We have to do a far better job of teaching our teachers…
““We have to do a far better job of teaching our teachers. The great teachers—the teachers who influence you, who change your lives—almost always, I’m sure, are the teachers who love what they are teaching. It is that wonderful teacher who says, “Come over here and look in this microscope, you’re really going to get a kick out of this.” There was a wonderful professor of child psychology at the University of Pittsburgh named Margaret McFarland. I wish her ideas were better known. She said that attitudes aren’t taught, they’re caught. If the teacher has enthusiasm for the subject at hand, the student catches that, be it in second grade or graduate school. She said, “Show them what you love.” Also, if the teachers know what they””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Great teachers inspire through passion; attitudes are caught, not taught, emphasizing enthusiasm’s contagious effect.
In simple terms: Great teachers inspire through love of subject.
Key Takeaway
Teach with passion.
Themes
education
inspiration
mentorship
Mood
hopeful
encouraging
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- classroom teaching
- mentoring programs
- workshops
Key Concepts
Modeling
emotional contagion
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you foster passion in a reluctant learner?
- What role does teacher enthusiasm play in student success?
A Different Perspective
Not all teachers can convey enthusiasm equally.