Dear Ms. Fields,

It was no secret that your class was a hard one. Everyone at the school was aware that you expected your students to put their best into your rigorous class.

My grades, however, did not reflect that I was putting my best foot forward. This past week I was looking through all of my papers from your class. All of the grammar quizzes, all of the book tests, all of the essays and all of the diagramming sentences quizzes.

The grades I received were embarrassing, to say the least. At the top of the papers, I was looking at numbers like 38, 65, 51, 60 and 40. On the sides of the papers I was looking at notes that read, "Abbie - you must get your grade up, kiddo," or, "Hey, kiddo - you have much work to do to improve. Also, you have been quite careless in many cases." It wasn't that I was not trying -- it was truly a hard class.

Ms. Fields, you made me a better writer and a better kid. You gave me the skills and knowledge to look deeper into a book than the words allowed me to go. Who knew that the color of the main character's t-shirt on a given day meant so much?

For you, teaching was more than your job, it was your passion. All of your students knew this without you having to say anything because every day you would tell us how crazy we made you when we did not understand a concept, especially diagramming sentences, but yet, you came back the next day with the same energy and hope you had on day one. We also knew it was more than just a job to you because even after retiring, you came back.

Every day when I walked into your class for the third period, I was afraid. I was not afraid of you, but rather afraid of disappointing you. You cared so deeply about each of your students and their success in your classroom.

You always had a fun story to tell us. Some days, you told us about your former students, most notably, Usher. Other days you told us stories about how much you cared. Like the time you got your bus license so, you could drive your class to a field trip.

Ms. Fields, you pushed boundaries for learning. There was not a class that passed that you did not challenge us to be the best student we could be.

I was really lucky to have had you as a teacher. Although your class was one of the hardest I have taken, it was one of the most informative. The things I learned in your class will carry me through the rest of my years as a student.

Thank you for believing in me whenever I had given up. Without your tough love and dedication, there is no chance I would be where I am today, a published writer.

Yours truly,

a former student