The Treasure Trove: A Letter To My Teacher | S1E3

What happens when teaching feels impossible? When student trauma feels too heavy to bear or curriculum demands seem overwhelming? Teachers reach for their secret weapon: a collection of thank you notes from former students.

In this emotional episode, we pull back the curtain on a treasure that sustains educators through their darkest professional moments. I share my own journey from a small folder of student letters that expanded into an overflowing basket spanning 30 years in education. These aren't just nice compliments—they're lifelines on days when teachers question their effectiveness or calling.

The letters reveal extraordinary stories of transformation: students who found their voice after trauma, discovered their self-worth after neglect, or realized their potential after being discounted by others. One former student wrote, "You are the first authority figure who taught me that authority is love," while another called me their "soul mother" who showed them how to be a strong, powerful woman. These notes arrive precisely when an educator needs them most, providing the emotional fuel to continue making a difference.

For those who aren't educators, this episode offers a powerful reminder: for every thank you letter a teacher receives, hundreds more go unwritten. That teacher who changed your trajectory? They might be having their toughest day today. Your words of gratitude, whether through email or a simple card, could be exactly what they need to find the strength to continue changing lives.

Ready to make a difference? Pause this podcast right now and reach out to thank an educator who impacted your journey. It's never too late, and your words matter more than you know.

Step into growth and purpose! Discover my books and resources designed to help you lead, learn, and live with impact.

✨ Click here: https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/toolsforsuccess

//About

Cathy Tooley is the Founder & CEO of Tools for Success and a seasoned educator with over 40 years in K–12 classrooms and school leadership. From high school teacher to principal, Cathy has dedicated her life to supporting educators. In 2014, she launched Tools for Success to provide real, in-person instructional coaching—not just “PD in a box.” She’s the author of The Education System Is Broken, a national speaker, and a fierce advocate for teachers. Through this podcast, she’s spotlighting the ripple effect of great teaching.
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Transcript

The Thankless Profession of Teaching

Cathy Tooley 0:00

I remember having those days where I came home and thought to myself I don't know why they gave me a paycheck today , because in a thankless profession as education is , it's a pretty thankless profession . Most of us are teaching children , and children are , by not nature , overly in gratitude . Maybe today's that day that your letter makes all the difference . Hi everybody , welcome back Kathy Tooley , I'm so excited you're joining us . Today is so oh , get your tissues , just get your tissues . So today , the title of this one is called A Letter to my Teacher . As you know , we're doing a series called the Ripple Effect of a Teacher , and so I decided to dig into my own treasure trove today and share with you what every teacher already knows . So if you're not a teacher , get ready . I'm getting ready to kind of let you behind a little curtain . That they might not know , you know , but you're about to know .

Cathy Tooley 1:11

So many of you know that I wrote a book years ago called the Education System is Broken , and I want to read an excerpt from that book , and then I'll read you some things that I have to share with you . It says , as every teacher does we have kept every note written to us on a napkin , typed out on paper or in a card telling us what a difference we made as a teacher in our students' lives . Each and every one of them are still with us . Every teacher has one of those files or boxes or crates somewhere right now and they are smiling because they know what I'm talking about . They too have saved every note , smiled at every card and at every read every email sent to them from former students , to them from former students . So I decided that it was time to bring out the treasure trove . So I brought my own tote and I just grabbed a few just a few , of some of what I've kept ,

The Teacher's Treasure Trove Revealed

Cathy Tooley 2:28

of some of what I've kept . And then I want to tell you why this is so important . Some of these students , I mean , I don't remember . I taught . As many of you know , I told you this I taught for 20 years and then was a principal for another 10 . I've been out of the classroom now for , oh gosh , 20 years . At this point , some of the names I remember , some of them I don't , but some of them I just pulled out , like here's one that just says I love you , ms Tooley , you're my favorite teacher , and remember I taught high school . Here's one that I want to read that says Mrs Tooley , you've been my principal for all four years that I have been in high school .

Cathy Tooley 3:06

You are the only authority figure that I've ever really known in my life . Every authority figure that I have been taught or understand is mean , hurtful , and their only intention is to make my life miserable . But I love you . I've always felt like we are so alike in so many ways . You are the first human being that I ever met in my life that taught me that authority is love . You taught me that I get to hope every single day , that I get to know that people love me as much as you have taught me what love is . You're beautiful inside and out and you always know just what you need to say in order to make my day .

Cathy Tooley 3:51

Thank you for keeping me in mind in high school . I absolutely would not be here without you . I know it has to have been hard , the many times that I've been in your office , the times that you've had to give me detentions , and I will never forget the time that you suspended me my freshman year . You probably don't remember this , but I want you to know . It is , without question , the moment that changed my life Because I realized if I've hurt Ms Tooley , I've done something really wrong , because I don't ever want to hurt you , but you are the first adult in my life I've ever felt that way and , if you notice , not only was I never suspended again , I went on to become one of your senior leaders . When you asked me to become a senior leader , I remember thinking that is what authority is . Authority sees the greatness in us , authority expects the best of us , and authority wants nothing but the best for us . You , ms Tooley , are a gift to what education is , and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and this student . Ironically , I'm still Facebook friends with today . I don't keep Facebook communication with a lot of students , matter of fact , most I don't , but her I do , and I've watched her grow and graduate from college and have her own family .

Cathy Tooley 5:10

Here's another one . Mrs Tooley , I love you . You have always been there for me . I can go on and on and on about who you are in this life for me . Thank you for always giving me the best advice . If I've ever been a problem , which I'm sure I have , I want you to know that you never made me feel like one . Every time I came to your office with this sense of drama or another , you sat , you listened and you made me feel like you always had time for me . From the bottom of my heart , thank you , mrs Tooley . Mrs Tooley , you have made these past four years amazing for me .

Cathy Tooley 5:45

There is absolutely no reason that I should be graduating from high school . You know it and I know it when you went to bat for me to get my Algebra I , core II credit so that I could get a Core 40 , because you said to me quote you are worth a Core 40 diploma . You are far more than a general kid and I am graduating , mrs Tooley , with a core 40 diploma because of you . But I'm not going to say that because I know what you would take back , because I worked and did what it took . What you taught me , ms Tooley , is if I put my mind to anything , I can accomplish everything . Mrs Tooley , I want to thank you for all that you've done for me and for this entire school . You let me into this school when you absolutely shouldn't have . I didn't have enough credits to even be a sophomore , let alone be called one . But you said , if I was willing to work . You were willing to show me the work that needed to be done . I thank you from the bottom of my heart because now I am not only graduating , I am graduating with a solid color 40 and an acceptance to college . Because of you .

Cathy Tooley 6:51

Every other adult prior to you , mrs Tooley , had thrown me aside like yesterday's garbage . I was raped from my father from as young as I could possibly remember , and my mother watched . But you , mrs Tooley , taught me what a strong woman is , a woman who will not back down , a woman who knows her worth and a woman who has now shown me mine . Thank you from the bottom of my heart , mrs Tooley . Thank you for everything you've done this year . You have been there through the thick and the thin with me . We've had the past four years together , which seems to have flown by in an instant . Thank you for never giving up on me . It really means a lot to me . I might say and do so much that you know I don't really mean , because I have so much pain , but you , mrs Tooley , have taken away each and every piece of that pain , while some still exist . What I want you to know is this you have taught me more than just a subject matter . You have taught me to love myself .

Cathy Tooley 7:58

I have a basket of these , a basket of these , and when I was going through these preparing for this podcast , I really found myself . You could just get stuck there . I had to stop . I had to stop and I remember sitting there thinking , wow , I don't even remember some of these letters . It's been so long since I've pulled them out , but when I was teaching I pulled them out a lot . I remember

Heartfelt Letters from Former Students

Cathy Tooley 8:33

having those days where I came home and thought to myself I don't know why they gave me a paycheck today .

