...a letter that one of my students gave to me in the middle of the school year. The student was applying to attend a charter school and had to write an essay for them to consider him. There were a great number of people who were applying for this school but his academic qualifications were high and I pretty much expected him to be accepted (or expected to believe that the folks who decided that sort of thing have no idea what they are doing).
His application essay was about my class. It was about how he felt that he was allowed to totally be himself in class and that he would not be judged by anyone for it.
Have you ever been picked on in class? I know I have in life. By other students, by teachers.
It felt so wonderful to know, that at least for one student I had helped foster an atmosphere where he felt completely safe and able to be himself (which could not have been done without the wonderful students who were always trying to ensure that everyone was treated fairly). Moreover, there was no reason for him to share this essay with me other than the fact that he was grateful.
At the end of the year I requested that my students do a college style review of me (which would not be opened until grades had been posted - not that they would be able to change my mind). They were honest, brutally honest in some cases. What did he do? He gave me another copy of the letter and just said thank you. That is hands down the best gift I have ever received.