(a pastiche of a line from MLK’s  “Letter from Birmingham Jail”)

When students say thank you every day as they leave our classrooms;

when students bring balloons for a faculty birthday;

when a whole advisory begins to bond by playing video games to assassinate each other; 

when a student’s face lights up in the “aha!” moment;

when budding writers take a chance and share a favorite line; 

when students push through Zoom rehearsals to keep the power of drama alive during Covid;

when a student asks for help for the first time;

when a Big Buddy checks in with a freshman and they chat for a while;

when students group together to create a video that speaks truth to power and brings change;

when a student gets the courage to fill the silence with a new idea;

when a student writes an email to say they miss you;

when we have time together every day at lunch to shoot the breeze, let off steam and generally support each other;

when a student ‘gets’ you and your humor;

when a student becomes the teacher and I, an old dog, learn “new tricks”;

when being with students is one of the main reasons to get out of bed in the morning;

when a novice speechie competes at their first tournament;

when a student speaks up for a friend who isn’t yet able to advocate for themselves;

when goofy improv games still leave us all laughing despite masks and distance; 

when a student stays behind to spray all the tables when a lab ran long;

when students get knocked down — on the field, court, slope, track or course, in the pool or in the lake — but get back up again; 

when a student speaks their truth to a group;

when you reach out to a senior who’s completely overwhelmed…and they end up asking how you are;

when an advisee makes a joke or sly comment that throws the whole room into laughter; 

when students stop in just to say hello; 

when students are excited to decorate the classroom during advisory;

when every student is willing to stand up on a chair and perform in class even if they feel like it’s a little foolish; 

when a student reaches out to check to see if you are okay when you are absent;

when students pour their hearts into writing poems that simultaneously make your heart break and your pride soar;

cuando un estudiante habla español en clase aunque tenga miedo;

when students or advisees start laughing out loud whether it’s in French or in English;

when a student sends their teacher a TikTok that reminded them of something we talked about in class;

when older advisees listen to, support and give advice to younger advisees;

when students stand up for what is right and what they need;

when an advisory wishes for a safer time when they could take a trip to Boston together to relive their sophomore retreat;

when students say, “I think we should try this a different way,” and they’re right;

when an advisee finds that incredible goofy item for the advisory Yankee Swap;

when students knit over 50 hats to bring warmth to the Worcester community;

when students share their writing process, and the whole class has an “ah-ha” moment together;

when a student takes a chance even when they really aren’t sure;

when students put their hearts into writing letters to shut-in senior citizens;

when a student has the courage to reach out and ask for help;

when your advisee writes a letter to a senior even when her peers choose not to;

when a student finally gets excited about what the future holds;

when students wave and yell, “Hi” when they see you across campus because their old teacher and advisor isn’t working in the Upper School this year;

when students help you with the technology;

when an upperclassman remembers an obscure detail from a story they read as a freshman;

when a student trusts you enough to tell you how they really feel;

when we all just start cracking up together;

when an alum sends you a thank you text that you receive at the end of a tough day;

when students dig into the hard stuff;

when a student warmly reaches out to a classmate they noticed was spending time alone;

when a student says you are not alone;

when a student gives up their free time to welcome prospective students and their families to our school – always with a smile;

when a student bravely bares their soul in a college essay;

when I hear a student say, “It’s hard to learn this stuff, but it’s worth it”;

when students become the experts;

when your advisees are getting ready to play Among Us and ask, “Are you playing, too?”;

when a student volunteers for a silly Limbic Play in psychology class even though they are not an actor;

when students chit chat before class starts and include me;

when your advisory lunch feels like your Thanksgiving table;

when just being in your classroom with your students makes you remember that maybe it IS all worth it;

— then you know why we are so thankful for our students.

Photo by Kiy Turk on Unsplash