--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mom was a teacher - I have the…" description: "\"My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the profession - we need great teachers - not poor or mediocre ones.\" — Condoleezza Rice" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/condoleezza-rice-807_great_my-mom-was-a-teacher-i-have-the-greatest_806210.jpg" --- # My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the… ![“My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the profession - we need great teachers - not poor or mediocre ones.” quote by Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/condoleezza-rice-807_great_my-mom-was-a-teacher-i-have-the-greatest_806210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/condoleezza-rice-807_great_my-mom-was-a-teacher-i-have-the-greatest_806210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/condoleezza-rice-807_great_my-mom-was-a-teacher-i-have-the-greatest_806210.jpg) > “My mom was a teacher - I have the greatest respect for the profession - we need great teachers - not poor or mediocre ones.” [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She calls for high‑quality teachers and condemns mediocrity in education. **In simple terms:** We need great teachers, not mediocre ones. Key Takeaway Support and demand excellent educators. Themes education quality leadership Mood concerned motivational Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - classroom reform - teacher training - parental advocacy Key Concepts teacher effectiveness public policy Questions to Reflect On - What measures can improve teacher standards? - How can communities support teachers? A Different Perspective Funding and policy constraints can limit teacher quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teacher/) [Great teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-teachers/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) ## Related quotes > [Every great leader is a great teacher, and the greatest leaders seize every opportunity to teach well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/every-great-leader-is-a-great-teacher-and-the-greatest-leaders-seize/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [To be a teacher is my greatest work of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-beuys/to-be-a-teacher-is-my-greatest-work-of-art/) [Joseph Beuys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-beuys/) > [My dad is a chemical engineer, and my mom was a teacher. They were pretty serious about education, but I always thought about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/my-dad-is-a-chemical-engineer-and-my-mom-was-a-teacher-they-were/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [I was a good student. My mom is a teacher, and her side of the family is all teachers. She put a big emphasis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-a-good-student-my-mom-is-a-teacher-and-her-side-of-the-family/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [The best teachers coach their students and the best coaches are great teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-teaff/the-best-teachers-coach-their-students-and-the-best-coaches-are-great/) Grant Teaff > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Take the teacher not the course. Find out who the great professors are - the great teachers - and take their courses because a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/take-the-teacher-not-the-course-find-out-who-the-great-professors-are/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [I have not seen that standardised tests make the profession less attractive, though some principals respond to them in a way that drives the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kopp/i-have-not-seen-that-standardised-tests-make-the-profession-less/) [Wendy Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kopp/) > [Teachers teach and students educate. Students are the only true educators. Historically, every other method of education has failed. Education occurs when students get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/teachers-teach-and-students-educate-students-are-the-only-true/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [The great teachers are always those who can live the tension. They are not criticizing everybody, they're not complaining. They give young people a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-great-teachers-are-always-those-who-can-live-the-tension-they-are/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Great teachers have high expectations for their students, but higher expectations for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-whitaker/great-teachers-have-high-expectations-for-their-students-but-higher/) Todd Whitaker > [Dogs are great teachers. They are at home in the world. 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My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Condoleezza Rice > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I remember at the time of 9/11 that there were women who went out of their way to escort Muslim women to grocery stores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-remember-at-the-time-of-9-11-that-there-were-women-who-went-out-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The first step for a leader is to be right with yourself. Integrity is the basis of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-first-step-for-a-leader-is-to-be-right-with-yourself-integrity-is/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. 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It's about taking territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/football-is-like-war-it-s-about-taking-territory/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I think there are plenty of men out there who are capable and accomplished in their own realm. You don't have to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-there-are-plenty-of-men-out-there-who-are-capable-and/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I've always said as a political scientist that "culture" is what we use when we can't explain things. I think it's more about accessibility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-ve-always-said-as-a-political-scientist-that-culture-is-what-we-use/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I believed Afghanistan was always going to be hard. It's the fifth poorest country in the world. And when you fly over it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-believed-afghanistan-was-always-going-to-be-hard-it-s-the-fifth/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I'm very glad my mother didn't let me quit piano lessons at age 10. 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