- A mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.
The originator of this quote is unknown, but to me it’s the essence of education. You cannot undo knowledge. Grades will be forgotten and awards will collect dust, but the person one becomes during the learning process lasts forever. It’s the foundation of the happiness and success we all want for our children.
- Every moment is a teaching moment.
In our research of happy and successful people, we would ask what the keys were to their success. Many mentioned teachers they’d had in their youth. While they discussed the quality of the teachers, they pointed even more often to moments or specific messages delivered at very important times.
- Your students will rise and fall to the level of expectations that you set for them.
As we’ve observed and studied great teachers in our school system, one unifying element we’ve noted is a belief in each and every one of their students, regardless of academic prowess or personal challenges. One teacher we know at an extremely at-risk high school requires his students to read Shakespeare and discuss quantum physics.
- By inspiring a child, you make the world a better place forever.
I often think about my 11th grade social studies teacher Mrs. Bulloch. I was a shy boy, and (more than once) she said to me, “Jeff, you have something extraordinary to share with the world, and just need to find the courage to share it.” So many times in my life, I’ve fallen back on these words to find strength.
- They may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
We lost a truly special human being when we lost Maya Angelou, the author of this quote, in 2014. Meaning in life truly comes through the relationships we develop and the people we impact. And teacher’s lives are transcended through the lives of the students they teach. It is an awesome responsibility that our educators carry, but also a supreme honor.
No comments:
Post a Comment