At the end of the year, students take their books home. Tell them that of all the things they could save from their school years they should save these. “When you are 35 you will be totally interested in what you were thinking when you were 12” (or whatever age your class is).
TIP: Assuming your students love you and will be amused – give them a little paragraph to glue into the inside front cover of each book. A fresh one each time, with a little piece of life advice.
I recommend something like:
Dedicated to my beloved teacher, Mr/ Mrs ———- who always said, “Sometimes done is better than perfect.”
Dedicated to the best teacher I ever had, Mrs./Mr. ———-, who always said, “Anybody can be smart. It takes guts to be kind.”
Why? Because if they really do save the books, you want them to remember the wonderful teacher they had for that year. (Seriously, telling someone in a joke that you are wonderful, reinforces your wonderfulness in their head.) Also, if one of them becomes really famous – and with the numbers you will teach in your career, that’s possible – you want them to dedicate their TV special to you and remember your name.
