Failed Students Always Want to Be Your Best Friend

Teachers will understand this very strange phenomenon that occurs: when you return to work after summer vacation that same student that failed your class or was the most problematic in your class behavior wise, now wants to be your best friend. How does this happen?

It seems like every year I have a handful of students that either drove me crazy on a regular basis, always cut my class, never did any work, failed every test due more so for absents than knowledge, and all of a sudden on the first day of the new school year they're hunting me down to tell me how much they missed me? That I was their favorite teacher? Huh?

I had this young lady in my sophomore English class who had serious attitude problems in my class all the time last year. She was the type of student who spoke out loud about everything on her mind from "Damn, I broke a nail" to "I know she's not talking to me" or "I don't feel like dealing with nobody today so y'all bet not say nothing to me all period". After speaking to her repeatedly about it, calling home, and even asking her best friend to talk to her about her classroom outbursts, she got a WHOLE lot worse. Came in one day and slammed her books on the desk, "I don''t appreciate having to hear from my mom and my friend that I need to relax up in here!" After that I had to threaten her with a visit to the dean's office. And she was one of my smarter ones, could have been in honors had she just calmed down to let the information in!

Fast forward to this term and it's nothing but smiles and honey. She's come to visit me several times since school started and even multiple times in one day because she does service in the guidance office. She even came in to my office today for hair advice. I had to ask her point blank, "How can you be so nice to me now when you acted like you hated me and the class last year?" Her response, "I don't know what my problem was Mrs. E, but I loved your class, and I think you're awesome. Do you want me to get you a snack from the vending machines?" Just like that.

And I could name countless other students that act the same way. Any other teachers have this happen? Any thoughts?