Other Pieces of Teacher Wisdom, Quoted

"I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized."
- Dr. Haim Ginott

"We learn by teaching."
- James Howell

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence."
- Helen Keller

"A very wise old teacher once said: 'I consider a day's teaching wasted if we do not all have one hearty laugh.' He meant that when people laugh together, they cease to be young and old, master and pupils, jailer and prisoners. They become a single group of human beings enjoying its existence."
- Gilbert Highet (I had this moment when I completely tanked on the new version of the alphabet song and had my kids in hysterics)


And finally, a piece of wisdom from the wisest person I know-

"Don't drink too much."
- my mother