It’s the end of the school year, and that can only mean one thing for my English I students: letters to next year’s students.

“Make a little nervous,” say to them with a smile. “Impress them with your writing, and don’t lie — but scare them just a bit, too.”

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this year’s letters:

  • Mr. Scott’s class is everything you’ve heard: awful, torturous, bewildering, etc, but it’s also a class that will form you into a better student, and you will find yourself writing things that you never believed you could. But trust me, reaching this did not come easy.
  • I am sure that if you have earned your way into this class, you have heard the array of rumors regarding its difficulty. I for one recall questioning every former student to dig up any detail I could. I am here to tell you that the rumors about Mr. Scott and his dreadful class are not hearsay, but in fact very true. This class is very strenuous and involves lots of work.
  • Most of your teachers are probably droning on about the student handbook, class rules, and retake policies, but not Mr. Scott. That’s your first clue about what kind of teacher he is. This class has most certainly been one of the most rigorous and challenging courses I have ever taken, but I have come out on the other side better for it.
  • Mr. Scott will push you past your limits and tears will be shed during this Journey. From the beginning to the end of a very long year you will come out a completely different writer and person once he is through with you.
  • Don’t let [Mr. Scott’s] glumpy old face get to you: he’s kind of a nice guy that’ll make English a living hell but at least it’s only for 180 days.
  • Prepare yourselves for the most challenging class of your middle school years. This class will push you to your limit. There will be times where you will hate Mr. Scott, and you will learn he can be very annoying. Often he doesn’t answer your questions and just makes you figure them out on your own. But that will make you more independent as a writer and make you come up with your own ideas.