High school: a thank-you for the teacher who got you through calculus
High school is set in the kind of classroom many of us sat in at sixteen. Sage-grey walls, dark walnut panelling, light falling in stripes through the blinds, a periodic table and a strip of pi digits on the wall. On the teacher's desk are a laptop, a steaming coffee, a pair of glasses and a stack of tests marked in red pen. The board holds a half-erased lesson: a derivative, a parabola, F = m · a and “Homework: p. 118, 1-12”. As the teacher wipes it, “Thank you” shows through and the chalk writes their name.
It's meant for the teachers you met later on: secondary school teachers, the tutor who got you through exams, a university lecturer, the chemistry or literature teacher you still think about years later. It also works well as a group thank-you from a graduating class. Send the link in any chat and it opens in their phone's browser. For younger children's teachers, “Chalkboard” runs the same moment in a bright primary classroom.
What does the recipient experience?
- The opening says the sender wants to celebrate Teachers' Day with you. Turn the sound on and tap “Let's begin”.
- Your name appears and the camera moves in on the board.
- Run your finger across the board to wipe the calculus away. The eraser follows you, chalk dust falls and “Thank you” appears underneath.
- When enough is clear, the remaining dust lifts and glitters, the chalk writes your name and draws a heart, the bell rings and sunlight through the blinds brightens the board.
- The sender's message opens on a card; send back an emoji or tap “Again”.
What can you choose?
The sender chooses a green or black board and writes the teacher's name, their own name and an optional message. In English the name goes on the board exactly as typed, so “Dr. Patel” or “Mr. Hughes” stays that way. On Turkish cards the respectful “Hocam” is added after the name automatically, unless a title is already there.
When to send it
Teachers' Day is November 24 in Turkey; UNESCO's World Teachers' Day is October 5, and many countries keep their own date. Because the card is labelled “Teachers' Day”, it suits any of these, and it's also a good end-of-year or graduation thank-you to the teacher who prepared you for exams. Links are deleted after seven days. Wipe with a finger on a phone or with a mouse on a computer.
Common questions
How is this different from Chalkboard?
Both have you wipe a board to reveal a thank-you. High school uses a calmer, grown-up classroom with calculus and physics on the board; Chalkboard is a colourful primary classroom with a simple maths lesson.
Can I send it to a university lecturer?
Yes. Type their name with whatever title you use, such as “Professor Grant”, and it appears on the board exactly like that.
Can a whole class send it together?
Yes. Put a shared name like “Class of 2026” in the sender field, and the card and thank-you note will show that name.