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This is the paradox of working in education. The day by day tasks seem so numerous, and it's hard to know the impact you make on students unless they come back and tell you. It's like my favorite line in "Hamilton"- we are always planting seeds in a garden we never get to see. This is a beautiful reminder that the relationships you build far outweigh what content you actually teach.

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It is hard to always remember, but the daily interactions we have with young people really have strong impacts on them as people. They remember small things that may be a quick passing comment for us, but can stick with them for the rest of their lives.

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The impact that "taking an interest" in their experiences, passions, hobbies etc. has on a student. It's clear that this demonstrates how you see students as whole people and not just part of a class and part of a lesson.

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They don't remember the lesson, but the person

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They don't remember the lesson, but the person

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The statement that one of the teachers made that alluded to this idea had a big impact on me. Although I recognize I knew this, having someone remind me that the biggest impact I will have on my students is not from delivering amazing lessons, but from being a memorable person in their lives, was an important idea to reflect on.

- Danielle B

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While I'm sure some of these teachers were thanked for their instruction on certain content connected to their subject, most of the things mentioned by students had more to do with emotional connections than the direct teaching / learning itself. Taking time to protect and develop these relationships can have a massive impact on student wellbeing.

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I like the time students have taken to thank and appreciate their teachers here. How can we, as advisors, create a culture of encouraging students to reflectively take the time to do this? It's a lovely gesture.

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I like the time students have taken to thank and appreciate their teachers here. How can we, as advisors, create a culture of encouraging students to reflectively take the time to do this? It's a lovely gesture.

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I connect with the surprise the most. When I received Thank-You notes, it was often surprising what the students specifically thanked me for. They do notice the work we do and our dedication to our mission. One of my all time favourite was when a student shared her appreciation of my "great amount of patience" in dealing with the challenging classmates in her class. I was also surprised to receive her note because she was the one student in the class who never opened up and I felt I connected with the least -- it made that even more special.

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More than anything else, I think it's important to revisit the question of 'Why did I become a teacher?' throughout your career. There will always be more challenging days, but staying mindful of your purpose can help you to be resilient and continue learning, because each year brings a different set of personalities to start building relationships with.

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I became a teacher because of my teachers

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I became a teacher because of my teachers

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Ultimately it was the teachers who challenged me and "saw" me in the classroom who I loved the most and who inspired me the most. The students we connect with are the ones who make coming in every day worth it.

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It's not the "wins" or the high grades that matter; it's the path the student takes and the human being they become along the way.

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It's not the "wins" or the high grades that matter; it's the path the student takes and the human being they become along the way.

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What is essential is not just helping students learn, but helping them transform into better people. As a few of the boys said to their coach, they became better people for having been in contact with him as their mentor.

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Positivity and words of encouragement are powerful

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Positivity and words of encouragement are powerful

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The commonality I viewed in this video was that the teachers all displayed positivity with their students and encouraged their students to keep trying if they did not succeed. One teacher clearly used growth mindset as one of her students told her she didn't know how to do a problem yet, but keep trying. Words of encouragement and words that demonstrate positivity make a big impression with our students. I connected with the positivity and growth mindset of the teachers, and when a student takes the time to write a note or card to me to express their thanks, I have kept each and every one as a reminder of how important it is provide that voice of positivity and encouragement to our students.

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It's not about the "wins", the "project", the... we are here to help student learn how to navigate life. As one of the teachers pointed out that he doesn't remember that amazing lesson, but the person. A to the J.

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I connected to the feeling of family and genuine care for the students. We do spend so much time with our students. We recognize that they come to us when they need us and we come to them when we need them or when we think they may need us and don't even know it. We see their faces each day to know when they need to rant, celebrate, or just talk to reflect. We care.

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...browsing stores in the mall with my wife when all of a sudden a woman came running to me with a hug. She was around 19. My wife felt kinda weird because she didn't know who it was. When the 19 year-old finally let go of me, she told me I had been her teacher (I actually remembered her right at the spot). She then went on to thank me for having been her teacher and for convincing her that she could go to medical school (I didn't really remembered having told her that). She was thankful because she had actually got into medical school and thought my support had been crucial.

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Students do remember the small things. A student thanked me today during assembly for just listening and being there for her. Students who come up to you at the mall, years after they graduated and say I will always remember you. Those moments are what make teaching worthwhile for me. 

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Students do remember the small things. A student thanked me today during assembly for just listening and being there for her. Students who come up to you at the mall, years after they graduated and say I will always remember you. Those moments are what make teaching worthwhile for me. 

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The phrase "They don't remember the lesson, but the person" really resonates with me because this is how I feel when I think back to my school days and my teachers. I strive to have this effect on my students too - I hope to be the teacher (or one of) that my students remember having an influence on them.

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I wasn't ready for this very emotional video but this always brings me back to my 'why.' Not realizing at that moment that you, as an educator and as a friend, has impacted a child's life and after some time, them coming to you and telling you how you've made a change always makes the difficult a lot easier.

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(I seem to have lost the message I posted, so apologies if this somehow shows up twice)

I also noticed how much teachers saw their roles as helping students reach their potential as a person more so than just in an academic sense of learning specific content or skills. I also value this as an educator. In recent years I've also shared more about my own struggles, mistakes, as a way to show students that teachers aren't perfect, but that these challenges are a natural part of life that we've gone through as well.

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This video had me tearing up. Reminded me of my Advisory students their senior year during the Advisor Appreciation Dinner (planned and hosted by one of my students as her Senior Thesis Project)... and little did I know, they planned a speech.

The speech started with... "If you know Priya, you'll know that when you go into Advisory the first question you need to ask someone is.. what mood is Priya in?" and everyone laughed, including my husband because whether I like it or not, its part of my personality to just be me- I can't fake a good mood for nobody. Robin turned to me and said "Wow, your advisory might be the only people on Earth who know you as well as I do."... of course the rest of the speech was filled with sweet kind, hilarious words. And I cried. I think I cried during most of their 2nd semester their senior year because my babies had all grown up and grown so much from when I first met them as freshman. It was tears of joy, but also sadness because I moved to China after they graduated.
Actually, thinking about it now as I type this, tears swell in my eyes because I am still so damn proud to have taught them, and helped them transition smoothly into adulthood. To this day, I am still in touch with most of my Advisory. We still make time to see each other when I visit home, and it's a bond that only other Advisors at other Big Picture Schools truly understand. That job was my first teaching job out of the credential program, and it was SO HARD. The hardest job I'd ever had, but also the MOST rewarding teaching job I had ever had.

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I appreciate how one teacher expressed the idea each kid becomes "his" kid. That is something I can identify with.

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The students know what you do to them, no matter good or bad. 

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The students know what you do to them, no matter good or bad. 

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This video reminds me of the teachers who made all the difference when I was growing up. It also brings to mind the Maya Angelou quote 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel' which was the driving philosophy of a previous administrator when talking about building relationships in schools.

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Sometimes it's hard to get teenagers to talk or share much. Be the one to show them "I am willing to open my mind, too".