Teacher Appreciation

“Okay class, everyone take turns and write their New Year’s resolutions on the board. They can be anything you want! Just make sure it’s something you really want to improve during the this year.” 

“Miss Redding? Can it really be anything?”

Julia debated internally for a minute. The mind of a 5th grader is a dangerous place and it should rarely be given free reign. However, she was in a good mood. Her fiancee Matt told her earlier that he wants to take her out to dinner in celebration of his holiday bonus. 

“Anything!” Julia smiled. “But remember our class rules, right? Always be kind. Always be honest. And always have fun. Now everybody grab a marker and show me what you want to improve!” 

Drawing on the board always excited the class and it was an easy way to kill time before the end of the school day. Julia sat at the big desk, another huge perk of being a teacher, and watched the children interact. When she was still working on her degree, one of her professors told her that one of the best things you could do is observe. Julia liked to give the kids at least one activity per week where they were allowed to express more of their own creativity. Sure, it gave her a break from instructing but it also allowed her to get to know her students more than some of the other teachers she knew. 

Before she even announced the project, Julia knew which kids would be the first to run up to the board. Olivia and Kelly, two artsy and popular girls would each write in huge lettering. Sure, their resolutions would not be ground shattering, but by going first they encouraged the shy students to participate. 

This year, I want to be nice wrote Kelly. Olivia put a little bit more thought into hers and said I will listen to my mom. 

Luke followed soon after. Julia couldn’t help but smile to herself. She looked down at a stack of multiplication tests to hide it. Wherever Olivia goes, Luke soon follows. He was the most confident of the boys, a difficult task given the fact that 5th graders are an unfortunate age group. They’re not quite teenagers but they’re no longer babies. 

“I like your resolution, Olivia,” Luke smiled at her. 

“Thanks,” she flipped her hair and glanced at Kelly. “What are you gonna write?” 

“Oh. Um. I don’t know. Maybe that I want to play more basketball?”

“I don’t think that counts,” Kelly interrupted. Olivia gave her a disapproving nudge. 

She’s the queen bee, Julia thought as she watched the interaction. 

“It definitely counts,” Olivia reassured Luke. “Miss Redding said anything counts.” 

Julia looked back to the tests. It was always better to stay out of disputes like this. She also didn’t want her students to think they couldn’t talk freely. Thankfully, more students filtered up to the board with resolutions. 

I want to color more. 

I will do my chores without complaining. 

I will listen when my older sister tells me not to take her nail polish. 

Julia smiled at their 5th grade worries. She didn’t mean to discredit them. Lord knows Julia remembers thinking she was going to die if her mom didn’t take her to Claire’s to get her ears pierced. It always brings her back when the kids crowd around whichever girl had them done over the weekend. 

“Miss Redding, what’s your resolution?”

Molly, a sweet girl who always had a book in her hand, interrupted Julia’s thoughts. 

“Me?” Julia asked. “I haven’t thought about it.” 

“You mean, you don’t have a resolution?” Several other students heard this question and turned to face Julia. 

“No, I do.”

Think fast! Think fast! Kids can smell hypocrisy a mile away. 

“What I mean is, I’m still thinking of mine. If a resolution is meant to last the entire year, I want to make sure it’s a good one.” 

Luke played with the marker in his hand, “Can I think about mine too?” 

Julia looked at the faces staring back at her. 

“Sure,” she decided instantly. “Let’s do that. How about we all think of resolutions and share them tomorrow?” 

The students nodded in agreement and packed up to go home. 

“Ugh. Why did I give that assignment? I don’t even like New Year’s resolutions.” 

Matt laughed and rubbed his thumb up and down the back of Julia’s hand. They sat at their favorite restaurant, a local Thai place. They’d eaten there enough that the waitress knew their orders and all they had to do was enjoy the night. Julia, however, was preoccupied by the fact that she couldn’t think of a single satisfactory resolution. 

Matt laughed at her struggles. 

“It’s not that hard! You used to make resolutions every year. Plus, this is technically you’re fault. You shouldn’t tell your kids to write resolutions if you don’t have one.” 

Julia rolled her eyes, “I wanted to remind them that self improvement is important!” 

“But not important for you?” Matt smirked. 

“I’m not eleven. I’ve done plenty of self improvement.”  

“Look,” Matt smiled the way he did when he had something revealing to say. “The night I met you, your New Year’s resolution was to take more tequila shots that night than the entire previous year. Now look where you are! You’re shaping young minds! You’re teaching future congresspeople, poets, and saints!” 

“Trust me, none of them will be saints.” 

“But one day they might look out the window of their jail cell and say, ‘You know who really inspired me to be a better person? My fifth grade teacher Miss Redding when she made us write resolutions.’ Now that’s someone I’m proud to call my fiancee.” 

Julia smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. 

“You know,” Matt continued. “Your resolution could always be to give your fiancee more back rubs.” 

Julia snorted, “Fat chance. Do you know how hard it was to explain that we aren’t doing anything wrong even though we aren’t married and live together? I can only imagine what they would say if they heard we did more than hold hands.” 

“You have a point. But, why were you talking about your fiancee with the kids? You just can’t stop talking about me?” 

She stroked his cheek, “You wish, lover boy. One of the girls asked me if I was married and it led down a strange rabbit hole.” 

Matt laughed, “Either way, I would appreciate more back rubs this year.” 

“I can make that happen,” Julia laughed. 

They continued on with dinner, which was delicious as always. However, in the back of Julia’s head remained the question of what will be her resolution. 

“Good morning everybody!”

“Good morning Miss Redding!” Replied the class.  

“Did you all have some time to think of resolutions last night?”

“Yes!” 

“Molly?” Julia smiled. “What’s your resolution?”

She gulped and Julia felt slightly guilty for putting her on the spot. 

“Well, I think I want to take my dog for a walk three times a week.” 

“That’s a great resolution, Molly! Your dog is going to love that.” 

One by one they went around the room and shared resolutions. Julia actually felt a sense of pride. The students put in a lot of effort thinking of resolutions for the upcoming year. It was moments like this that made her proud to be a teacher. 

“So what’s your resolution Miss Redding?” Luke looked up from his doodling. 

Julia smiled, “I’ve decided I want to show the people I care about that I appreciate them.”

“What do you mean?” asked one of the boys in the back. 

“I mean, sometimes it’s easy to forget how much other people do for us. For example, how many of your parents pack lunches for you every day?” 

Almost every kid raised their hand. 

“And how many of you said thank you to them this morning?”

About half of the students put their arms down. 

Julia laughed, “All I am trying to accomplish with my resolution is just trying to let other people know that I care about them, and I am thankful for the things they do for me.” 

A brief silence let Julia know the class was taking in what she said. 

“Well, in the spirit of appreciation, and because you all are an incredible class, who wants to play a review game before the history quiz?”

“Me!”