Good teaching must be slow enough so that it is not confusing, and fast enough so that it is not boring.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
In the education of children there is nothing like alluring the interest and affection, otherwise you only make so many asses laden with books.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
The man who can make hard things easy is the educator.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Your Master Teacher knows all you need to learn, the perfect timing for your learning it, and the ideal way of teaching it to you. You don’t create a Master Teacher—that’s already been done. You discover your Master Teacher.
—Peter McWilliams (1949–2000) American Author, Activist
I swear… to hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture.
—Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) Ancient Greek Physician
The real difficulty, the difficulty which has baffled the sages of all times, is rather this: how can we make our teaching so potent in the motional life of man, that its influence should withstand the pressure of the elemental psychic forces in the individual?
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
To be good is noble, but to teach others how to be good is nobler and less trouble.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
First he wrought, and afterward he taught.
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400) English Poet, Philosopher, Diplomat, Bureaucrat
Once more I would adopt the graver style—a teacher should be sparing of his smile.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
He who undertakes to be his own teacher has a fool for a pupil.
—German Proverb
In teaching others we teach ourselves.
—Common Proverb
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.
—Japanese Proverb
A gifted teacher is as rare as a gifted doctor, and makes far less money.
—Unknown
The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.
—Indian Proverb
Those who educate children well are more to be honored than even their parents, for these only give them life, those the art of living well.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
The highest function of the teacher consists not so much in imparting knowledge as in stimulating the pupil in its love and pursuit.
—Unknown
You can’t teach a hunter it’s wrong to kill.
—Baba Hari Dass (1923–2018) Indian-American Yogi, Hindu Monk
The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-distrust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciple.
—Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888) American Teacher, Writer, Philosopher
Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.
—Jacques Barzun (b.1907) French-born American Historian, Philosophers
The first duty of a lecturer is to hand you after an hour’s discourse a nugget of pure truth to wrap up between the pages of your notebooks and keep on the mantelpiece forever.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
A schoolteacher or professor cannot educate individuals, he educates only species.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Whatever you teach, be brief; what is quickly said the mind readily receives and faithfully retains, while everything superfluous runs over as from a full container. Who knows much says least.
—Common Proverb
A schoolmaster should have an atmosphere of awe, and walk wonderingly, as if he was amazed at being himself.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
Never offer to teach a fish to swim.
—Common Proverb
We love the precepts for the teacher’s sake.
—George Farquhar (1677–1707) Irish Dramatist
To know how to suggest is the great art of teaching. To attain it we must be able to guess what will interest; we must learn to read the childish soul as we might a piece of music. Then, by simply changing the key, we keep up the attraction and vary the song.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
Why are we never quite at ease in the presence of a schoolmaster? Because we are conscious that he is not quite at his ease in ours. He is awkward, and out of place in the society of his equals. He comes like Gulliver from among his little people, and he cannot fit the stature of his understanding to yours.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
The one exclusive sign of a thorough knowledge is the power of teaching.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar