So, the student teacher in my kid’s class was finishing up their time there. You know, they’re there for a few weeks, helping out, learning the ropes. It got me thinking I should probably acknowledge their effort somehow.
I mean, these folks put in real work. They aren’t just watching. They’re planning stuff, teaching lessons, dealing with all the chaos of a classroom. It felt kinda wrong to just let them leave without a word.
My Process Kicked In
First thing I did was just think back over the past few weeks. What did I actually see or hear about this student teacher? My kid mentioned them a few times. I tried to recall those specific things.
- Did they help my kid with something tricky?
- Did they lead a fun activity the kids talked about?
- Did they just seem genuinely enthusiastic?
I didn’t want to write some generic “thanks for your help” thing. That feels kinda empty, right? It had to be a bit more personal than that. I decided specific examples were the way to go, even small ones.
So, I grabbed a decent piece of paper, not just a torn-off sheet from a notebook. Found a pen that writes smoothly. Little things, but they make it feel more intentional.
I started drafting. Just put down the main points I remembered. I recalled my kid talking about a science experiment they led – mentioned that specifically. Something about how they explained it made sense.
Then I focused on the feeling. Did they bring good energy? I thought they did, so I put that in. Said something like, “We really noticed your positive attitude” or whatever felt natural.
Didn’t make it super long. A few sincere sentences are better than a page of fluff. I basically included:
- A clear thank you for their time and effort.
- The specific positive thing I remembered (the experiment).
- A general comment on their positive impact (good energy).
- A simple wish for their future teaching career.
Read it over once to make sure it sounded like a real person wrote it, not some greeting card company. Made a small tweak to a sentence that sounded stiff.
Then I just folded it, put it in a simple envelope. I think I just gave it to my kid to pass along the next day. Done.
Felt good, actually. It’s easy for these student teachers to feel invisible sometimes, I bet. Taking five minutes to write a quick, honest note seemed like the least I could do. Just recognizing the effort someone puts in, you know?
