Inspirational Quotes for Teachers | List & Tips
Quotes from education experts, world leaders, and even celebrities provide valuable insights about the inspiring work of teachers. Whether you’re crafting faculty presentations, teacher appreciation messages, or essays on education, these quotes from scholarly sources and other leaders will motivate and inspire.
20 inspirational quotes for teachers
- “What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” —Paulo Freire, 20th century education philosopher and founder of the critical pedagogy movement
- “Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching, and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning.” —Paulo Freire
- “The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.” —Dorothea Dix, 19th century mental health activist
- “Adolescents need freedom to choose, but not so much freedom that they cannot, in fact, make a choice.” —Erik Erikson, 20th century child development expert
- “There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding.” —Erik Erikson
- “Children cannot be fooled by empty praise and condescending encouragement. They may have to accept artificial bolstering of their self-esteem in lieu of something better, but what I call their accruing ego identity gains real strength only from wholehearted and consistent recognition of real accomplishment, that is, achievement that has meaning in their culture.” —Erik Erikson
- “You can accomplish anything with students if you set high expectations for behavior and performance by which you yourself abide.” —Harry K. Wong, classroom management expert and author of The First Days of School
- “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” —Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and female education activist
- “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou, civil rights activist, poet, and author
- “At the center of the Universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything that we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service.” —Fred Rogers, host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and children’s advocate
- “Teaching is not just a profession; it’s a vocation, a calling to inspire, nurture, and empower the next generation. Let us work together to ensure that every child has the chance to learn, dream, and make a positive impact on our world.” —Sister Zeph, Global Teacher Prize winner 2023
- “Every child needs a champion, an adult who will never, ever give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the very best they can possibly be. And this is exactly why teachers will always matter.” —Keishia Thorpe, Global Teacher Prize winner 2021
- “I’m convinced that teaching language arts is one of the great careers: demanding of time and energy, but meaning-filled, worthwhile, and interesting. I get to demonstrate what is possible, teach what is useful, establish conditions that invite engagement, support the hard work of literary reading and writing, and enjoy the kind of relationships with adolescents that drew me to education in the first place. —Nancie Atwell, author of In the Middle: A Lifetime of Learning about Writing, Reading, and Adolescents and Global Teacher Prize winner 2015
- “As we observe children, we see the vitality of their spirit, the maximum effort put forth in all they do, the intuition, attention, and focus they bring to all life’s events, and the sheer joy they experience in living.” —Marie Montessori, founder of Montessori education and author of The Child, Society and the World
- “Once you do away with the idea of people as fixed, static entities, then you see that people can change, and there is hope.” —bell hooks, education theorist and writer
- “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.” —C. S. Lewis, author of the Chronicles of Narnia
- “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” —Albert Einstein
- “It is not how much money we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five. It’s whether or not our work fulfills us. Being a teacher is meaningful.” —Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers and Revenge of the Tipping Point
- “Our children are the living messages we send to a world we will never see.” —Elijah Cummings, US representative and civil rights advocate
- “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” —John Dewey, 19th/20th century philosopher and educational reformer
When you’re confirming the source of a quote, look for evidence of the speech or publication where the quote originated. If you can’t locate the source, consider using a different inspirational quote. Anonymous quotes are usually not credible sources.
Writing tips for quotes about teachers
Whether you’re using inspirational quotes in essays, PowerPoint presentations, or personal messages, the following best practices will add polish to your writing.
- Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the speaker’s full name and a verb.
- Use quotation marks to show where the quote begins and ends.
- Place the period that ends the quote before the final quotation marks (unless you’re using a parenthetical citation between the quotation and the sentence’s final punctuation).
- In formal essays, cite a quote by following the APA citation guide, MLA citation guide, or whichever citation format your instructor requires.
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker and Citation Generator can help you integrate famous quotes seamlessly into your own writing.
Frequently asked questions about inspirational quotes for teachers
- When should you use motivational quotes for teachers?
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Motivational quotes for teachers are useful in the following situations:
- Presentations for faculty meetings, teacher training sessions, and professional development
- Emails and memos addressed to faculty (e.g., weekly updates from the principal)
- Teacher appreciation messages from parents and students
- Reflection essays or personal statements for teacher preparation coursework
When you’re writing with motivational or inspirational quotes for teachers, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
- How do you use quotes in an essay?
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Correct use of quotes in an essay can lift it above the normal and attract higher grades. Quotes are vital in backing up your argument or illustrating your point. You should aim to integrate or embed your quotes in your writing.
Consider this comment on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot:
“Prufrock realizes when he sees ‘the eternal Footman hold his coat,’ that he is approaching death, and he is overwhelmed by a sense of failure and fear. Failure because his achievements are no more than a ‘moment of …greatness’ that has flickered out, and fear because he has ‘seen the eternal Footman …snicker,’ suggesting that what he faces in the afterlife is to be feared. This is confirmed in the last half line of the stanza, ‘in short I was afraid.”
Here, the quotations flow naturally as part of the point that is being made. There’s lots more to be said on the subject of paraphrasing and summarizing which is worth researching.
QuillBot’s Notepad is a great place to note your quotations as you research your essay, making them easy to locate and use. Additionally, QuillBot’s Word Counter tool can help you effectively track the word count of your quotes to ensure your writing doesn’t rely on too many quotations.
- Should I put a period before or after quotation marks?
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Typically, a period goes before the ending quotation marks in American English.
Periods with quotation marks examples (American English) The principal said the teacher was “an exemplar of the profession.”She told me, “If I leave, I’m never coming back.”
However, in British English, the period only goes inside the quotation marks if the quotation itself is a full sentence. Otherwise, it goes outside. Additionally, British English typically uses single quotation marks instead of double.
Periods with quotation marks examples (British English) The principal said the teacher was ‘an exemplar of the profession’.She told me, ‘If I leave, I’m never coming back.’
Try QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using punctuation correctly.
- What are some examples of quotes for teachers from students?
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Some examples of quotes for teachers from students include the following words from famous writers who have described the impact of their education and teachers.
“I like myself better when I’m with you.” —Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie
“One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” —Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and female education activist
“Many teachers are incredible innovators constantly looking to push the envelope of education, shake up the system, and inspire students.” —John Legend, songwriter, music producer, and philanthropist
When you’re writing with inspirational quotes for teachers, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors. QuillBot’s free Plagiarism Checker can also help you ensure that you’ve given proper credit to sources of inspirational quotes.
