A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a letter to my 1st grade teacher telling her the profoundly positive impact she had on me. As I mention in my upcoming book, Mrs. Boggess was my first grade teacher the year my dad passed away from Leukemia. I often tell the story of how she had all of my friends waiting for me at the front door upon my return to school after his passing. They were cheering and smiling as if to roll out the red carpet for my arrival and somehow that gave me the strength to open the car door and walk away from my mom into class. I think it was in that moment that I knew I was going to be ok. I outlined that story and the impact she made on me in the card I sent her. A few days ago, I received her reply.
I have to tell you that when I saw her card, my heart leaped from my chest. Upon seeing her cursive writing on the envelope, I was no longer a grown adult but back in 1st grade again.
Enclosed in her response were so many details. She remembered that my dad died around Valentine’s Day (on February 12.) I didn’t know that she attended my dad’s funeral. I didn’t know that I had told her that the plan was for my dad to come home. She remembered how sad it was to believe that your mom would be walking through the door with your dad only to learn that he had passed away. So many details were remembered nearly 34 years later.
I was awe struck by all of it. And in reference to that little story about my classmates, she shared her account of that too. Her words contain important lessons for educators. So much so that I want to share them here:
I thought how are we going to help this sweet little girl get through this. The only thing I knew to do was make your classroom a safe, caring, loving place to come to each day. The other children (even at 6 years old) understood what we needed to do to take care of you and make school a happy place for you to be. It warms my heart to know that we handled it in the right way.
There are so many important lessons here from Mrs. Boggess. Those four sentences provide meaningful professional learning.
Trust Your Teacher Gut: I thought how are we going to help this sweet little girl get through this. The only thing I knew to do was make your classroom a safe, caring, loving place to come to each day.
Mrs. Boggess knew that what I needed most was to feel safe, cared for, and loved. I felt that from her over and over again in the small little moves she made. Her love wasn’t felt in grand or expensive gestures. It was felt in the way she showed up for me every day and encouraged my classmates to do the same. I knew she loved me, and I knew I was safe. Even at 6 years old, you can tell when someone cares. You can feel when its genuine.
Teach & Trust Students to Care for Each Other: The other children (even at 6 years old) understood what we needed to do to take care of you and make school a happy place for you to be.
Mrs. Boggess understood that the best way to take great care of students is to teach them to care for one another. There is often only one adult teacher in a classroom. Sometimes more, but there are almost always more students than teachers. Our students have a great capacity to care for each other. We can equip them with the skills needed to nurture a positive classroom community and then trust them to do it. We often talk about how important it is for teachers to know and use students’ names correctly. However, equally important is that students know and use each other’s names correctly. Equally important as teachers knowing students well is students knowing each other well. At the high school level, students often move from class to class throughout the school day. They are often in classes with different peers from bell to bell. If we are not thoughtful about ensuring they all know each other, a student could easily go an entire day without hearing their name or feeling like they matter. With the growing need for our students to learn durable skills for the workforce such as collaboration, a critical foundation is their ability to foster positive relationships with each other.
From Me to We: It warms my heart to know that we handled it in the right way.
Mrs. Boggess gave the class ownership over caring for a classmate in need, and she gave them credit too. I love that said it warmed her heart to know that “we handled it” in the right way. She wasn’t in this alone. She trusted 6 year-olds to contribute. We are never too young to make a difference. I am evidence of that. I felt that love from my class, and I’m still talking about Mrs. Boggess and my experience in that class to this day. Too often we talk like we are preparing students to be world changers when they grow up. Kids can and are changing the world now. I didn’t know how I was going to move forward. Mrs. Boggess led the class in making the world safe for me. They changed my world that year, and I’ve gone on to become an educator with the hope of doing that for others. It’s a ripple effect of a positive legacy, and I think that is truly beautiful.
Many of us feel helpless right now with the state of the world. We want to make things better. We see a shortage of educators. This saddens many of us who understand that it’s teachers who give us hope for this world. But what do we do? While there are certainly systemic issues to be addressed, what do we, as individuals, do to make a difference for educators right now? Quite simply, we can let them know the positive impact that have made on us. We let them know when they are making a positive difference in the lives of our own children. Nothing bad can come from sharing with great specificity the tremendous impact our teachers are making. You just never know if that thoughtful card or kind word will give a teacher the energy they need to try again tomorrow.
Our teachers deserve to know that they are making a positive impact. Educators deserve to know that their legacy lives on in each of us.
As Mrs. Boggess explained, “Hearing from former students and a note like yours makes my 30 years of teaching worthwhile.”
MEGHAN LAWSON 
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