A lot of the time, we don't realize just how much of an impact our teachers have had on our lives.
Growing up, they are such a prominent feature of our daily lives; and, while it is common for people to vent about how much they hated school, for a lot of people, teachers can be a real support network for kids not getting help at home.
When confronted with a problematic home-life, teachers are somewhat perfectly situated as figures which occupy a position of authority and guardianship, and yet are removed from the family dynamic.
It is far from uncommon for students to confide in teachers when they have seemingly no one else to talk to at home, and the results can occasionally be wonderfully enriching for both parties.
The student took to Reddit to explain how they had confided in their teacher about the struggles they had been having at home. The student had eventually moved out of their parents' house following the trouble, and their teacher did something wonderful for them.
The student wrote alongside the photo, "I moved out of my toxic household a few days ago. I am a senior in High School and I moved in with my friend. My math teacher today gave me this envelope containing this."
The post was praised for its wholesomeness and generally positive message. There were plenty of people brought to tears by the letter, and even more people who definitely weren't crying, like me — it's just allergies, shut up!
Moving out can be a very daunting notion for someone still in school. Balancing finances, a job, and school work can make the prospect quite intimidating; however, it is not impossible, and students such as this one show that it can work.
In response to one of the comments on the post, the student wrote, "I’m really lucky as I have two jobs, a friends family that loves me, and I have a future in the Navy."
It is uncertain what the two jobs are, however, being able to juggle two jobs and schoolwork is a fantastic achievement.
There was a great deal of praise for the good work that teachers do throughout the comments, with one person writing:
"Teachers don't get the respect they deserve. Some of my teachers in elementary school changed me as a person into and better human being than I would've been without them."
Another person shared a time that a teacher helped them with the passing of their mother:
"Me and my brother were in middle school when my mom died, and one of our French teachers (we're French), who taught us both during different years, sent us a letter in support that was heartbreakingly adorable. I still keep it and read it once in a while and holy shit does it hit right in the feels every time."
The pressure of exams, homework, and planning the route they want to take heading into the future, all of which may determine the rest of their life, are all factors which can cause school kids to feel stressed, depressed, and isolated.
According to Very Well Mind, "3.1 million young people between the ages of 12 and 17 have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year in the United States".
Furthermore, studies also show that 60% of children and adolescents with depression aren't receiving any type of treatment.
It is not necessarily the teacher's job to offer emotional support of such a magnitude to students. While they are trained to teach, they aren't necessarily trained to deal with emotional support. Is it not surely time that we look more seriously into the mental health of students more seriously, and work towards removing the stigma around the topic of depression, with the aim of changing these statistics?
Mostly everyone remembers at least one teacher who has had a profoundly positive impact on their lives, so take a moment today to think of who that teacher was for you, and how they impacted your life. I'm sure that for most people in Justin's school, the wonderful person who sent this letter will be that very teacher.
h/t: Reddit
