I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to see me. I was a good student, so I wasn’t too worried. But, I was a little concerned because, like most teens, I was a talkative middle school student.

I stood in the back of the room with him and relaxed once I saw him smile.

He said, “Isabelle, I’m giving this sketchbook to you because you’re an outstanding artist.”

Me? I liked drawing and loved painting, but I had never been told that before. I raised my eyebrows. This was much better than I expected. I reached my hands out and held the sketchbook as though it were covered in gems. This wasn’t my first sketchbook. But it was my first sketchbook given to me by an art teacher.

“Thank you,” I said. It felt good to know that Mr. Flaum thought my art was good. It’s quite simple but also profound.

A teacher’s day can be full of paperwork, phone calls, meetings, field trips, classroom issues, and students. Yet, countless teachers stop and recognize a student and influence a child’s life, with a simple gesture.

That sketchbook helped give me the confidence to pursue my love of art and creativity. I have had the pleasure of exhibiting my work in Paris and received my B.F.A. from Pratt Institute. I have had the honor of being an art teacher in fantastic schools in both Miami and the Metro-Atlanta area.

My writing is a celebration of my creativity and owed in part to my love of art, which was fueled by a simple gesture from a caring teacher.