51 Inspirational Teacher Quotes for a Lifetime of Education

It’s no secret that teachers are the backbone of the educational system. Every one of us should be thankful for the men and women that have sacrificed time and patience to help educate young minds. There are endless teacher quotes (and memes!) and all of them have one purpose in mind…to inspire and motivate to be their best.

Even with changes such as at-home learning in 2020, teachers are nimble and were forced to adjust their curriculum and education planning in a short amount of time. Help honor and salute teachers by sharing any of these 51 teacher quotes on social media. I hope you enjoy them!

1) Let the teacher quotes begin!

"A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary." - Thomas Carruthers
Twitter / @fayaz_king

“A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary.” – Thomas Carruthers

2)

"A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Adams
Pinterest

“A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Adams

3) Motivational teacher quotes for students to succeed.

"All students can learn and succeed, but not in the same way and not in the same day." - William G. Spady
Twitter / @danielkids

“All students can learn and succeed, but not in the same way and not in the same day.” – William G. Spady

4)

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice. If you are planning for a decade, plant trees. If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people." - Chinese Proverb
Pinterest

“If you are planning for a year, sow rice. If you are planning for a decade, plant trees. If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” – Chinese Proverb

5) Nothing but the best inspirational teacher quotes.

"The best teachers are the ones that change their minds." - Terry Heick
itsallyouboo.com

“The best teachers are the ones that change their minds.” – Terry Heick

6)

"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." - Socrates
Pinterest

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” – Socrates

7)

"One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai
Twitter / @euromedhr

“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

8) Good teacher quotes that inspire both students and teachers.

"Children learn best when they like their teacher, and they think their teacher likes them." - Gordon Neufeld
Twitter / @mrsmcintyre1m

“Children learn best when they like their teacher, and they think their teacher likes them.” – Gordon Neufeld

9)

"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit." - John Steinbeck
idlehearts.com

“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” – John Steinbeck

10) These teacher quotes are lit!

"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire." - W.B. Yeats
Twitter / @floridaliteracy

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats

11)

"I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good teacher." - Temple Grandin
Twitter / @teachforamerica

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good teacher.” – Temple Grandin

12)

"The fact that you worry about being a good teacher means that you already are one." - Jodi Picoult
Facebook / The Teacher Next Door

“The fact that you worry about being a good teacher means that you already are one.” – Jodi Picoult

13)

"Failure is a great teacher, and I think when you make mistakes and you recover from them and you treat them as valuable learning experiences, then you've got something to share." - Steve Harvey
idlehearts.com

“Failure is a great teacher, and I think when you make mistakes and you recover from them and you treat them as valuable learning experiences, then you’ve got something to share.” – Steve Harvey

14)

"Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch." - Judy Blume
Pinterest

“Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch.” – Judy Blume

15) I hope you enjoy these teacher quotes by great leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.!

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Facebook / Communities in Schools of Bradford County

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

16)

"A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." - Brad Henry
passiton.com

“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” – Brad Henry

17)

"A key to growing as a teacher is to keep company mainly with teachers who uplift you, whose presence inspire you and whose dedication drives you." - Robert John Meehan
Pinterest

“A key to growing as a teacher is to keep company mainly with teachers who uplift you, whose presence inspire you and whose dedication drives you.” – Robert John Meehan

18)

"Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together." - Scott Hayden
Pinterest

“Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together.” – Scott Hayden

19)

"I am not a teacher, but an awakened." - Robert Frost
Pinterest

“I am not a teacher, but an awakened.” – Robert Frost

20) Teacher quotes with attitude.

"If you don’t like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." - Maya Angelou
quotespedia.org

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou

21) Teacher Quotes by Aristotle

"Teaching is the highest form of understanding." - Aristotle
flickr.com

“Teaching is the highest form of understanding.” – Aristotle

22)

"Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach." - Aristotle
quotestoenjoy.com

“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” – Aristotle

23)

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." - Aristotle
passiton.com

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle

24)

"Education doesn't just make us smarter. It makes us whole." - Dr. Jill Biden
Twitter / @teachingchannel

“Education doesn’t just make us smarter. It makes us whole.” – Dr. Jill Biden

25) Quotes about good teachers that impact of lives forever.

"Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students." - Solomon Ortiz
idlehearts.com

“Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” – Solomon Ortiz

26)

"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best." - Bob Talbert
passiton.com

“Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” – Bob Talbert

27)

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework." - Lily Tomlin
Pinterest

“I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.” – Lily Tomlin

28)

"The best teacher lodges an intent not in the mind but in the heart." - Anne Michaels
idlehearts.com

“The best teacher lodges an intent not in the mind but in the heart.” – Anne Michaels

29)

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward
passiton.com

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward

30) Caring teacher quotes from Helen Keller.

"A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers." - Helen Keller
Facebook / Platinum Edge Tutoring

“A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers.” – Helen Keller

31) Teacher Quotes by Albert Einstein

"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." - Albert Einstein
Pinterest

“I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” – Albert Einstein

32)

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." - Albert Einstein
myteacherstogo

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

33)

"Nine-tenths of education is encouragement." - Anatole France
quotationcelebration

“Nine-tenths of education is encouragement.” – Anatole France

34)

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." - Carl Jung
Pinterest

“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” – Carl Jung

35) Prepare for your future with inpirational teacher quotes.

"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X
Twitter / @ontuniv

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

36)

"If some students are unresponsive, maybe you can't teach them yet, but you can love them. And if you love them today, maybe you can teach them tomorrow." - Jeffrey R Holland
Facebook / AB Consultancy – Disability and Education

“If some students are unresponsive, maybe you can’t teach them yet, but you can love them. And if you love them today, maybe you can teach them tomorrow.” – Jeffrey R Holland

37)

"Sometimes the greatest PD is the teacher down the hall." - Brian Aspinall
Facebook / teach.NSW

“Sometimes the greatest PD is the teacher down the hall.” – Brian Aspinall

38)

"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts." - C. S. Lewis
Twitter / @misditech

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” – C. S. Lewis

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39)

"A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audience's attention, then he can teach his lesson." - John Henrik Clarke
Pinterest

“A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audience’s attention, then he can teach his lesson.” – John Henrik Clarke

40) Teacher quotes that say “thank you” to all the teachers out there.

"Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition." - Jacques Barzun
Pinterest

“Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.” – Jacques Barzun

41)

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin
passiton.com

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

42)

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." - Mark Van Doren
Twitter / @teachingchannel

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” – Mark Van Doren

43)

"They may forget what you said but they will not forget how you made them feel." - Carl Buechner
Pinterest

“They may forget what you said but they will not forget how you made them feel.” – Carl Buechner

44)

"The best thing about being a teacher is that it matters. The hardest thing about being a teacher is that it matters every day." - Todd Whitaker
Pinterest

“The best thing about being a teacher is that it matters. The hardest thing about being a teacher is that it matters every day.” – Todd Whitaker

45) Teacher quotes that celebrate the passion for teaching.

"To teach is to learn twice over." - Joseph Joubert
Pinterest

“To teach is to learn twice over.” – Joseph Joubert

46) Short teacher quotes that get straight to the point.

"I touch the future. I teach." - Christa McAuliffe
Pinterest

“I touch the future. I teach.” – Christa McAuliffe

47) Oh no! We’ve almost reached the end of teacher quotes…

"I was lucky that I met the right mentors and teachers at the right moment." - James Levine
idlehearts.com

“I was lucky that I met the right mentors and teachers at the right moment.” – James Levine

48)

"When one teaches, two learn." - Robert Heinlein
inspiringlearners.co.in

“When one teaches, two learn.” – Robert Heinlein

49)

"The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind." - Kahlil Gibran
Pinterest

“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” – Kahlil Gibran

50)

"You never stop learning. If you have a teacher, you never stop being a student." - Elisabeth Rohm
quoteslyfe.com

“You never stop learning. If you have a teacher, you never stop being a student.” – Elisabeth Rohm

51) I hope you enjoyed these teacher quotes!

"The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don't tell you what to see." - Alexandra K. Trenfor
Reddit

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” – Alexandra K. Trenfor

Please share these teacher quotes with your friends and family.

Last update on 2024-12-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API