Just before Spring Break, I asked my 5th graders if any of them wanted to enter the contest, “Why My Teacher is Great!”. Only two students completed the letter. One was an Honor Roll student and the other was a girl I had trouble with from Day 1! I have to say, within the last two months, she has been a different child. I want to share her letter.
My teacher is great because she keeps us on track about getting into 6th grade. She never lets us say we can’t do it. She only tells us we can do it. Whenever we get mad, she always knows what to say. She is the best teacher in the whole wide world. She is great, whatever she does. When it comes to tests, she always makes us feel better about the test. She knows how to say no. She seldom yells at us students she always talks to us in a nice tone of voice. Whenever we need help, she will try not to give us the answer, but try to help us out with it. She always tells us, “I can’t help you, unless you help yourself.” And now we help ourselves, as well as she helps us. My teacher is the best of the best. She keeps us in order like four by four.
There are some rules as well. 1st rule is treat others the way you wanted to be treated. 2nd, be a leader not a follower. And 3rd, always use kind words. She also says, “Your actions, your responsibility.” And we always listen to those words.
She always knows what to say when we are having problems with a student. My teacher is a great influence to kids. I really look up to her. And one day I am going to be just like her. And she also told me, “Never settle for less than your best”, and I will always keep that in my heart. I will tell my students that when I become a teacher. Oh there’s another saying by my great and fabulous teacher. She says, “Choose not to fail!” She says that almost every day.
My teacher is my hero. (At this point I was crying)
Teachers, don’t give up! Don’t let the teacher-bashing discourage you! Even when we think they don’t care, they do! We DO Make a Difference!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER 
Comments on: "We DO Make a Difference!(No Matter What You’ve Heard)" (1)
This is a beautifully written piece. I can understand your tears before you got to the end.
As professionals we frequently lament the fact that teachers are rarely listened to when it comes to assessing what goes on in schools. If there is a group who should be heard and that is neglected perhaps even more than teachers it is students.
I believe that there are hundreds of thousands of students with messages similar to this one. They might not be able to express it this beautifully. They are there and should be having an impact on decision making.
Richard Cottingham