The message: Any teacher can awaken a
student’s belief in themselves. Frost
10 INSPIRATIONAL
EDUCATION QUOTES
FOR EDUCATORS
EVERYWHERE
Teachers regularly inspire their students,
whether they are aware of it or not. But all
of us—even those in education—struggle
under the weight of doubt and anxiety
sometimes. We’re human, after
all. We’ve chosen to share these inspiring
teaching quotes with all you teachers out
there because there are two things you
need to know. First, we believe in
you, and second, you are not alone.
Enjoy these inspiring teaching quotes and
the messages they carry for you—the
teachers of the world—along with them.
“YOU ARE THE BOWS
FROM WHICH YOUR
CHILDREN AS LIVING
ARROWS ARE SENT
FORTH.”—KAHLIL GIBRAN
Lebanese artist and writer Kahlil Gibran’s
best-known book is The Prophet. This
quote is from the central character
Almustafa’s musings on parenthood, but it
applies just as well to the role of a teacher.
The message: As a teacher, you’re the
most important part of a young student’s
life. Your love of learning can be infectious
and inspiring to any student you teach.
Remember how you nurture the courage in
a pupil’s heart. You are a tutor, an enabler,
and a caregiver combined, and you can—
and will—make a difference.
“I AM NOT A TEACHER,
BUT AN AWAKENER.”—
ROBERT FROST
American Poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize
winner Robert Frost often examined
complex social and philosophical themes in
his work, but also the themes of rural life
and culture that were close to his heart. His
work truly awakened the hearts of many, so
this seems like a good one to include here.
encourages the idea of inspiring curiosity
and sparking the desire for knowing in
students. As a teacher, you are the best
guide for your students in the move towards
this kind of illumination. Get students
curious about discovering knowledge for
themselves, and focus on their interests
and inherent skills and natural talents.
“ONE CHILD, ONE
TEACHER, ONE BOOK, ONE
PEN CAN CHANGE THE
WORLD.”―MALALA
YOUSAFZAI
16-year-old Pakistani student Malala
Yousafazi was an advocate for students’
rights in her
hometown of Swat during a very dangerous
time of war and political upheaval. Malala
won the Nobel peace Prize in 2014. She
now lives in the United Kingdom where she
still attends school.
The message: If there’s anyone who is in a
position to bring positive change into the
world every day, it’s a teacher. Don’t ever
think that your efforts as a teacher are
insignificant and make no difference. There
is no telling what positive effect you will
have on someone’s life, especially a
student’s. Be brave, stay passionate about
your kids and your work, and don’t give
up—ever.
“I NEVER TEACH MY
PUPILS. I ONLY ATTEMPT
TO PROVIDE
THE CONDITIONS IN
WHICH THEY CAN
LEARN.”—ALBERT
EINSTEIN
Albert Einstein once claimed that if he was
presented with a problem and given one
hour to solve it, he’d spend 5 minutes on
the solution and the other 55 minutes
defining the problem. He was born to be a
teacher and lived his life and work with a
healthy mix of compassion and curiosity.
This is one of his lesser-known quotes, but
it fits the bill for sharing in this post.
The message: The best environments we
can provide for our students are the ones
that lead them to take responsibility for their
learning. What a difference it makes in a
student’s mind knowing that they’ve
discovered the answer for themselves, or
been able to create it if it wasn’t there.
“BETTER THAN A
THOUSAND DAYS OF
DILIGENT STUDY IS ONE
DAY WITH A GREAT
TEACHER.”—JAPANESE
PROVERB
Japanese wisdom never fails. Such a
timeless culture that has mastered so much
of the concept of self-awareness knows a
thing or two about teaching and learning.
This proverb is one of my favourites and
speaks to many of my own personal
experiences in education.
The message: Studying is an important
part of gaining an education, but reviewing
and internalizing facts and data will only get
a student so far. What they really crave are
those moments where they truly connect
with their teacher and learn a lesson that no
textbook or website could ever provide.
These are the priceless lessons of real life,
from someone who has had those
experiences and made the mistakes, and
