8 Unforgettable Non-academic Lessons I Learned from My Teachers
They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even when you don’t know it— Nicholas Sparks
Is there something your teacher said or did that you remember until now? I’m sure there is at least one. I have many. Not all are good, but they’re all lessons nevertheless.
Here are some of my most memorable good ones.
You can do better than this! — Research and Chemistry Teacher, Third Year High School
This was exactly how she wrote it, in red ink. She wrote this on the front page of my research proposal. Even if the statement was not voiced out and there was no matching facial expression, it made a lasting impact.
The six words and an exclamation point conveyed a meaningful message to me. It said I had the potential to do excellent work. It said I can improve. It said the teacher believed in me.
So I believed I could do better. I tell it to myself when I’m tempted to be lazy. I make it my mantra so I don’t settle for mediocre work. I also copied it and wrote the same statement to some of my students’ work. I hope they remember it too. They can always do better.
Be like a lotus. — Music Teacher, First Year High School
