All It Takes Is One Of These Kind Gestures To Brighten A Teacher’s Day

A special invitation

“My wife became a teacher because of her kindergarten teacher. They still talk on Facebook. My wife invited her to our wedding too. She didn’t come, but she sent a really nice gift.” —Reddit user scdodge03

A big hug

“On my last day as a para, a boy who’d been hell on wheels to every teacher the entire year came up and gave me a hug. This kid had a hard situation and would try everything in the book to get out of class, which was why he was my “partner” in class projects. I’d take as much time as we needed to get through a page, or his name, or just to stay in class without hiding. So, he hugged me as I left and said I was his favorite teacher because I never got mad, and I needed to come and sub his class (so he’d know I hadn’t ditched him.) I held it together until he left, cried in the car, and you better believe I took every sub job to his classroom that year. Kid is finally in a better situation and I couldn’t be happier.” —Reddit user girllock

A helping hand

“When one of my students stays after class to ask a question, and (s)he helps me erase the board. Small gesture, but so thoughtful!” —Reddit user FrauBoots

An open heart

“In a previous semester I had this transfer student from a community college. He wasn’t the brightest, nor was he the hardest working. He kept to himself most of the time, but he had this knack of always finding humor and making the class laugh.

“Halfway through the semester, the class was assigned to give individual, personal presentations allowing for the use of stories and/or personal experiences. Half of me expected him to give a humorous presentation, as per his usual behaviors in class. However, his presentation was far from that. It was a beautiful memoir of how he overcame his depression after being sexually assaulted and becoming a stronger human.

“I didn’t expect it. No one did. His presentation was one of the best presentations of the semester (and probably one of the best I have seen thus far). After class I walked out of the building to walk to my office, and I saw him sitting outside alone. I approached him and thanked him for sharing his story, and commended him for his courage to share something that personal with the class.

“His reply? ‘Uh…thanks…I feel comfortable in your class. You’re the only professor I have that keeps me attending this university. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I’d be enrolled here much longer.'” —Reddit user TheeOmegaPi