As we browse through our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds, we have all seen them. those succinct, motivational quips that, in no more than twenty words, capture the essence of the subject.
A few are sardonic, a few political, and yet others are adorable. They are smart, encouraging, cliched, or judgmental. They can make us happy, pause for a minute to reflect, feel vindicated, or hang our heads in shame.
However, the quotes about teaching—oh, the emotions, the thrill, the guilt, and the shame.
“Teaching is a work of heart!”
“It takes a big heart to help shape little minds.”
“Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.”
“The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.”
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
“A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.”
“Some teachers taught the curriculum today. Other teachers taught students today. And there’s a big difference.”
Though they can also have a negative side that makes you feel stressed and guilty, I know they are supposed to be uplifting and inspirational. When all you see is how teaching is the most wonderful, selfless, and amazing experience on the planet, and all you can think about is the enormous workload, the never-ending data meetings, and the raw nerve endings from that kid who drove you completely crazy today, it is very easy to fall into the trap of feeling inadequate.
Indeed, each and every one of these quotations is accurate, and we naturally take our work very seriously. People in this field are naturally very concerned about youth, their future, and their well-being. We really can’t help ourselves.
