William Lyon Phelps

William Lyon Phelps once said, “A student never forgets an encouraging private word, when it is given with sincere respect and admiration”, but what about when the students pull us aside and encourage us? It amazes me how closely they watch us. Our kids notice when we change our hair color, or get new shoes. They can sense our mood before we have even spoken, and they know when we need them to tell us that we are doing a good job and that they think we are great. I was having very possibly the worst day of my life yesterday; I won’t go into detail, just trust me that it was BAD. And at the worst moments of that day, kids stepped up to make me feel better, “Miss Adams I’m sorry your sad, but I love you”, “I’m gonna get you a Twix right now, Twix fix everything”. But of them all, there is one student who has never been one to say Adams I love you, or you’re my favorite teacher. But he did everything in his power to make me smile and then he put his and on my shoulder and told me that he thought I was great. And as he left my class he asked, “did I make you feel even a little better?”. What can you say to that? Maybe it is this, William Lyon Phelps wasn’t wrong, but I have to say that it works both ways; because, a teacher never forgets an encouraging private word when it is given with sincere respect and admiration.