Teaching Philosophy Quotes, Attributed and Sorted by Use
Teaching philosophy quotes are short lines about the purpose of education and the role of the teacher, used to open or support a teaching philosophy statement. This list is sorted by what each line argues, with sources, and flags the popular misattributions.
Quotes on the Purpose of Education
“I believe that education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.”
— John Dewey, “My Pedagogic Creed” (1897)
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela, speech at Mindset Network launch, Johannesburg (2003)
Quotes on the Teacher’s Role
“Teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”
— Mark Van Doren, Liberal Education (1943)
“I have come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.”
— Haim Ginott, Teacher and Child (1972)
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
— Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams (1907)
Quotes on Student-Centered Learning
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.'”
— Maria Montessori
Misattributed Quotes to Avoid
“If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow” is credited to Dewey, but it does not appear in his writing. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” is credited to Aristotle without a source. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” is credited to Yeats, but it paraphrases Plutarch.
Using a Quote in a Teaching Philosophy Statement
A teaching philosophy statement is usually one to two pages. Most reviewers prefer your own claims backed by classroom examples, so use at most one quote and explain how it shapes what you do.
Related: teaching quotes, inspirational teacher quotes, and education quotes.
FAQ
What is a good quote for a teaching philosophy?
Dewey’s line that education is a process of living is sourced and states a clear position you can build on.
Did Dewey say if we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s?
No source for it has been found in his writing.
Should a teaching philosophy start with a quote?
It can, but a specific classroom example is usually stronger.