Learning has been different the past two years and it is easy for students to feel like they are not good enough. Teachers and students alike feel this way. It is important for everyone to feel appreciated. One teacher that has helped through his time is chemistry teacher Kristin Jackson.

“I give up easily and a lot of teachers don’t care if you give up. They’re there to teach you but they don’t really care if you learn. She actually cares if you understand and if you get and she cares if you pass.” Sophomore Leah Wright said.

Wright has many things she would like to tell her if she asked but Jackson did not ask Wright how she felt because she did not care. She wanted Wright to understand and pass her chemistry class. 

“I felt like I was really pestering her. I’m really relentless and I don’t give up. I try not to do it in a naggy way but I don’t give up.” Jackson said.

Even if teachers do not know or feel it they are shaping us all, in big or small ways. Wright had not expressed how grateful she was for Jackson but she was open about it and knew how she felt. She wanted to tell Jackson but had not found a time and place to do so.

“Thank you for all that you’ve done for me and you’ve impacted me a lot.” Wright said 

As students, we often forget we are all shaping our teachers as well. We see them every day and impact their days, weeks and even lives.

“I think teachers when they’re paying attention to your students they will teach and show you how to be a better teacher so you know when you see somebody struggling with that self-doubt and that insecurity in their self-confidence it’s a good reminder that they need that too.” Jackson said.

Teachers have also been in the same boat as teachers through the last two years, learning how to be better with students coming back to school and not online anymore. People lost their confidence and often think they can not do it.

“Her first instinct is to say ‘I can’t do it.’ but she can. A lot of students are in that boat after two years, we’re all building our confidence back up.” Jackson said.

Sometimes all someone needs to do is say thank you. Saying thank you made Jackson feel appreciated.

“Thank you for letting me know. It’s hard for teachers too. We try so hard to meet students’ needs and we very rarely know when we do. I appreciate her saying so. I’m just so proud of her because I’ve seen her grow and change.” Jackson said.