--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best education I received was working…" description: "\"The best education I received was working with people in the community on a grassroots basis. Because what it taught me was that ordinary people, when ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/barack-obama-17_bases_the-best-education-i-received-was-workin_3009000.jpg" --- # The best education I received was working with people in… ![“The best education I received was working with people in the community on a grassroots basis. Because what it taught me was that ordinary people, when they are working together can do extraordinary things.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/barack-obama-17_bases_the-best-education-i-received-was-workin_3009000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/barack-obama-17_bases_the-best-education-i-received-was-workin_3009000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/barack-obama-17_bases_the-best-education-i-received-was-workin_3009000.jpg) > “The best education I received was working with people in the community on a grassroots basis. Because what it taught me was that ordinary people, when they are working together can do extraordinary things.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grassroots collaboration teaches that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary outcomes together. **In simple terms:** Working together lets ordinary people do great things. Key Takeaway Engage locally to create big change. Themes community collaboration empowerment grassroots leadership Mood hopeful energetic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - neighborhood projects - local elections - volunteer initiatives Key Concepts social capital collective efficacy civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can we sustain grassroots momentum? - What barriers hinder community cooperation? A Different Perspective Success depends on sustained participation and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Best education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-education/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-grassroots-4815034/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Extraordinary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary-things/) [Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-ordinary-4815035/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Working Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-extraordinary-781805/) [Working together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-together/) ## Related quotes > [Most brilliance arises from ordinary people working together in extraordinary ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/most-brilliance-arises-from-ordinary-people-working-together-in/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [I want to make sure we've got the best education system in the world, and were retaining our workers for the jobs of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-make-sure-we-ve-got-the-best-education-system-in-the-world/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In order for us to compete with China, we've also got to make sure, though, that we're taking - taking care of business here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-order-for-us-to-compete-with-china-we-ve-also-got-to-make-sure/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to make sure America has got the best education system in the world. And we're retaining our workers for the jobs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-make-sure-america-has-got-the-best-education-system-in-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I invigorated the grassroots in the Republican Party as well as the Democratic Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-invigorated-the-grassroots-in-the-republican-party-as-well-as-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [One of the issues the Democrats have to be clear on is the given population distribution across the country. We have to compete everywhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-issues-the-democrats-have-to-be-clear-on-is-the-given/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Change won't come from the top, Change will come from mobilized grassroots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/change-won-t-come-from-the-top-change-will-come-from-mobilized/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ I think \[ unpopular presidential candidates \] indicates, at least on the Democratic side, that we've got more work to do to strengthen our grassroots networks. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-unpopular-presidential-candidates-indicates-at-least-on-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I was elected because I believed in what we call "grassroots politics," politics from the bottom up, not the top down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-elected-because-i-believed-in-what-we-call-grassroots-politics/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [And let me say this as a politician I can promise you this, political leaders will never take risks if the people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-let-me-say-this-as-a-politician-i-can-promise-you-this-political-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-change-is-brought-about-because-ordinary-people-do-extraordinary/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [And let me say this as a politician I can promise you this, political leaders will never take risks if the people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-let-me-say-this-as-a-politician-i-can-promise-you-this-political/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A change is brought because ordinary people do extraordinary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-change-is-brought-because-ordinary-people-do-extraordinary-things/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What a vindication of the belief that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, what a reminder of what Bobby Kennedy once said, about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-a-vindication-of-the-belief-that-ordinary-people-can-do/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The best education in the world is that got by struggling to get a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/the-best-education-in-the-world-is-that-got-by-struggling-to-get-a/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . 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