How to make my day

{Bell rings signaling the end of class}

{Students begin to close books, move towards door and leave}

Me: OK, see everyone tomorrow. Have a great day. See ya.

Student {packing up books into backpack}: Hey Mr. Wall

Me: {Turning to student} Yes?

Student: Good class today, Mr. Wall.

It’s the second day of classes so maybe he was just earning some brownie points and generating some social capital that he will draw upon later in the semester. But I don’t care. Teaching is one of those jobs in which you usually hear only the complaints and the commentary about how you could have done a better job. It’s always good, no matter what your job is, to hear that you’re doing a good job. A lot of high school students, but certainly not all, tend towards apathy towards their teachers at best. That makes a positive review from a student feel twice as good as it would coming from anyone else.

4 responses to How to make my day

  1. Keep that one in your memory bank. Maybe encourage them to do likewise for another worthy teacher. Start a trend.

  2. Keep that one in your memory bank. Maybe encourage them to do likewise for another worthy teacher. Start a trend.

  3. Dave says:

    I agree. You usually hear so much negativity. So when something positive gets offered, take it and run!

  4. Dave says:

    I agree. You usually hear so much negativity. So when something positive gets offered, take it and run!

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