For this week’s blog, I am compiling a list of some of the most used – and powerful – quotes in education. I admit that they are also some of my favorite quotes - the ones I repeat to myself throughout the school year. I’ll also provide a short reflection on why each one is meaningful and worth sharing. What are your favorite quotes?
We all have bad days. Maybe it’s an argument with a spouse or a coworker, a looming bill you’re a little short on, the barista who got your order wrong, or the exhaustion that comes from caring for a sick parent. Life happens. But when it happens to teachers, it can deeply affect their ability to empathize and care.
Teaching is hard work—not only because the stakes are high, but also because life is full of ups and downs. Teachers, like everyone else, have bad days. The difference is that teachers are still needed and sought after, even when they don’t feel like they have much to give.
John Moore | Getty Images
Education is often the final buffer between adolescence and the so-called “real world.” When schools fail to nurture children - academically, socially, and emotionally - the consequences ripple far beyond the classroom, shaping both individual lives and society at large (for generations to come).
Although the claim that prisons forecast future incarceration rates from third-grade reading scores is a myth, the underlying truth remains: low literacy rates are closely tied to a higher likelihood of entering the criminal justice system. The economic burden is staggering. The United States spends nearly $91 billion every year operating correctional facilities - an average of $134,000 per inmate annually.
For many young people, schools represent the last line of defense against this cycle. That is why our work as educators must be deliberate and unrelenting. We must go beyond academics, equipping students and families with the tools to break destructive cycles and build resilience. Because in the end, the greatest cost of failing to raise strong, supported children is not financial—it is the perpetuation of unresolved trauma, generational neglect, and social patterns that echo long into the future.
Relationships matter in education. I made plenty of mistakes my first year teaching, but one thing I did right was focusing on relationships. Every day I stood by the door to greet my students. I attended their sports games on weekends. I took time to learn who they were.
Those relationships saved me that first year, since I lacked many of the pedagogical tools needed to keep kids engaged. As I grew into a better teacher, I also grew in my ability to forge stronger connections. Those bonds allowed me to support students in learning content, raise expectations, and demand more from them.
During the 2017–2018 academic year, for example, I had almost 100% participation in an early-bird APUSH class that met every Friday morning. No doubt, students showed up because they knew I cared about them and knew they mattered to me. Learning occurs - and thrives - when there is a significant relationship present.
Probation Information Network. (n.d.). Economic impact. https://www.probationinfo.org/economic-impact/