Dear Student

My last writing journal assignment for my students is always “Dear Mrs. Potter”. Usually students will write me a really nice thank you note that will make me feel super wonderful. I thought I’d do the same for them this year. Here it is.

Dear Student,

I must admit, at the beginning of the year I was a little concerned about the academic challenges we would have to face together. You started the year a little unsure of yourself and sometimes wanted to give up before you really tried. I was a little worried that you might not be up to the challenge. But you proved me wrong. You stuck with me and worked hard. 

Thank you for being fun to teach. You made me laugh so much, and I am grateful for it. I loved when you got excited about the literature we were reading or the issue we were discussing. Thank you for not grumbling too much about my weird teaching methods and not rolling your eyes when I gushed over my husband. You were so patient with my absent-mindedness—reminding me what journal we were on, keeping track of what time it was, and listening politely as I told you the same story more than once. Mostly, though, I loved your personality. You added so much to my class and I am thankful for you being there. 

This year was really hard for me personally. Sometimes getting to work at all was tough. Even on the hardest days, when my smile was just a façade and it was all I could do to not weep in front of you, you were a bright spot for me. You kept my mind busy and my heart full. Teaching you got me through when the dark OCD thoughts bombarded me. Your spirit and energy lifted me daily. Thank you for filling my classroom with joy when I struggled to find joy on my own. 

You have faced some tough challenges yourself this year, some much more difficult than my own struggles. Please know that I saw you hurting and I felt it, too. I carried you home with me and lifted your name in prayer. I did all I could in the classroom to make you feel better. I wish I could have done more for you. I hope it was enough that you knew I loved you, that when I said I cared about you I really, really meant it. I still do.

I am so proud of you. No matter what score you get on the AP exam, no matter what grade you got in my class, I’m proud of all that you’ve accomplished this year. You have grown as a person, you have learned, you are better and have made me better, too.

I have taught well over a thousand students now, and I will teach thousands more, Lord willing. But you, dear child, are important to me. I’ve never had a student quite like you. You are so valuable, so interesting, so cool. I always say that I don’t have favorites. Let me tell you a secret: you were my favorite this year.

Love you,

Mrs. Potter