Somewhere, there is a grown adult who still remembers something a teacher said to them 20 years ago. They may remember the teacher who encouraged them when they were struggling, demanded more when they were settling for less, or simply made them believe they belonged in the classroom.
That is one of the remarkable things about teaching: educators rarely get to see how far their impact travels. A conversation that seems ordinary to a teacher can become something a student carries into college, a career, parenthood, and the rest of their life.
For Black students in particular, the adults they encounter in school can have an enormous influence on how they see themselves and what they believe is possible. Great teaching is about academics, but it is also about expectations, relationships, dignity, encouragement, and making sure students know that someone sees their potential.
This is part of the message behind my book, The Teachers Black Students Need: A Guide to Help Students Thrive in School. The educators who make the greatest difference do more than deliver lessons. They create experiences and relationships that students may remember decades after they leave the classroom.
So, give teachers their flowers while they can receive them. If there is a teacher whose words, encouragement, discipline, expectations, or kindness stayed with you long after you left their classroom, tell them if you can.
What is something a teacher told you that you still remember today?
