Because a child blooms in the light of being seen.

There are words children hear every day – instructions, reminders, lessons, corrections. But there is a different kind of sentence that arrives more quietly and lingers far longer.

“I noticed…”

It may seem like nothing at first. Just a passing remark. But when a teacher says, “I noticed,” something opens. A door, a pause, a moment of affirmation that a child may not have realised they needed – until that very moment.

At Sherwood High, we know the power of being seen. Not in the loud, centre-stage kind of way. But in the deeply human way – the way that notices effort before achievement, curiosity before clarity, kindness before recognition.

“I noticed you helped your classmate today.”

“I noticed you tried again, even when it was difficult.”

“I noticed you were quiet this week. Are you alright?”

These are not scripted lines. They come from presence. From observation. From the quiet, skilled attention that teachers bring into their classrooms – even on the busiest days.

For a child, these words can be life-altering. They tell the student, you matter beyond your marks. That your teacher is not just here to evaluate you, but to understand you. That even in a room full of voices, yours is not lost.

And remarkably, it is often the smallest things that are noticed. A pencil lent. A disagreement resolved. A brave question asked. These moments do not make it to report cards, but they often shape the kind of learner – and human – a child becomes.

At Sherwood High, our teachers are trained not just in curriculum, but in care. They watch closely, listen intuitively, and speak intentionally. “I noticed” is not a phrase of politeness. It is a tool of connection. A bridge between effort and encouragement.

For children still discovering who they are, to be seen in this way is more than validation – it is grounding. It gives them a sense of being held in view, of their choices and gestures carrying meaning, even when no one claps for them.

And often, those three words do something else too. They invite conversation. They make it safe for a child to share more. They allow growth to begin, not from performance, but from honesty.

So the next time your child shares something that begins with, “Today, my teacher said she noticed…” – lean in. Because what follows may not just be feedback.
It may be the sound of your child discovering that they are seen – and worth seeing.