Everyone Deserves A Card

I found this post in my drafts and decided to publish it! Not sure why it never published…but here it is!

I had a crazy idea to send a holiday card to all of my students this year. Actually, I take that back. It shouldn’t have felt like a crazy idea. It should have just felt like an “idea.” Every student needs to receive a personal note. I feel that not all of my students are shown the love that they deserve. I make it my goal each year to make each student feel that someone cares for them. I decided this year, I wanted to write a note to each one letting them know I care and that I will miss them. Why does this feel crazy? I believe it felt crazy to me because I was not sure how the students would react to the cards. I decided to go for it.

I have 80 students and I wanted to handwrite and mail them. Now, the postage for each card was a little too much, so I had to change my plan and hand them out during the day before our Winter Break. The handwriting part was not so crazy, just a little more time consuming. I wish I had had more time to think of more to write for each student. (Note to self, I will start this earlier than the night before!)

As I was passing out the cards to each student today, I watched them read them. I watched some of them put them in a safe place. I watched some share their notes. The best part was later, when some of my students came up to me and gave me a hug and said thank you. That was what made me realize that I had at least reached a few. I let someone know they had someone in their corner, thinking about them, and caring for them.

As a teacher, I think it is so important to take a step back from education and do something personal. Tell the students you care. Actually use the words “I Care.” They need to hear it. I know I get caught up in the day to day work of teaching my students reading and writing. I know that with me being caught up in the education part of teaching, I did not always stop and smile. Or stop and give a hug. Or even thank a student.

My New Year’s Resolution this year is to stop in the crazy moments and just have a conversation or give a hug or a high five. I need my students to know I love them. I miss them when they go home. I look forward to when they return. I want them to know that even if I seem stressed, or have to call home for a behavior, that I still care. That I will always care.

How do you show your students you care? Please share more ideas with me!

I am a middle school teacher who loves to read ALL KINDS of books. I am part of the ARC-sharing group LitReviewCrew, a co-creator for the YouTube Channel Legit KidLit and the Podcast Read to Write KidLit. Check out my Linktree for more: https://linktr.ee/Mrsbookdragon

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