18 Classroom Moments That Remind Our Teachers Why They Teach

Teaching is hard work. The paperwork, the early mornings, the long emails, the days that don't go as planned. But then there are the moments that make every bit of it worth it. We asked our teachers to share their favorite classroom stories, and what came back was something truly special.

These are their words.

1. "I had a student in my first grade class who, after a lengthy process, was identified with childhood schizophrenia and Tourette's Syndrome. Some 20+ years later I received a voice message one afternoon from our office manager. It was a message from the mother of this young boy, with a report that he had graduated from law school, and they just wanted to share that with me. It was a moment that will never leave me. Don't doubt what someone is capable of, encourage them to believe in themselves and then let them fly."

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2. "One day our class hamster died and my second graders asked if we could have a funeral for him. I agreed if they would write speeches to read at the funeral. They all came to school the next day with adorable and heartfelt speeches, and many of the children were dressed in black. I hadn't told them how to dress, but they all took it very seriously. It was a very heartwarming goodbye to our class pet."

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3. "One year I had a student who struggled socially and academically. He made amazing growth throughout the year and during third quarter found out he had to move. On his last day, we presented him with a class picture that all of his classmates had signed. He was overcome with emotion and retreated to the corner of the room. His classmates and I enveloped him in the biggest group hug and assured him that he would do great at his new school. The love and empathy I witnessed from my students that day still brings tears to my eyes."

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4. "A student once told me, 'I like school because you make me feel important.' That stuck with me. Sometimes the biggest impact we have isn't in the lesson, but in how students feel when they walk into our room."

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5. "I am a special education teacher, so I have my students for several years at a time. I had one student who I had been seeing since kindergarten and had struggled for years just to recognize his letters and letter sounds. When he got to third grade, he had finally been able to decode and blend the word 'bat.' I cried. I was so excited for him and grateful to have been able to see the progress over so many years of working with him."

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6. "I crown a student of the week every Friday in my classroom. One student struggled throughout the year and never was a true contender for the award. As we got to the last week of school, she truly stepped up and deserved it. We did a drumroll and when she was announced, the class shot up in excitement and hugged her, danced with her, and shouted her out for the rest of the day. It was one of those moments that as a teacher, you never forget."

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7. "Reading a classroom novel and hearing the audible gasps at a very intense moment in the story. There are so many others, but that's the first thing that comes to mind."

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8. "On the last day of school, my 5th graders circled around me and sang a farewell song. To this day, I do not know who organized it, but I cried happy tears."

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9. "I ran the 2009 NYC marathon and every single one of my students made me a card or a poster with encouraging words. The best part was when I returned to school and one of my 4th graders asked me if I'd won. I told him I was close (there were 50K runners)."

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10. "A quiet student who rarely spoke suddenly lit up while explaining a concept to the class, gaining confidence in real time. By the end of the lesson, their classmates were cheering them on, and you could feel the shift in how they saw themselves."

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11. "Hiding from a student all day that her military dad was home early and was picking her up after school. Mom had looped me in; the girl had no idea.”

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12. "When my student in Grade 6 won an award at the science fair and started crying happy tears and the whole class cheered for him and hugged him."

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13. "One time I was subbing in a classroom right next to a wooded area. I left the door propped open with a rock. A HUGE hawk swooped into the room and we all just watched as it settled onto one of the desks and watched us. It was only in there for about 30 seconds and I was so grateful it didn't poop anywhere, but I will remember that moment and the students' excitement and amazement for a long time!"

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14. "While at recess a student (7 yrs old) was playing and pretended to give me a drink. Something took over and I pretended to smash the glass after I drank the chocolate milk. The student yelled, 'My grandmother's china!!!' It was the best thing I had ever heard and he continued to be the funniest student ever!"

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15. "One year my students secretly made me a photo album of themselves and wrote me a letter. A para-professional helped them. It was so amazing that they worked together in secret on it. I have it still."

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16. "I LOVE seeing my students get excited about 'being the teacher' and either getting to teach their peers about something, or going to read and help the younger grades! It's amazing to see students come alive when they get the chance to take a leadership role and share their knowledge!"

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17. "A student who had struggled with reading finally read a sentence independently. They looked up at me with so much pride and said, 'I did it!' The entire class celebrated with them. Moments like that are a powerful reminder of why I chose to teach."

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18. "I think every day there is a new story to share. I love when students are so comfortable they can be silly with me. I love when they trust me enough to cry. Our days are surrounded by these students and I love everything about them, even when I don't."

Thank you to every teacher who shared. These are the moments that remind us all why this community is so special.