Before we jump into the 10 best teacher quotes, let's think about the perception of teaching. We can sit here all day and argue about what a good teacher ‘should’ do or ‘shouldn’t’ do or ‘should’ be or ‘shouldn’t’ be. But, as with many arguments: it’s been had a thousand times before.
So rather than being in the thick of it, let’s instead play the role of an investigator, sifting through the rubble to get to the black box in order to find out what precisely brought the plane down.
It’s often said that the master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried. Keep this in mind as you read the best teacher quotes chosen for this article. There is no substitute to just doing it.
Best Quotes for Teachers
Success is not a good teacher, failure makes you humble
Shah Rukh Khan
The idea that ‘failure’ is equatable to an ‘end’ is actively damaging and effectively nonsense. No one knows the danger of a snake better than one who’s been bitten. You learn from your mistakes and you carry that knowledge forwards, ideally preventing yourself from doing it again.
A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard
Eliphas Levi
Empathy is inarguably one of the most valuable human traits. For someone to take it upon themselves to instruct another person, it’s absolutely essential that they be able to see through their eyes.
To be successful in anything, you have to have a passion for it
Jeff Van Gundy
Passion is perhaps the most important word we’ve introduced so far. When a teacher is passionate about their subject it radiates from them. It’s infectious.
We all remember those dry and stuffy substitute teachers we had when our main teacher was off sick – they weren’t boring people, they just didn’t have the passion for the subject.
One good teacher in a lifetime may sometimes change a delinquent into a solid citizen
Philip Wylie
The best teachers stick with us. We’re lucky if we get more than one or two whose words never leave us – but I think everyone has at least one. Their thoughts and feelings had a part in shaping the person we would become.
Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater
Gail Godwin
The art of showmanshipcannot be overestimated. If you’ve got a room full of children, adults, or just one guy on the other end of a webcam in teach from home jobs, you need to keep them entertained.
It’s not about being a clown. It’s about showing them that you’re in charge, and making them feel confident in your abilities.
The teacher’s task is to initiate the learning process and then get out of the way
John Warren
You can’t beat knowledge into a person’s head like a hammer beats a nail. It won’t work. You have to open a door and convince them that the world on the other side is worth checking out.
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery
Mark Van Doren
Similar to the last quote – the teacher should never lose sight of the fact that they are there to encourage learning.
Ideally, you want your Cambly students asking ‘why?’ Otherwise you may as well give them a textbook, and tell them to come back for the next one when they’re done.
It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not to fill the minds of students with facts… it is to teach them to think, if that is possible, and always to think for themselves
Robert Hutchins
Similar to what we were saying earlier, in regards to a good teacher’s words staying with you – you’re not taught to think, you’re taught how to think. You’ll carry that with you for the rest of your life. Here are 10 qualities of a good teacher.
Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task
Haim Ginott
You’ll often encounter adversity, through all walks of life. As a teacher, you’re willingly putting yourself into a position where you’ll be surrounded by frustration.
Students failing to understand, taking that out on you; you, struggling to convey an idea, feeling like you’re struggling – it’s difficult. But, if you’re lucky, every now and again, you’ll see something great.
No matter what accomplishments you achieve, somebody helped you
Althea Gibson
You are who you are because of other people; but in turn, you can be that person for someone else.
You might be the first person to show them they have talent, or a skill; you might be the first person to try to convince them to just try a littler harder, to hold on a little longer – you can change lives, if you put your mind to it.
Final thoughts on the Best Teacher Quotes…
If you're feeling inspired by this list of best teacher quotes, you may want to try teaching online through the various platforms below:
