While the definition of a good teacher varies from person to person, we can’t deny that those who are have a funny way of remaining in our memories, even after many years. I bet that even reading this sentence made you think of a figure that made the ticking seconds at school much more bearable.

To pay homage and show their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, Bored Panda has collected some of their most wholesome and heartwarming moments. From gifting plants to drawing cats of the day, these special gestures make students appreciate them even more. 

While you’re busy admiring these awesome teachers, don’t forget to check out a conversation with Bryan Davis, a former teacher and life coach, and Dr. Sonaleena Patnaik Lowry, an educational consultant, who kindly agreed to elaborate on what it means to be a good pedagogue and how we can support them.

#1 A Girl In My AP Literature Class Brought Her Cat In. The Teacher Invited Everyone Else To Bring In Pets Any Time They Please

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#2 Best School Picture Ever

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#3 Hannah's Class Has A Zoom Session Each Evening. Last Night She Got Really Sad And Kind Of Shut Down. Today Her Teacher Came Over And Hung Out For A Bit

They chatted, read books, and just talked. This woman has five kids at home and still, she sat in my driveway for an hour to make sure Hannah was okay.

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According to research, teachers impact over 3,000 students throughout their careers. 83% of pupils say that they helped improve their confidence and self-esteem. A similar number of learners report having an educator who encouraged them to follow their dreams, while over half say they received help from them during a difficult time.

Such numbers tell us that many people dedicate themselves to leaving a positive impact on the minds of our young generation. And we’re very grateful for it. To learn more about what it means to be a good teacher and how we can better support their good work, Bored Panda reached out to Bryan Davis, a former teacher and a life coach from Mentally39.com. We also contacted Dr. Sonaleena Patnaik Lowry, an educational consultant who has experience with projects for school districts and teaching. 

Davis tells us, “Good teachers know their students, they learn their background, they know their home life and learning style. Students will remember the teacher who made them feel safe, cared about them, and made learning fun.”

#4 My Socio-Horticulture Professor Gives Every Student A Plant Almost Every Week

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#5 This Elementary Teacher Rakes Leaves In The Schoolyard Into Adorable Cartoon Characters Every Morning

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#6 A Girl In My Geography Class Had To Bring Her Newborn To Class Today. The Baby Started Crying In The Middle Of Our Quiz

When she took him out to hold him, my professor insisted that he wouldn't mind feeding the baby and rocking his car seat until she was done. This is my so awesome, sweet professor, on his knees.

Dr. Lowry’s take on this matter is very similar. She says, “There are many different areas that teachers make an impact on in the growth of their students, such as social- emotionally, academically, motivation, helping students set high goals, providing them with support academically and emotionally, believing that their students are capable of learning and creating a positive classroom environment for students. 

Teachers who have a positive impact on students have evidence of supporting students to be successful academically, social-emotionally, and also in student goal-setting and motivation.”

#7 Retired Teacher Drives Portable Library To Encourage Reading! What A Way To Spend Retirement

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#8 Our Ex-Marine Teacher Has A Student Draw A "Cat Of The Day" On The Board Because He Likes To. He Was Absent On Friday And Wasn't Able To Do So

So this morning, he took out his phone, opened Neko Atsume, and drew a "substitute cat". I love this teacher.

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#9 Teachers Are Amazing

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Indeed, just like adults, young personalities need positivity, security, a sense of belonging, and even some fun. It’s important that these requirements are met, as it helps learners progress and have a positive attitude towards learning. Often, teachers achieve this by showing respect for everyone, fostering a sense of community, and celebrating successes. 

Being able to engage students with humor and creativity is also a significant part of what makes someone a good teacher. Whether it’s sharing a video, a song, or a movie, or using technology and taking an imaginative approach, children appreciate the extra effort. A teacher dressed in a period costume surely makes history more interesting, while a nature hike can make learning biology more memorable. 

#10 Teachers Like That Make Such A Difference

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#11 We Found Five Abandoned Kittens Running Around The School Grounds, And My Teacher Caught One. This Is How The Class Is Being Taught

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#12 My Daughter's Teacher Is Undergoing Chemo. This Was Their First Art Class This Year

I'm so appreciative of how hard this woman works to teach her students about more than just academics. She is a strong and beautiful person (whose permission I requested before posting).

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Even though about 66% of teachers are satisfied with their job, half of them still reported not feeling a great deal of support or encouragement. Davis explains this by saying, ”There is a huge mental strain on teachers. Many people are leaving because of the stress, workload, and unreal expectations set by politicians who do not have a clue what teaching involves. All of it leads to mental and physical health issues.”

