Honesty time: I've never had a bad teacher. From kindergarten to senior year, I've had opportunities to meet the most incredible teachers. These people have all shaped me into the person I am today. Where would I be without their wisdom, guidance, and friendships? The teachers I've had throughout my life are the reasons I'm on my own path to becoming a teacher. Teachers are the coolest people, but rarely do they ever receive the recognition they deserve. Here are a few ways teachers are magical superheroes.

1. They somehow manage to grade all those papers. All 90 of them.

Seriously, how do you do that? Do you drink a six-pack of Red Bull before you tackle those piles of essays? How do you have time on top of planning lessons, going to meetings, replying to emails, and (possibly) taking care of your own families? Do teachers have an extra 24 hours in a day that I don't know about?

2. They do work outside the classroom, don't get paid for it, and (rarely) complain.

They stay after school to tutor students, plan lessons, attend long, boring meetings, and reply to your late-night emails about the essay due the next day, all because they care. Do they get paid for all this work? Unfortunately, no.

3. They sacrifice their lives to protect their students.

In the case of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, teachers were suddenly given the difficult task of distracting the students from the danger in their hallways, and some died to save their students. One teacher was quoted about her experience that day:

"I said, 'OK, we're getting in the closet.' We tried to make it a game for the kids. We're going to go into the closet but they knew that wasn't part of the drill. And they said, 'Why are we moving?'
And I said, 'Because we need to find the best hiding place in the school.' And one of the kids said, 'Do we get a prize?' 'Yes, yes, you get a prize. Just be quiet and go get on the floor.' And they said, 'Is it candy?' I said, 'Yep, yep, it's candy. It's a lot of candy. But remember, it's a quiet game.'"

4. They constantly try to inspire their students.

I once had a teacher who inspired me to climb mountains. Not literally, of course, but I've climbed a few figurative mountains in my day. Didn't even break a sweat. He taught me the value of hard work and that hours working on a task can pay off in the end. Teachers just like him are inspiring students to change the world. That's pretty incredible, if you ask me.

5. They can be your friend, too.

Even with their busy schedules and heavy workloads, they want to check in. They're people you can turn to when things get stressful, whether the stress stems from school work or your home life. They always give great advice, too.

Share this with your favorite superhero teachers; they'll appreciate it.