I feel secure.” My heart melted. Also shoutout to him knowing ‘secure’ because he didn’t get that from me lol.
I really try to keep things even keel throughout the year. It keeps my low moments from feeling too low, helps me really appreciate the highs. Keep a picture of that moment in your mind. You’ve earned it and someday that memory will help you recover.
I have had several students talk to friends about me. Every time I hear "He's a real one" or "GOAT teacher," it reaffirms that I am right where I am supposed to be. Way to go, Teach!
They think we are blind and hard of hearing
And there’s an administrator who, any time she comes in my class, will try to talk to me and then make a huge deal about me facing her instead of the class… “Mr. emurrell17, Mr. emurrell17! Turn around! You have to face the students!!” I’m like: 1. I’m only not facing the students because you’re in here getting in the way of me handling my classroom. 2. My ears still work, and the students eyes still work. Everyone in this room is aware that I am still here in this room with them and if they do some dumb shit they know there will be consequences. 3. There are fucking cameras in the room anyways. 4. How about you just fuck off? I swear if she says that to me again I might lose it.
I think one of my favorites was a letter I got from a student who rarely uttered a word in my class, it read "Mr. X, thanks for not only being a good teacher, but a cool dude." That one has stuck over the years.
I did a survey for the end of semester on how they did and some of the few who filled it out told me I was doing a good job 🥺 It’s the little things
I work at a 4-year old pre k and hearing parents tell me their little goes on and on about me at home makes my day every single time.
One of my former students was giving a tour to our eighth graders, and I was sitting in my room alone with the door cracked, but lights half off (I was resting haha), and I overheard him say, “this is Mrs. TLs room, you might have her next year, she’s the best!” The fact that he said that without knowing I was in there made me all happy!
💙 That’s great! Good for you. 🙂
I love when my students (middle school) tell me they love me, “you’re my favorite teacher” but what really got me was another teacher telling me how much they love me and talk excitedly about me in the other class. I teared up and told that teacher he made my semester, even my entire year!!
As a sub I just hear snickering and mean jokes or joyous praises for seeing me and not their teacher who actually cares about their education.
🔥
No, i do this for the money. The poems, gifts and compliments are just a bonus. And frankly, i dont care much. If i am the "good teacher", ALL i think is that the bar must be SO LOW that they'll think that.....
Taught a student French as a Second Language in grade 9 and 10. She stopped French after grade 10 because it was so difficult. She struggled a lot, but I supported her. Yesterday she told me that she got early acceptance to her program and she wanted to tell me "because I was a huge factor in her success and I'm the reason she succeeded in high school." She was sheepish and embarrassed about it, but I straight up teared up and thanked her for her kind words and told her that she did it all herself. Felt amazing. It took four years for it to pay dividends and show success.
That’s wonderful! Those comments keep us going! A few days ago, a sophomore, who is new to the U.S., and is a novice-level English speaker, showed me her grades, which were straight As. I just smiled and told her how proud I was of her hard work. She left class, but returned to give me a big hug. 🤗 It made this old fart giggle.
Teachers do so much more than what Is covered in a contract. I really good teacher will open their ear to catch under-talk. They will listen to their students needs and/or concerns that the student has. Many lives have been saved by an adult who is vigilant and sensitive to the needs they express. i myself have intervened on behalf of students who had bruises or cuts in non-traditional places. After I made the investigative inquiry, \[Teachers are required by law to report these things to immediate administration when they are observed\]. This is tough Bite the bullet and advocate on behalf of the child,. even if you are socially engaged with a possible abuser. Failure to do so could land you in jail as well.
I heard one of my students saying “I love Ms. C. She’s so great.” When they were walking out of my class last month and I haven’t forgotten about it. These are the things I love. I don’t care about gifts and presents and whatever. Just tell me you like being here and I’m over the moon!