#13 The Highlight Of My Day Was My Teacher Bringing His Cat To School. Everytime He Asked The Class A Question, His Cat Would Meow, And He Would Accept It As An Answer

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#14 Teachers Really Make A Difference

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#15 My Favorite High School English Teacher Posted This Today. We Need More People Like Him In The World

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Dr. Lowry notes that the area lacking support the most is collaboration between pedagogues. Luckily, she was able to work with some schools and include them in her Professional Learning Network (PLN), which gave them the opportunity to reach out to teachers from school districts other than their own. 

She shares, “Many teachers felt supported and uplifted in their teaching practices. Schools that I'm currently working with are meeting with teachers from the schools that their students will promote, such as collaboration between elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers. These teachers are in the same school community, and they collaborate to ensure that each of them is providing the necessary support for students as they move through the school system.”

#16 Be Kind. Be Compassionate. Be Human

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#17 Aww, That’s Awesome

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#18 I Made 35 Desks For Students In My Area Who Are Home Due To Distance Learning

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Another thing that reportedly encourages educators is the reinforcement from the school’s leadership. "Teachers also want to stay in a place where they have a voice in decision-making," says Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the Learning Policy Institute and a professor emeritus at Stanford University.

#19 My Teacher Rescues Animals, And Two Baby Deer Were Brought In Within A Week Of Each Other. Now They Are Best Friends

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#20 Our Teacher Had Us Do Word Searches In ASL To Practice Fingerspelling

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#21 Teacher's Homework Policy

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Additionally, most educators propose hiring more counselors and school psychologists. They provide more support for students, which simultaneously lightens the workload of teachers. In addition, counselors can aid in creating a more positive school environment by teaching about social-emotional awareness and being one more trusted adult for students to rely on.

#22 So, My Math Teacher Got The Class Pizza. How's Your Day Going?

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#23 This Teacher Draws A Different Picture Each Morning For His Students

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#24 Teacher Going Above And Beyond For Their Students

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We, as students and parents, can also express our support for teachers in various ways. Davis suggests voting for politicians who place high importance on education, as teacher pay is so far behind.

He then proposes, “Read with your child, encourage reading, encourage learning, and work towards what you want.” He also encourages people to talk more publicly about the good things the pedagogues and students are accomplishing. “Teachers genuinely care about your kids' education, and we care about their well-being,” Davids adds.

#25 Coolest Teacher Ever

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#26 Teachers Are So Much More Than Just Educators

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#27 Treat Everyone With Respect And Care

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#28 My Partner Struggled With Traditional School His Whole Life, So Switched To A Trade Program Last Year. Today, He Got This Message From His Professor

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#29 Professor Showing Kids How To Buy Cheaper Textbooks For His Class

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#30 A Kid At My Daughter’s School Couldn't Find Their Lost Tooth, And I Imagine They Were Very Sad That The Tooth Fairy Wouldn’t Come. So The Teacher Wrote An Official Letter To Excuse Them

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#31 Always Have Compassion

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#32 My Son, Who Has Learning Challenges, Developed A Special Relationship With His Amazing Fourth-Grade Teacher

On the last day of school, she gifted him with a drawing from her father who she said worked as an animator. He did this especially for my son, who is a Batman fanatic. Left me speechless.

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#33 Kids Are Developing Humans

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#34 Art Teacher Here. I Had My 7 And 8-Year-Old Students Create Monsters That Were Then "Adopted" By Local College Artists And Professors To Be Reimagined

The goal was to show my students that if they continue to grow their skill set and stay in the arts, then their ideas have no limit.

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#35 I’m An Art Teacher And I Moved To A New School This Past Summer. The Previous Teacher Did Not Share My Love Of Organization. Behold The Before And After Of My Paper Closet

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#36 The Teaching Of ICT In Ghanaian School Can Be Quite Amusing. I Love My Students, So Have To Do What Will Make Them Understand What I Am Teaching

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#37 How I Spent My Rainy Sunday: Each One Of My Students Will Have At Least One Present To Open This Christmas

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#38 Yesterday The Quietest Kid In My Last Class Spoke To Me For The First Time. He Asked If He Could Doodle On My Board, And Since We Were Just Waiting Around For Buses I Said, "Sure"

He draws an insanely realistic face, and when I tell him how awesome it is, he says he likes to draw. He also likes comics so we talk about the Green Lantern Corps because his favorite artist does the comics until his bus is called. Today, he immediately went to the board when the bell rang and started drawing. His bus was called in less than ten minutes yet he was able to do this. I'm going to take pictures of all his doodles this year and give them to him in a book at the end. I hope it reminds him to keep doing what he loves.