grown as a human being because of them.
That’s you, and those experiences are like
gold to any student. Make them happen as
much as you possibly can.
“WHAT WE LEARN WITH
PLEASURE WE NEVER
FORGET.”—ALFRED
MERCIER
Alfred Mercier was a doctor and writer and
was part of a group responsible for
promoting an awareness of French
literature in Louisiana during the late 1800s.
This quote is one of his more well-known
musings on the value of inspired learning.
The message: Learning can be enjoyable
in every way for both teacher and student,
and it should be. When our students are
engaged and invested in their learning and
are truly having fun, that’s a big part of how
learning “sticks.” Teachers are in a perfect
position to make the learning environments
and experiences they provide for their
students highly enjoyable and deeply
memorable.
“THE BEAUTIFUL THING
ABOUT LEARNING IS THAT
NO ONE CAN TAKE IT
AWAY FROM YOU.”—B.B.
KING
One of the most soulful and influential blues
guitarists in history is B.B. King. This is
what the legendary “King of Blues” himself
had to say about the gift of learning.
The message: At the end of the day,
learning is a deeply personal experience.
When something is learned, understood,
and finally becomes transparent to the
learner, it is a very special kind of individual
accomplishment that changes that person
forever. The mind becomes refreshed and
more open, new neural connections are
formed, and curiosity expands. The more
we learn, the more we want to learn.
Both learning and the thirst for it are the
eternal gifts teachers give to each one of
their students. These gifts are
possessions a student never loses, and
which benefit them for life.
“ANYONE WHO DOES
ANYTHING TO HELP A
CHILD IN HIS LIFE IS A
HERO TO ME.”—FRED
ROGERS
We all knew him as the lovable host
of Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood, but few
know just how much the late Fred Rogers
did to push television networks to become
better nurturers of our youth. As a teacher
himself, he cared about the education and
well-being of children across the globe
immensely.
Check out this YouTube video and watch
Mr. Rogers calmly turn a condescending
hard-nosed U.S. senator into a kid all over
again.
The message: Teaching is by far one of
the more noble and influential professions
on the planet. Teachers help their students
every day to become better learners, better are golden. This is especially true of the
citizens, and in doing so become better moments when we teach successfully. It’s
teachers. Make no mistake—you’re a hero more than just imparting awareness and
to many children. Let that be one of the knowledge and building the skill to use it.
many reasons you continue to nurture the It’s about understanding as a teacher how
architects of the future. learning changes people. If a teacher truly
observes those wonderful moments and
remains present in them, learning will
happen for both teacher and student over
“THE IMPORTANT THING IS and over again, forever.
NOT SO MUCH THAT
EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE
TAUGHT, AS THAT EVERY
CHILD SHOULD BE GIVEN
THE WISH TO LEARN.”—
JOHN LUBBOCK

John Lubbock, the Lord Avebury, had his

hands in pretty much everything. He was
a banker,

politician, philanthropist, and scientist.

Lubbock was regarded as a polymath, or an
expert in many subjects and disciplines.
That alone gives him a close kinship to the
practice of being an educator. Teachers are
also called upon to demonstrate prowess in
many diverse subject areas, so Lubbock’s
wisdom fits nicely here.

The message: What Lubbock tells us here

doesn’t suggest that children should not be
taught. It comes down to what they’re
taught and how. This bit of advice reminds
us that developing the passion for lifelong
learning within students is the key to their
success.

“TO TEACH IS TO LEARN

TWICE OVER.”—JOSEPH
JOUBERT

Joseph Joubert was an essayist who wrote

many musings about the nature of human
existence and other profound subjects. All
of his insights were eventually published
into a posthumous masterwork known
as Pensées (Thoughts).

The message: Let this be your mantra now

and for the days to come—never stop
learning.

Joubert notes in this quote, and observed

much in his writing, that teaching moments