A teacher was surprised at her wedding with a secret audio recording. When she recognized the voices, she broke down
'You make us feel safe...'
Natasha Cameron, a teacher, had no idea that her students, though not physically present at her wedding, could still bring her to tears. Oblivious to their thoughtful surprise, she was blissfully enjoying her wedding meal when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Cameron heard it and immediately broke down into tears as she realized her students had collectively sent her their wishes through voice notes. Alyssa Slotegraaf (@loveandlens.creations on Instagram), a wedding videographer, posted the beautiful moment on January 3.
"Thank you for making us such a nice classroom; it makes us feel happy. We hope you have a good wedding, and you bring such nice photos to see your beautiful dress," a student confessed, moving Cameron to joyful tears. Likewise, Solomon, another student of hers, thanked Cameron for teaching him how to read — something he assumed impossible to achieve, but his teacher made him believe in himself, and thus he conquered what once looked too far-fetched. "You always look so beautiful," admitted Madeline, yet another student of the bride. Jack and Leo, two young students with beautiful little hearts, also grabbed the opportunity to thank Cameron for being so kind to them. "You make us feel safe," they admitted. One after the other, she heard all her students congratulate her and reassure her that she'd been the greatest teacher to them. Not only Cameron, but the whole room was emotional, hearing the innocent little kids confess their love for their teacher. Reflecting on the beautiful moment, Slotegraaf wrote, "Proof that the love you give always finds its way back," in the caption.
There's nothing easy about being a teacher; it's a great responsibility to mold little hearts into responsible, learned citizens of the world. Besides money, job security, respect, etc., teachers get into the profession to build the future generations, and don't easily give up on it because of their students. In fact, when a survey by EdWeek Research Center asked 700 teachers and 300 school leaders what motivates them to continue, 2 in 5 said it's the "love for students." Another survey by ASTI encompassing 660 second-level teaching students found similar outcomes, where more than half of the respondents (57%) chose teaching because they love working with young people. Cameron, too, wasn't just a teacher who taught her students textbook lessons but became the safe space that allowed them to present their true selves.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Instagram reel, @maddisonlloyde commented, "We are so glad all our little people managed to keep this a surprise. What a privilege they got to be a part of your special day! I think we all cried watching this. We are so lucky they got to start their learning journey with someone as special as you. From all of RC, thank you for being the best." @emlight60 wrote, "This is why we are educators. 35 years for me, and now 10 years retired, but I still miss my sweet angels. They are all still in my heart. Congratulations!" Similarly, @a.wild.spirit shared, "I cried the entire video... My mom is a teacher, and I witnessed the effect she has had on her pupils. Whenever we're outside, we encounter many of her now grown-up pupils who always praise her for being gentle when they were refused by every teacher and for making learning fun to a point where they started excelling... so thank you, Mrs. Cameron."
You can follow Alyssa Slotegraaf (@loveandlens.creations) on Instagram for more viral wedding content.
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