Teachers fess up to the things they really wish our children would do more of.

It was the great writer Maya Angelou who once said, “People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

These words couldn’t ring truer for a group of teachers who shared the simple gestures students have made that brightened their day.

The touching exchange began on anonymous forum Reddit when one user asked: “Teachers of Reddit, what simple gesture from a student brightened up your shitty day?”

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More Than Hello

“It’s as simple as a student having an honest conversation with me. Many high schoolers are extremely closed off towards adults (never more than “hi”, don’t really make eye contact etc). It’s nice when a student will stop by your office just to talk or to ask advice on something.”

A Little Aid Goes A Long Way

“In the middle of teaching a math lesson to my fourth graders, I got a paper cut. I said ouch, and then spent a grand total of about two seconds looking down to examine the damage. When I looked up, one little boy was already standing in front of me holding a band aid. So darn sweet.”

Plastic and Perfect

"A kid came up to me one day, hugged me, told me they loved me, and gave me a necklace with those little plastic letter beads on it that spelt out my name. I still have that necklace."

A Simple Shake

"A few times, students have come up to shake my hand at the end of the course. I also once got a gift from a student because I let them reschedule their final exam. I don't know if I was supposed to take it, but that was really sweet."

A Helping Hand 

"Whenever I see a student go out of their way to pick up some trash that isn't theirs or stack a chair another kid left behind simply because."

Two Seconds of Thanks

"I had a student for two years (8th and 9th grade). After every class he would come up and say thank you before he left. Kid is one of the nicest kids I've ever met and is going to go far."

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Scientifically Proven to Help

"One of my students (4th grade) said, 'Ms. [Name] I used to think science was boring worksheets, but you make it fun.' As a huge science nerd, that was one of the best things I've ever heard!"

A Sweet Treat

"During my internship last semester, I had a student give me a doughnut for Teacher Appreciation Day, even though I was still about a year away from being a full-fledged teacher. It's the little things in life."

When They Appreciate Your Gesture

"When they're appreciative of what I do. That's really enough," they wrote.

"I had a kid today who cried because his spaghetti-os tasted bad all cold and congealed. I just made a little extra effort walking across campus to heat it up in the teachers lounge for him. Just how happy he was the rest of the day because of that really is a reward in itself."

A Boo-Boo Fix

"I work with two year olds. I stood up and banged my head on some furniture. One of my kids (just started talking in full sentences) asked me if I was okay and kissed the bump."

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The Undercover Princess

"I worked at a daycare center once, and a little girl pointed at me and said to her friend "she's a princess!" Heart melted forever."

The Unknown Hero

"I teach high school in California. Found out from one of my colleagues that a student of mine wrote and presented an entire paper on me as her role model. She'd never mentioned it prior. The second I saw her for 5th period that day, tears were had."

The Apology

"A student who is usually very confrontational was caught using his phone in my class. He gave me the phone without argument and after the class he came up and apologized to me for being disrespectful, didn't even ask for the phone back and started to leave."