What do I really want you to learn

Dear Students,
As the year is coming to a close I have been thinking a lot about what I hope you have learned this year. This year, more than any other year, I am thinking about what I want the lasting impact of this class to be. Since I will be leaving this school after 9 years and teaching in another country, I have been getting very nostalgic of my time here. There are so many wonderful students here that I will miss deeply. Having said that, there are a lot of things I hope I have taught you, whether I had you this year in class or in the past, coached you in a sport or after school, or just talked to you in the hall. Here are a list of things that may not be measured on standardized tests, but I hope that you have learned this year.

Compassion. I hope that I have taught you compassion. I hope that I have modeled compassion toward you and others. I hope that you have learned of others that exhibit compassion throughout history, in our world today and that compassion is something you will make part of your life. I hope that you will show compassion to all those you encounter. I hope you remember that everyone is dealing with something, some worse than you, some better, just depends on a given day. You will not have a perfect day, week, month, year, but you can have a perfect life. Compassion is key to that perfect life. How you treat others is a direct link to how you treat yourself, so you need to have compassion for yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember to always take a step back and breathe when things get tough.

Questioning. I hope that you have learned to ask questions. I hope you have learned to question what you know, what others know and what others tell you. You always have a right to know the truth, and you must always search for that truth. Don't just accept other opinions as facts, find out where they got their information. What is their source? Is it credible? Why are they saying what they are saying? What do they have to gain/lose? Question why you are learning what you are learning. Question why decisions are made for you, about your life, without your input. Question what the government is doing, keep them honest by voting. Ask questions when you don't understand, because chances are others are also lost/confused. Questioning makes you wise, not dumb. Intelligent people got that way because they asked questions. Also, when someone questions you, don't back down. Don't change your beliefs just because you are pressed with a challenge. If you believe in what you are saying, and you have questioned yourself, stay strong. When you question, you learn. Never stop learning. You'll never know everything. You can always learn more, and you can learn from unexpected sources. Don't be too big to accept knowledge from someone. As a teacher, I have learned so much from you, the students, and a lot of that comes from asking questions. Ask questions, some answers will amaze you, change your way of life, and shake your hold world up.

Do something you are scared of doing. I am moving to a country I have never been. That scares me. But that is ok. Life is an adventure. Do things that you haven't done before. Go places you haven't seen. Don't be complacent. Talk to those you haven't had a chance to. Play a sport you haven't tried, if you aren't good at it, who cares, the fun is in the trying. You only do this once, so you need to take risks. Calculated risks. Research things first, of course, but don't live your life scared to try. It isn't as fun in the stands as it is on the field, or court, or stage. 

Be better than you thought you could be. Never be satisfied with the status quo. Challenge yourself. Reward yourself when you are successful, but don't live for one accomplishment. You can have many accomplishments. Keep stretching. Keep pushing. Nothing great ever happens without people trying, without people getting uncomfortable.  You are truly amazing. All of you. You each are unique. You have special talents. Some of you know those talents, some of you are discovering those talents, some of you will discover them later in life, but trust me, you have them. Don't let the fact that others will try to hold you down stop you from be as great as you can possibly be. People will always tell you no, it is your job to tell them, yes. At the same time, don't be a dream killer to others. Help when you can, encourage always, smile often.

Finally, don't give up. As I said earlier, people will say no. People will say it can't be done. If it is something you truly believe in, it can be done. It may take more work, it may take more effort, it may take more time, but it will be done. Plus, an added bonus is that those things that take more work, are more rewarding when accomplished. There have been countless roadblocks for famous people in history, as well for us regular people, and it is possible to come out on top, with hard work, perseverance and patience. I know those three things are tough, but it is worth it. 

Again, it has been an honor and a privilege to be your teacher this year. I appreciate all you have taught me. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors, wherever they make take you. If you ever need a hand you know that you can count on me.