What Can I Pass On to My Students?

Kristijan Musek Lešnik
Nov 19, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 26, 2025

Preschool and school are not just places for learning facts. They are spaces where children discover who they are, how to live with others, and how to believe in themselves. Because while knowledge fills the mind, it is character, connection, and purpose that help a young person truly flourish.

“What do we really pass on to children, beyond what’s written in textbooks?”

Over the past years, I’ve met thousands of educators — teachers, preschool teachers, counselors, and principals from preschools and schools.

I’m grateful for every one of those conversations — for the ideas we exchanged and the reflections we shared. But one thing is interesting: no matter what we started talking about, sooner or later, again and again, the same question came up: What can I truly give to the children who pass through my hands, year after year, generation after generation, as a teacher?

... knowledge — of course.

At first glance, the answer seems obvious: knowledge.

However, our discussions rarely focus on knowledge alone. Not because it isn’t important — it absolutely is. Passing the knowledge is our job. It's our mission. It's our calling. It’s the foundation of school life, the heart of what we do every day.

And yet, when we talk about what truly shapes a child’s life, our focus often shifts to something deeper.

... or something more?

In many conversations, we kept returning to the human side of education — emotions, relationships, values, life-skills, and inner strengths that define who we become. In these earnest and in-depth discussions with teachers and other educators we talked about:

Responsibility
Perseverance
Relationships and social skills — the art of living together
Self-confidence and the feeling “I can do this”
Positive emotions and a hopeful outlook on life
Curiosity, creativity, and innovation
Critical thinking
Courage
Work habits and the attitude toward effort
Intrinsic motivation and inner focus
Engagement, enthusiasm, and flow
Inner peace
Goal setting and the sense of achievement

Every kindergarten, every school, every educator has their own story. But these themes — these life skills — appear everywhere.

The Unique Power of Preschool and School

Preschools and school play an extraordinary role in a child’s social and emotional development. They are spaces where children learn who they are and how to live with others. Where they meet a diversity of adults and peers — some similar, others very different. Where they experience both freedom and boundaries, support and challenge.

They are places where children and youth:

Test and practice essential life skills,
Learn to manage emotions and behavior,
Discover empathy, curiosity, and courage,
Build their sense of self-worth and belonging...

The Teacher’s Gift

Schools exist to share knowledge — that’s clear. Yet education is so much more than that. Alongside facts and lessons, we hold a profound duty: to help shape the spirit, values, and life skills that will guide our students far beyond the classroom. We are given an incredible opportunity —to help children develop the inner strengths and life skills that will shape not only their success tomorrow, but also the quality of their lives. Because while knowledge fills the mind, it is character, connection, and purpose that help a young person flourish.