I have some skills that benefit me as a fifth grade teacher- one of which is I am pretty good at catching note passers. I don’t purposefully look out for notes, but I do notice them. Today I saw a green scrap of paper being passed and I walked over and held out my hand, “Noooooo,” A said.
I said nothing but held out my hand. I waited.
“Awww!”
“I’m not going to read it yet,” I said as the scrap was dropped in my hand.
I walked across the room and put the note in plain view in a pencil cup on the counter and promptly forgot about it.
Later in the day, A was over by the counter looking guilty as he tried to retrieve the note. “Nope, that’s mine now. Leave it there, I said.
I promptly forgot about it again.
At the end of the day while packing up the note caught my eye.
I unfolded it.
” Do you like Ms. Erika?
Yes/No” it said with a column for respondents to add their name to the correct column.
Hmm, I thought, it is that time of year. We are all getting a little nostalgic about the year ending while feeling ready. We have 7 1/2 school days left.
Then I looked again. There were only about 6 names there and they were all on the “yes” side. I nodded my head. Yep, I like them too! Maybe it is lucky I caught the note before more names were added.
What a year it has been and I am ready for a break, but I really love this group! Sigh!
Ms. Victor Reads 
that was a little gift to you from the universe wrapped up in green paper. How about the fact that the writer was trying to spare your feelings?
Oh! What a wonderful thing to discover! And I’m cheered, too, to learn that 5th graders are still passing physical notes. My 12th graders just text…
Of course they like you! And of course you like them. A lovely moment.