letter to a student.

***The details behind this letter cannot be disclosed. This letter is merely to a student of mine who is no longer in my classroom. I write it for no other reason than to seek closure for myself.

Dear Student,

My main goal for you (and all of my students) was to make a positive impact on your life. And I pray that I did. And you know what? You certainly had a profound impact on mine. You impacted me in many ways. The most important way you impacted me however, was by making me a better teacher.

You taught me patience.
You taught me how to reflect.
You taught me how to think ahead.
You taught me how to improvise.
You taught me how to handle tough situations.
You taught me new problem solving tactics.
You taught me how to think on my feet and make changes in an instant.
You taught me about forgiveness.
You taught me to better stand up for what I believe.
You taught me about not holding grudges.
You taught me to look past the issues and focus on the child.

We had ups and downs.
And unfortunately, now it's over.
But thank you for helping me grow.

I hope you know how much I care about you...truly care about you.
I hope that you don't feel like anyone has given up on you.
And while I'll likely never see you again, I need you to know that I believe in you.
You can do great things in your life.
And I'll miss you.

I'll miss your charm.
I'll miss your big hugs.
I'll miss our "talks."
I'll miss seeing you at the front of my line everywhere we go.
I'll miss your love of reading.
I'll miss your infectious smile.
I'll miss hearing, "Mrs. Miller, you're the bestest teacher I ever had!"
And I genuinely hope that after graduating high school, you'll look back and still feel the same.
Good luck in all you do.

xoxo, teacher.