The 5 Most Important Life Lessons You Learned From Your Teachers

The impact of teachers goes way beyond the four walls of the classroom - and beyond the 13 years we spend in school. The lessons teachers help students learn aren't just about math and reading - they're about life.

Most of us can point to a particular teacher that played a big role in our lives - and it wasn't just because they did a great job teaching us algebra or geology - it was because they passed along lessons and experiences that shaped us into the adults we are today.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, let's reflect on those great teachers and the important life lessons they taught us.

The 5 Most Important Life-Lessons You Learned From Your Teachers

1. You can be whatever you want to be - as long as you work for it. 

Ever teacher has demonstrated that hard work is the way to get from where you are to where you want to be. That was true when you wanted to pass a math test, and it's still true - whether you want to lose weight or earn a promotion at work.
2. You don't have to be the best, but you should always do your best.
There's always going to be someone smarter, better, and funnier than you - but what matters is your work. It was teachers that taught us to focus on our own efforts, and to always bring our best effort to any challenge.

3. Be nice to other people, even when you don't want to. 

Kindness is in short supply in the world today. It's as important today as it was on the playground: be kind to other people, even when you don't feel like it. You never know what impact your kindness might have.

4. Teamwork is important - you can get more accomplished that way. 

All those group projects taught us a really important life skill: teamwork. You can get further, faster if you play well with others - this still applies in your adult life.

5. Mistakes are fine - as long as you learn from them. 

How many times have you gone back and corrected the mistakes on a test or quiz with your teacher? Yes, you may have figured out quadratic equations, but you also learned that mistakes happen - but the most important thing is whether you use them to learn where you went wrong.

Thank to all the teachers who work so hard every day to support children as they develop into adults. And thanks for teaching us the lessons that last a lifetime.