I do this lesson every year with my students for teacher appreciation week. There is something so special about receiving a note from a student that thanks you in a way that you feel seen. Teachers are behind a wall of authority and pressure that can make them seem closer to robotic illusions or storybook characters than real, live breathing humans.

It’s an act of gratitude and kindness, and I know I will encourage Claribel to write one to her teacher each year.

I thought I’d share my structure here. Providing a framework for the letter makes it easier to think of what to say and to be meaningful.

I preach a lot about specifics in writing, but I really preach about it heavily in terms of gratitude. Praise for a specific moment or lesson that meant a lot to you is really where you connect with your audience. It’s a beautiful opportunity to share something that mattered to you - to show them you see their efforts to make your day or education just a little bit better.

What goes into the letter? The frame

•Salutation: Dear _____,

•Express your gratitude for something

•Give at least TWO specific reasons why you are grateful for that thing

•What will this mean to you in your future/as you continue/etc.?

•Thank them again.

•Closing: Warmly, With gratitude, Forever grateful, With appreciation, Sincerely,…etc.

Example:

Dear Mr. Carson,

I will forever be grateful that you became my art teacher. For the past three years, coming to your class has been the highlight of my long school days. I look forward to what we are learning, and I am always so excited to begin the new projects you plan out. You encourage me when I am stuck or feeling lost on an assignment. More than that, I know you genuinely care about me as a person. I have learned strategies ranging from drawing to image transfer to printmaking, and I recognize I am a more skilled artist because of you. I know I am not always the best student, but you are understanding and encouraging no matter what. I cannot express how much that matters to me. Thank you for everything you do.

With gratitude, Courtney Hanks