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#39 Some Teachers Are Just Really Genuinely Amazing People

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#40 My Professor Gave Up Trying To Get His Cat Off His Work During Office Hours

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#41 My Father Has Been A Professor Of English At The University Of St. Thomas For Over 50 Years. Here He Is, At 91 Years Old, Embracing Virtual Teaching Like A Boss

Listening to and watching him teach "The Odyssey" by Homer is a true gift. He’s been teaching it for decades, and yet he has the passion and excitement for the text as if it's the first time. These kids have no idea how lucky they are.

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#42 That’s Amazing

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#43 It’s So Wholesome

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#44 Teachers Are The Best

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#45 That Is So Sweet

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#46 A Note From The Teacher

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#47 Professor Still Teaches While Holding His Kid

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#48 This Year, I Had No Money For Costumes. This Is What He Was Wearing When I Picked Him Up From School. Bless These People And What They Do For Their Students

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#49 I Teased My Wife, A Middle School Teacher, After She Bought The “Lady’s” Tool Kit, But She Put It To Good Use Today Fixing A Student’s Bike

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#50 My Art Teacher’s Gift To Me For Making It Through The Senior Year

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#51 Pro Professor Move

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#52 Classroom's "Care Cart"

My classroom "Care Cart" has changed and evolved over time. I saw a TikTok video about teachers' "Care Closets" and knew my students needed one too. With community donations and my school's support, I continue to provide my students with extra resources throughout the school day. Spread kindness.

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#53 My Teacher Pulled Up To School With A Tank Of Propane And A Grill And Started To Make Us Some Breakfast. God Bless His Soul

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#54 A Former History Teacher Of Mine Wrote Me On Instagram After I Cried In Class That Day

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#55 This Is My Dove, Max. 20 Years Ago, He Was Rescued By My 4th-Grade Teacher And Her Class And Lived With Them As A Pet For 18 Years. The Teacher Gave Him To Me The Year She Was Retiring

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#56 My Math Teacher Gave Me His First Guitar Ever, A 1989 B.C. Rich Ironbird, As An Early Christmas Gift, And I'm Shaking. These Things Are Rare, And I Will Treat It Like My Firstborn

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#57 My Girlfriend Is A School Teacher For Blind Children. To Help Them Understand And Write Words, She Has LEGO-Like Braille Toys

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#58 Shout Out To All The Nice Teachers Out There

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#59 My Art Teacher Sent Out A Survey A While Ago And Asked If We Had Colored Pencils At Home. I Said No And Today She Dropped Some Off At My Front Door

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#60 We Need More Teachers Like This

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#61 That's Beautiful

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#62 I’m In My 40s And My High School Math Teacher Still Messages Me Every Year On My Birthday

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#63 A Wise Professor

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#64 My Mom Is The Cutest Art Teacher Ever! She Made A Dress And Had Everyone Of Her Students Draw One Thing On The Dress For Her To Wear. This Was Her At Her Student's Art Show Tonight

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#65 My Business Professor At College Made Everybody Breakfast Today, Which Was Exactly What I Needed To Make It Through The Day. So, Thanks

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#66 The Purest Message I Received Today From One Of My Favorite Professors (He Is The Sweetest Old Man)

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#67 My Art Teacher Has Sealing Tiles That Were Painted By Students In Her Classroom

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#68 My Teacher Sent Me This Note After I Was In The Hospital For A Week

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#69 I Was Orphaned Early This Year. My Teacher Is Starting The Adoption Process. Here's An Ornament She Got For Our New Family. I Thought It Was Wholesome

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#70 My Kid's Art Teacher's Christmas Tree Topper

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#71 My Son Has Struggled With Autism, Tourettes, Agoraphobia, Severe Anxiety, And OCD. He Found Solace In Writing, And Just Published His Book On Amazon

Here he is giving a copy to one of his teachers who helped him along the way.

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#72 My Amazing Teacher Put This On Our "Getting To Know You" Form

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#73 Sharing A Proud Teacher Moment. I Just Finished Putting Together This Collaborative Grid Drawing By My 8th-Grade Students. I'm So Impressed

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#74 My Teacher Made The Periodic Table, I Ate Bohrium, And It Was Good

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#75 Just A Generic Jedi. I Dressed Up For Halloween Even Though We're Still Teaching Online. My Students Enjoyed It

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#76 My Favorite Professor Turned This Gatekeeping Mug Into An Encouraging Mug

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#77 College Professor's Advice

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#78 That's Compassion

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#79 My Fifth-Grade Teacher Had Us Write Letters That She Would Send Us After 10 Years. I Totally Forgot About It And Got This In The Mail Today

I'm starting to apply to law schools this fall, graduating college as a first-generation student in the spring, and I'm engaged to my childhood crush. 12-year-old me would be proud.