Cathy Tooley 8:43

I taught a lesson , but I'm not sure a single person learned it . I gave an assessment and not a single student passed it . I gave what I thought was one of my best explanations and they seem to still not understand it . I can't do this . Or some of you are watching this . And those days when the stories are just too heavy . They're just too heavy . The pain on my kids' faces or on their bodies oh , I could cry . It's just too real . It's too real , it's too . Children shouldn't be treated that way . Children shouldn't be hurt that way , shouldn't be treated that way . Children shouldn't be hurt that way . Children shouldn't be disrespected that way . And it's daunting , it's overwhelming , it's sometimes just it feels like more than I could bear .

Cathy Tooley 9:38

And when I was looking at topics for this series we're doing the Ripple Effect of a Teacher I was praying and the Lord brought this one to me and I thought well now , lord , I want to read a whole bunch of how great Kathy Tooley is . Let me read a whole bunch of letters about how great Kathy Tooley is . That's not going to feel good . That's going to feel real , narcissistic and real all about me . And so I really had to pray on this one , and what I think I need to tell you is this Every one of us has these .

Cathy Tooley 10:20

Now , for those of you that teach the kindergartens or the young grades who can't write like I had high school students they can write , although their grammar wasn't . Oh , that's the English teacher coming out of me , but anyway , you know what I meant . They draw the pictures for you . Or I think one of the best compliments that an elementary teacher gives is when a student slips and calls you mommy , and I know it's happened , I know it's happened . What a form of love and a compliment that they call you mom , that they slipped and that for a moment they felt so safe with you that they called you mom . I didn't have that , so elementary teachers enjoy that . I never had that . My invitation to you is this If you're a new teacher brand new to the field I want you to create a basket , like I've created over here , or a folder .

Cathy Tooley 11:13

Mine started out with just a little pocket binder folder and then I have to lift this up to show you that this is 40 years . This is 30 years of it's full . It's just full . And I remember when I would get them , I would read them and I would . They would touch my heart and I kept them . And before I knew it , that binder , that folder , outgrew , a binder outgrew , the three-by-five binder outgrew and when I was preparing for this podcast , I thought where's that binder ? Where's that binder ? I can't find that binder . And I pulled this drawer out and went oh my gosh , it's a basket .

Cathy Tooley 11:59

This is what 30 years in the field looks like , and I wanted you to see it , not because I want you to think oh , clearly Kathy was a great teacher and a great principal , because I wasn't . I don't mean that arrogantly , I was because it's my calling . But what I want you to do is I want you to start saving them and then , when you have those days because they're coming , they're coming that you go home and you think I can't do this one more day . The stories are too heavy , the demands upon the state are too much , the curriculum seems too daunting . It doesn't feel like I'm making any headway . I can't do this .

Cathy Tooley 12:41

I want you to grab that folder as it starts out , to the binder , to the basket , and I want you to remember that that one letter that I just read to you represents hundreds who never took the time to write it . Hundreds who never took the time to write it . Hundreds who never took the time to write it . When I read these words , I know that is a pretty special kid that took the time to write it , but , as you and I both know , you could think of several educators in your life that made this difference and you probably never took the time to write it . And that's not a judgment of anyone . We do what we do . We're very quick to write a nasty Yelp review , but we won't take the time to tell people how great they are . It's just in our nature . It's unfortunately who we are . We're a society of get this right . So I want you to keep that .

Cathy Tooley 13:42

And then , on those days when it's too heavy and on the days when you think you can't do it anymore , and on the days when you think I don't know if I am meant to teach , when deep down you know what you're calling and you know you're supposed to be there , I want you to pull them out , some of these . And there's a couple more that I want to share with you , because they're just tattered . They're just tattered because some of them have tear stains on them , because I read them on a day . I read them on a day that I didn't think I had what it took to go on one more day . I just didn't think I did . So .

Cathy Tooley 14:25

Here's one , and I remember who wrote this . I've whited out her name , but it says has anyone told you today that you're awesome ? I admire the leader you are . Have a great day . So there are days that , or weeks that that would hang on my file cabinet right beside where I was teaching , because I didn't feel awesome . I didn't feel like I was being a leader .

Cathy Tooley 14:53

And then there's a couple other that I want to share with you . This one says Mrs Tooley , you've adopted me ? Do you know that ? You probably don't ? So I'm telling you you've adopted me . Do you know that you probably don't ? So I'm telling you you've adopted me . While today marks my last day at our high school the high school I was principal it will never mark the last day for you and me , whether I never speak to you again or whether I talk to you every day .

