The thought process behind planning a 90 minute class can be a tricky thing for some teachers. It’s hard enough to come up with how the teacher will make the best use of their time while trying to keep a group of 30 teenagers active and engaged throughout the lesson. Some teachers exceed not only what is required of them by their TEKS, but also are able to exceed personally by building relationships with their students.

As students we recognize which of our teachers spend time in thought to provide us with insightful teaching lessons and for that we respect them. It’s so much easier to sit in a classroom and learn by an engaging lesson than rather sitting in a desk doing worksheets. For the teachers that go the extra mile in lesson plans for students, we thank you.

As students we recognize which of our teachers want to bring the best out of every single one of us and truly get to know us. It amazes students to know that we can look at some of our teachers as leaders and advocates in our daily lives. This is so much easier to want to come to school everyday. For the teachers that go the extra mile in getting to know students as people, we thank you.

Spending around 180 days with a singular person can be frustrating at times when you don’t know what their personal life is like. Some teachers try to diminish this frustration by telling personal stories about their weekends, children or other loved ones. By building these relationships, it is easier for students to want to work harder for their teachers. It’s naturally human nature to work harder for someone you respect. For the teachers that go the extra mile in building a culture for their classes everyday, we thank you.

It’s so encouraging to know that as a student who failed a test, we will be able to sit down and work one on one with a teacher to figure out our strengths and weaknesses. For the teachers that spend countless of extra hours in their off time to help us succeed, we thank you.

It’s not easy to be dealing with teenagers filled with hormones and angst everyday. It’s not easy to come to a job everyday when you sometimes get groaned at and cause eye rolls for unknown reasons. We thank you teachers for believing in the future generations and wanting the best for students. Students know that some teachers spend their own off time for their students when some teachers have families of their own. We thank you for the impact you leave on our lives far beyond graduation. We know you don’t do it for the pay.