14 Quotes From Teachers That Will Inspire You To Change The World

When it comes to underrated jobs, teaching has to be one of the most undervalued job that there is. They work ridiculous hours with insane amounts of pressure, only to have people constantly joke about their vacation time. I mean, why would the people who are literally shaping the minds of our youth not be some of the most valued and well paid people in the entire country? Why are so many of them spending what is already a too-small paycheck on classroom supplies that underfunded schools can't provide? It's shocking.

But if you really want to feel inspired, listen to a teacher talk about teaching. The way that they shoulder the responsibilities of the classroom with the unending conviction that they can change the world is nothing short of inspiring. And more than that, it will remind you of the power of education— and make you want to try and change the world yourself.

Because with teaching, there's a sense of the future— and the sense that anything is possible. Just like a teacher shapes minds for future success that we can't even begin to predict now, you'll feel like the seeds you plant now can lead to anything in the future. And it can. Because if teachers, with all the stress and adversity they face, can still manage to persevere with grace and with optimism, then you should be able to do the same. So let their optimism inspire you and remind you of the huge difference that one person can make.

"Students who are loved at home, come to school to learn, and students who aren't, come to school to be loved."

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

"A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart."

"The best teachers are those who show you were to look, but don't tell you what to see."

"Don't struggle to be a better teacher than everybody else. Simply be a better teacher than you ever thought you could be."

"What a teacher is, is more important that what he teacher."

"Teacher affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops."

"Teaching is the greatest act of optimism."

"A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron."

"Teacher confession: Once a child is in my class, I always refer to them as 'one of my kids'— even when they are grown!"

"The future of the world is in my classroom."

"Our job is to teach the student we have. Not the ones we would like to have. Not the ones we used to have. Those we have right now. All of them."

"The best thing about being a teach is that it matters. The hardest thing about being a teacher is that it matters every day."

"Teacher who love teaching... teach children to love learning."

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Their words are uplifting and an important reminder that anything can happen in the future. And just think for a moment of everything teachers have to do. Not only do they teach, they play so many other roles. They are mentors, protectors, role models, and it's not unusual for them to have to step in and play the role as a parent. All with long hours, administrative duties, pushy parents, and the internal politics of the school system— not to mention standardized tests that they are increasingly pressure to teach to. It's a thankless job, that deserves so much more gratitude than we can possibly give it.

So if you ever doubt your ability to change the world, all you need to do is remember these quotes from teachers. If they can have endless optimism in the face of adversity, then you can to. So let them inspire you to dream bigger and try harder. Because just like teachers, the influence that you put into place now can turn into huge rewards in the future. But, again like teachers, it's going to take a huge amount of work and a lot of grit. But that you can do, the important thing is that you aren't afraid to to try. You need to go for it in the first place to see the changes that you can make in the long run. And once you start trying, you have to keep trying.

Know any teachers who could use a little inspiration? SHARE this with them!

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