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#80 Words Of Wisdom

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#81 I Wasn’t Able To Log Into My Final Exam So I Reached Out To My Professor For Help On What I Should Do To Be Able To Retake It. Here’s His Response

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#82 Our Teacher Brought Personalized Notes For All Of His Students In His Five Classes

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#83 A Teacher In My School District

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#84 Waking Up To This Response From My Professor The Morning After The Last Day Of Classes Was More Than Affirming

I put off graduate school because I didn’t feel smart enough to successfully complete it. Six months ago, my life fell apart. I lost everything and applied 3 weeks before the deadline because I needed a win.

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#85 The Comments My Professor Left For Me On My Creative Writing Short Story. I Will Definitely Keep Writing! I Feel Like I’m Walking On Clouds

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#86 This Is My Old Man Bird Named Chagall. My Art Teacher Gave Him To Me When I Was In High School. He Was With My Teacher's Family For About 20 Years. This Is How He Sleeps On The Couch

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#87 Months Ago My Teacher Knitted Me A Whale Shark. Today, She Handed Me A 3D-Printed Narwhal

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#88 So I Got Back This Test From My English Teacher, And Everyone Told Me To Post This Because It's Wholesome

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#89 It Was Our Last English Class Of The Year, And We Gave Our Old English Teacher Some Gifts. She Started Crying And Couldn't Speak Anymore, So She Just Wrote This And Left

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#90 My Teacher Sent A Picture Of Him With His New Dog. It Was In The Class Group Chat On An App That All My Teachers Use. He Sent That Picture To Everybody In The Class

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#91 My Teacher And Her Service Dog Were Too Cute Today

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#92 This Is The Kind Of Teachers We Need

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#93 I'm Really Happy With My Mario-Themed Class Rules

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#94 I Like To Draw On The Homework Board To Have Some Fun With My Students. Baby Yoda Was A Hit Today

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#95 I Just Wanted To Extend A Thank You To Professors Who Write Notes Like These On Assignments

I've been working hard on self-improvement after discovering I have ADHD as an adult, and this means the world to me after almost 2 years in my master's program.

The note says: "Very thorough. Your writing has improved a lot. Better organized & clearer. Well justified".

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#96 My Professor Knows I Have Anxiety And Graded My Final By Hand So I Could Get It A Day Earlier

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#97 Professor Takes The Time To Personally Email All Of His Students After Grades Have Been Posted

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#98 My Physics Teacher Was Quarantined After Recently Flying Out To Italy And Has Not Been At School For The Past Few Days. He Just Posted This On Google Classroom

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#99 A Professor Of One Of My Classes In Grad School Brings Food For The Students Every Session

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#100 When It's The End Of The Year And Your Teachers Let You Play Nintendo Games In Class

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#101 I Talked To My Gamer Teacher Yesterday About Gaming Events In School. I Walked By This Today

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#102 My Agriculture Teacher Brings His Dog To School And Lets Him Walk Around

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#103 My Screenwriting Professor Wrote This On My Assignment And Spent Time In Class Today Reading My Script Aloud And Talking About How Much He Loved It

 I feel like I'm finally where I'm supposed to be.

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#104 I Emailed One Of My Professors Asking For Help With A Book, And He Actually Responded

For additional context, in previous schools, I went through "not-nice stuff," which led to me seeing teachers as those scary authority figures. To paint a proper picture, when one finally treated me like a person who can have problems and not a weirdo, I could barely speak from shock. This e-mail is like a physical reminder that things really got better for me. I don't need to be scared anymore. I am very happy and simply wanted to share it with someone.

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#105 My Geometry Teacher Just Gave Me This Award, And I Couldn't Be Any More Proud

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#106 Our Teacher Brought Her Dog To Class

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#107 A Teacher Sends A Suggestion To The School Principal On Projects For Students While They Are Out Of School

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#108 I’m A High School Senior With Cerebral Palsy. As A Track Athlete I Ran All 4 Years And Never Scored A Point, Not Even On JV. Despite This, My Coach Still Gave Me A Varsity Letter For Track

It might not seem like much to most, but it meant more to me than I can put into words. Thank you, Coach Harrell.

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#109 My English Teacher Is Amazing

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#110 I Just Started As A Teacher And I Was Pretty Proud Of This Design

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#111 This Awesome Drawing My Teacher Worked On For 3 Weeks

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