I Was Thinking of You Today...

Teachers are always talking about that "lightbulb moment." I've heard about it so much that it seems cliché at this point. Teachers love when students "get it" for the first time. It validates us in our professions and shows growth in those kiddos we love so much. I like that moment too and have used it in the traditional "Why do you want to be a teacher?" interview question. It's not my favorite moment though. My favorite moment is a moment that has nothing to do with learning, but everything to do with life. I love the moments when students know they have been seen.

I have complimented my students in many ways as a teacher over the past five years. I tell them they are hard workers or I compliment their efforts on a test. I let them know about their improvement or give out smelly stickers that say "Great job!" My kids like all of those things. Who doesn't like positive attention? None of those reactions is quite as wonderful as the reaction to "I was thinking of you today/last night/yesterday/this morning..." along with something personal like a reference to a movie they like or sport they play. In those moments, it isn't just a quick "aha" or smile. Their entire body relaxes as if they lost their anxiety of the day and that classroom just became their home.

Middle school is a tough time. I remember how much I struggled with it. Not only are peer relationships tough, when you move from class to class, sometimes it's easy to avoid building any relationships at all with teachers too. All kids want to feel special, but they don't need to be creative or talented or smart or funny or pretty to be special. They are special without having to do anything. As Mr. Rogers used to say, "There's no person in the whole world like you. And I like you exactly as you are."

This isn't just true for middle school kids. Can you remember a time when a friend or family member messaged you out of the blue to bring up a shared memory or inside joke? It's an amazing feeling to know you were on someone else's mind even just for a minute. I know I think of other people randomly throughout my day as I hear a song on the radio or a certain shade of purple. I bet they would like to know they were special enough to trigger that moment in my day.

Right now, some people in the world have a heck of a lot more time on their hands. If you are one of those people, make those extra minutes count and reach out. Call someone. Text someone. Send them a hand-written letter. The world is a better place when we think of others.