I had a student write a writing probe recently, and the entire piece was about wanting to be more like me. Now let’s be honest. The first thought that crossed my mind was, Is this student sucking up or is this genuine encouragement?
Even if there was a tiny bit of a goody two shoes energy in there, I truly believe his heart was in the right place, and on that particular day, it was encouragement I didn’t even realize I needed.
Teaching, especially in seasons where healing is taking place, can sometimes feel like you are pouring out more than you are taking in. But moments like this remind me that relationships matter. Seeds are being planted even when I don’t see immediate fruit.
I love that I get to build relationships with my students. I love that they feel safe enough to express admiration, gratitude, or even just honesty in their writing. Those connections matter far more than test scores or perfectly polished essays.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Sometimes encouragement shows up in unexpected ways, from unexpected people, at exactly the right time. I am learning to receive it with humility instead of brushing it off or overthinking it.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for reminders that what we do matters. Help me to continue leading with kindness, integrity, and grace. Teach me to receive encouragement without minimizing it and to pass that same encouragement on to others. Amen.
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