What teachers make...

What do I make?

Let's discuss this.

Last night, a student sent me her personal statement for feedback. She is a senior, one of my drama students, and she is a very promising girl. She is not your typical honors student, but she is the hardest worker I have ever met and makes it all look so easy. There is really nothing she could say about herself in these personal statements that would make a college admissions counselor truly understand how very lucky any college would be to have her as a student.

I nearly melted when I read this part of her college statement....
It never crossed my mind when I submitted my narrative essay for English class to the Chicken Soup for the Soul website that it would be chosen. When I received the notice that my story was being published, I was filled with joy, not just because I was getting a prize, but because the story was about my hero: my mom. Now, anyone can read about my ‘Super Strong Mom’ in the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People” and understand why I admire her so much.

Why did my heart melt? Because it was my class. Because it was an assignment I gave. Because I will never forget the day that she walked in humbly and quietly and showed me the letter from the Chicken Soup publishers. Because one of her free copies of the book is sitting on the shelf in my classroom, with her autograph in it. Because I made a difference.

What do I make? I make what all good teachers make. I make a difference.