If I Could Only Give My Students One Piece of Advice

We asked Edutopia's Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ communities to finish the following sentence: "If I could only give my students one piece of advice, it would be..."

There were many, many wonderful responses. These are just some of our favorites:

Cope With Failure and Learn From Mistakes

• Success is always a process, never an event. Failure is always an event, never a person - Manolis Votsis
• Mistakes are meant to be made. It's what you do different the next time that matters - Dina Maryea-Baker
• Take risks and see mistakes as learning opportunities, not things to be avoided at all costs - @lorimacdon
• Failure is not a red F, it is the "First Attempt in Learning" - Dean Mantz

Love Yourself

• The way people treat you is a reflection of their character, not yours - Steph Burg
• Be kind to yourself - Shaelin Shields
• To the girls...you are not an object. To the boys...you are not a stereotype. Be strong, be free of images, make your own path - Gerry Kenney
• Never let anybody call you stupid... including yourself - Sherry Meagher
• To live each day proud of all the things they can do and not be stifled by all the things they can't - @Teach4love
• Laugh at yourself once in a while - G VanDeCarr
• What you think matters. What you say matters. What you do matters. You matter - Daryl Myers

Being a Good Person

• Be accepting to other children - Kisha Gaskill
• Have empathy for others - Debbie Reed
• Always look at the two sides of the story before judging - ‏@Justmemarie2
• Help build each other UP. We're all in this together - @KHowlandGHS
• Empathy and an open mind are important for global citizens. Learning will spring from both - Cynthia Clark
• Give back by volunteering. It will help in many ways - Deanna Concidine
• Listen first, try to understand second, and judge last - @MrBarry628

Know the Keys to Success

• Being open to new things, preparation, planning, networking & a sprinkle of luck are key to success - Dawn Clarke
• Let it go! Let it go! Not saying let go of your education, but let go of the little stuff that tends to dictate whether or not you have a bad day in school. It's HARD to do when you're an adult, much less a kid - Mary Gallagher
• Don't let anyone else define success for you - Rick Wylie
• You are the best advocate for yourself - Tara Schurman

Find Your Passion - Teri Skillman

• Get experience with what you love. Qualifications will get you to the interview but experience and passion will get you further - @PeoplePensPaper
• Find a career/job that makes you excited to leave your bed - @terriluna01

Slow Down

• Don't be in a hurry to grow up - Ron Sims
• Relax - Mark Welinski
• It's a marathon, not a sprint. You don't need to do everything and/or immediately - Susan Russo

Be a Lifelong Learner - @TXSalsaCongress

• Education is not for few years learning process it's a life long till the end of life process - Shivani Agarwal
• Learning how to learn is the most important thing you will ever learn - Janet Piskurich
• Never stop learning. School can teach you many things, but the world has knowledge that extends beyond classrooms. Be open to it - @MsMedinaTweets
• Learning will positively transform your life blooming into a distinguished valuable being - @bashaierk
• Remember and A,B,C,D,F....does not define who you are or who you will be...love learning - Cheryl Best

Listen

• Listen more than you speak when trying to attain new skills and knowledge - Marcia Baynes
• Listen.... listen to your teachers, to your parents, to your peers.  Learn to listen and really hear what others are saying.  This is a life skill that many children and adults were never taught - Chad Jones
• Appreciate the words of all those with experience - Michael Manning

​Ask Questions and Be Curious

• Allow yourself to be curious. There is so much to learn that "isn't on the test" - Kate Phipps
• Question everything - @TheRealMrBauer
• Follow your curiosity but be both open minded and skeptical - @library_jim

Persevere

• Perseverance fuels the learning experience, and patience beautifies it - @rasheedhammadi
• Don't make excuses, make it happen. You're capable of overcoming any obstacle life throws your way - Anthony Mason
• Life is tough...but you're tougher - Kid President - Tanya B Murphy
• Never give up, even when it seems like your only option. Never doubt there are people in your corner - @Jody_Burke

Be Practical

• Don't procrastinate - - get it started! (...as opposed to "Get it done.") - David Crumbaker
• Develop good study habits - Laura Stipancich
• Read the directions - @LindaAragoni
• Wear sunscreen. (Sorry. Couldn't help it.) - Rodney Fields

READ, READ, and READ - Randy Keck

• Read. A lot. Including newspapers - @jdmstewart1
• Never stop reading - Page Bobo Dancy