Teaching is a difficult job. The ultimate reward is knowing that you have the opportunity to have an impact on a young person’s life. However, not every student is created equal. Most teachers will tell you that they don’t have favorites, but the truth is that there are students who possess certain characteristics that make them ideal pupils. These students are naturally endearing to teachers, and it is difficult not to embrace them because they make your job easier. Read on to discover the 10 traits all great students possess.

Most teachers want students to ask questions when they do not understand a concept that is being taught. It is truly the only way a teacher knows whether you really understand something.

The perfect student isn’t necessarily the smartest student. There are plenty of students who are blessed with natural intelligence but lack the self-discipline to hone that intelligence. 

Being involved in extra-curricular activities can help a student gain confidence, which can improve academic success. Most schools provide a plethora of extracurricular activities that students can participate in.

Teachers love good students who are natural leaders within their classroom. Whole classes have their own unique personalities and often those classes with good leaders are good classes. 

Motivation comes from many places. The best students are the ones who are motivated to be successful. Likewise, students who lack motivation are the ones who are the hardest to reach, are often in trouble, and eventually, drop out of school. 

No skill is lacking more than that of the ability to be a problem solver. With the Common Core state standards requiring students to be adept at problem-solving, this is a serious skill that schools have to work extensively at developing. Students who possess true problem-solving skills are few and far between in this generation largely because of the accessibility that they have to information.

One of the greatest opportunities in the U.S. is that every child has free and public education. Unfortunately, not every person takes full advantage of that opportunity. It is true that every student must attend school for some period of time, but that doesn’t mean that every student seizes that opportunity and maximizes their learning potential.