Alternately titled, “I Told You So!”
One of the rare treasures of my job is the kid who comes back to tell me that they finally understand why I was so hard on them / I was so demanding / I was such a bitch when they were my student. Though it doesn’t happen often, every once in a while a baby will come back and tell me that they’ve had an experience that finally gives them insight into what I was trying to teach them and why I was so insistent that they learn it.
This showed up on my facebook page this afternoon. It’s from Lisa of the “I-don’t-need-what-you’re-teaching-me, I-like-my-narrow-little-box” fame. I haven’t altered a word of it:
How have you been? I hope all is going well. I’m actually messaging you because I’ve been doing a lot of thinking recently while in my college English class. Just last week I was assigned an argumentative essay and a 10 page research paper with an annotated bibliography. Because I took your class, I was the only student not on the verge of tears. I knew how to approach them, and because of that I have handed my paper in a week early. I also knew how to think critically and look beyond my circle of knowledge. So, I guess you could say this is me thanking you for kicking me in the butt a few times to make sure I knew what I needed to know, and also me saying sorry for putting up such a fight during the process. so, thank you. I owe you one 
My work (at least, there) is done!
She owes you one! Ask for chocolate.
Well done. Makes the b.s. you put up with from all the others worth it, doesn’t it?
Sweet! Education has been served and my hat is off to you, madam.
Place it in a file for those rough days. I do. You are one of the best.