Mother Hen

Sometimes I find myself wondering if what I do is actually worthwhile - do the young people I work so hard to educate actually appreciate it?
Every now and then little things happen that make me realise that, although they don't show it all that often, they really do appreciate you. There's been a couple of moments like that for me this last week.
Last night was our yr 12's formal and I was seriously considering not going this year. I don't have a yr 12 class this yr, we've had a few huge weeks at school including a parent teacher meet and greet evening and we have open day tomorrow, meaning a one day weekend. So, I brought the topic up with the 6 yr 12s in my Oratory (this is what we call our vertically streamed homegroups) and this was roughly how the conversation went:
Me: I'm wondering whether or not to go to formal on Friday
Student: Really??
Me: Mmmm. Well, I don't have a yr 12 class...
Student: But you have us and ... you've had us for nearly 3 yrs now! You have to come. We want a photo with you!
Which set off the others telling me I had to be there... made me feel a bit like a mother hen really!
So there I was last night. Yr 12 formals are always a funny night. The kids spend so long (especially the girls) waiting for it and planning every tiny detail of their outfits, then on the actual night most of them stand around fairly awkwardly not really knowing what to do with themselves! They do look gorgeous (boys and girls) all decked out in cocktail/evening dresses and suits. Also, watching the girls totter around trying not to fall off their shoes is always fun!
Then for the next set of moments that made me realise teachers matter - a couple of my past students were at the event as dates for current yr 12s. I went over to one (who'd been in my Oratory but left before he finished school) and had a bit of a chat. He was quite pleased that I'd gone to talk to him and proceeded to tell me what he was up to now.
I then almost bumped into another one from the Oratory who'd graduated a couple of yrs ago... he'd been a bit of a handful to be honest, but he seemed genuinely pleased to have a chance to tell me how well everything was going, asked about how the Oratory was now and if I was still "in charge" like I was when he went through (I must've told him off at least 3 times a day!!!). We had a bit of a chat and a laugh and it was another one of those mother hen moments.
The final one happened as I was about to leave - it was approaching 11pm and I thought I'd leave before turning into a pumpkin. I went up to where the kids were all being photographed and saw a couple of my Oratory - they realised I was about to leave and jumped up to round up the others so they could have a proper group photo with their teacher... nawww.
I probably whinge and whine a lot about aspects of my job at times, but it's those little moments with the kids that's really what teaching is all about.