Cathy Tooley 15:24

You have made an indelible place in my heart . You are my mother . You are my soul mother . You are a woman who taught me what it is to be a strong , powerful woman . You taught me how to not silence my voice . You've taught me how to stand up for what I know is true and right , and you taught me to take on demons in my life that I never thought possible . You are my adopted mother , mrs Tooley , and from this day forward , while tonight I will put on a cap and gown and walk across the stage and shake your hand for what probably will be the last time , know this you have a place in my heart , mrs Twilley , that absolutely no one will ever replace . You have an absolute crayon on riding on the slate of my soul . Thank you from the bottom of my heart . Thank you from the bottom of my heart . So I want to leave you . You know I always leave you with a verse that touches me . For each episode

Challenging Days in Education

Cathy Tooley 16:32

I ask the Lord to kind of guide me . I can't believe I got teary . Sorry for this one for you , but Peter 4.10 is one . It says Each of you should use whatever gift that you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms .

Cathy Tooley 16:55

Teachers , I want you to hear me that those love letters is what I call them , a letter to my teachers are just a little glimpse of heaven to me . They are God shining down on me , saying well done , well done . And on the days where our job is difficult , they make those days doable . And to everyone out here listening , that is not a teacher . Maybe you're in school now , or maybe you're a former student , or maybe you are thinking of that teacher that you're like oh boy , I should have written that to them . I should have taken some time . It is never too late . Send an email . We live in a world today . Send an email . Shoot , take the time , go to Walmart and buy a thank you card and just tell them . Tell them .

Cathy Tooley 18:03

I watched a podcast today and it reminded me , mr So-and-so , miss So-and-so , who you are in my life , because here's what I know about those thank you letters to my teachers the Lord always knows when that teacher needed it the most . Lord always knows when that teacher needed it the most . And you , watching this podcast , could be the one person that that teacher or administrator or cafeteria worker or custodian , or I don't care who they are in the trenches of those schools . You could be that one person that , by hearing from you , they believe they can do it . They're going to last another year , or two , or five or 10 .

Cathy Tooley 18:54

Because in a thankless profession as education is , it's a pretty thankless profession . Most of us are teaching children and children are , by not nature , overly in gratitude . Most children don't tell their mothers oh , thank you for doing my laundry . Oh , mom , I have a clean uniform for football today , thank you so much . We get the grandioses at graduations or at proms or big things , but that box that I have is beyond the big thing . Beyond the big thing , it's the day-to-day reminder that today I made a difference .

Cathy Tooley 19:31

So I'm going to offer a challenge . I don't often do this with my podcast , but I just feel compelled that that's what we need to do . Ready , here's your challenge . Feel compelled that that's what we need to do . Ready , here's your challenge

Never Too Late to Say Thanks

Cathy Tooley 19:48

Today , today , today . Don't put it off tomorrow . It's on your heart now . Pause this podcast right now .

Cathy Tooley 19:56

If you need to do it , shot a card and send it to that teacher . And if they're retired and you think , oh , kath , I've missed my boat , that's okay , go to the school that they were . That school will know how to get that letter to them and they will gleefully mail that letter . So if you think it's too late , ms Tooley you know , ms Tooley , you've retired . I never wrote you that letter . Well , it's okay , I can get you my address . I'm kidding , I have plenty of letters , but it's not for me . But if they've retired and you think it's too late , that's okay . It's never too late . But specifically those of you that are the younger generation , under 20 , under 30 , under 40 , even your teachers are probably there , and maybe today's that day that your letter makes all the difference .

Cathy Tooley 20:44

You don't have to have the right words . You know whose words you have to have Yours . Just tell them . It doesn't have to be a soliloquy , it doesn't have to go on for hours . Just tell them . And for those of you that are in the trenches . Thank you , I hope this episode has been a thank you , a thank you to you , a thank you for what you do , and a thank you that , for every one of those you receive , I'm going to say thank you for the hundreds that were never written , because you made a difference . Thank you , see you on the next session .