--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of us believe, or should believe…" description: "\"Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child can learn, given the opportunity, but try substitute teaching just once and you will see firsth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg" --- # Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child… ![“Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child can learn, given the opportunity, but try substitute teaching just once and you will see firsthand the socioeconomic issues that distract our kids from taking advantage of that opportunity.” quote by John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg) > “Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child can learn, given the opportunity, but try substitute teaching just once and you will see firsthand the socioeconomic issues that distract our kids from taking advantage of that opportunity.” [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opportunity alone isn’t enough; socioeconomic barriers hinder children’s learning despite potential. **In simple terms:** Kids need both chance and support to learn. Key Takeaway Address socioeconomic barriers. Themes education inequality opportunity Mood determined hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - schools - policy\_making - community\_programs Key Concepts politics social\_policy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can schools mitigate socioeconomic distractions? - What policies ensure equal learning chances? A Different Perspective Resources may be unevenly distributed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) ## Related quotes > [We need to reward the 'thankless job' of substitute teaching with better pay and chances for permanent positions. I look forward to the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/we-need-to-reward-the-thankless-job-of-substitute-teaching-with/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I did end up doing substitute teaching, but there's not a lot of teaching involved in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-barry/i-did-end-up-doing-substitute-teaching-but-there-s-not-a-lot-of/) [Todd Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-barry/) > [The secret of substitute teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you learned this afternoon. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-sutter/the-secret-of-substitute-teaching-is-to-appear-to-have-known-all-your/) [Rick Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-sutter/) > [Ineffective substitute teaching is a problem that means thousands of hours of lost learning for America's students. It cannot be dismissed with a sigh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/ineffective-substitute-teaching-is-a-problem-that-means-thousands-of/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [Zen is not some fancy, special art of living. Our teaching is just to live, always in reality, in its exact sense. To make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/zen-is-not-some-fancy-special-art-of-living-our-teaching-is-just-to-2/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Teaching is just something that has come naturally to me. I didn't set out to be a teacher. I wanted to be a Beatle!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/teaching-is-just-something-that-has-come-naturally-to-me-i-didn-t-set/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [I am not teaching you anything. I just help you to explore yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/i-am-not-teaching-you-anything-i-just-help-you-to-explore-yourself/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Most teachers in America could dramatically improve their teaching if they just made every second count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-moskowitz/most-teachers-in-america-could-dramatically-improve-their-teaching-if/) [Eva Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-moskowitz/) > [My kids have become wonderful dancers themselves and enjoy teaching just as much as I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-burgess/my-kids-have-become-wonderful-dancers-themselves-and-enjoy-teaching/) Bobby Burgess > [They call it coaching but it is teaching. You do not just tell them...you show them the reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/they-call-it-coaching-but-it-is-teaching-you-do-not-just-tell-them/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [I had this feeling that, somehow, we ought to be teaching not just the history of particular nations or particular regions, but the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/i-had-this-feeling-that-somehow-we-ought-to-be-teaching-not-just-the/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [There are other letters for the child to learn than those which Cadmus invented. The Spaniards have a good term to express this wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-are-other-letters-for-the-child-to-learn-than-those-which/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every child can learn, and we mean it... excuses are not good enough, we need results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-paige/every-child-can-learn-and-we-mean-it-excuses-are-not-good-enough-we/) [Rod Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-paige/) > [When you are a child you learn your alphabet, your numbers, but increasingly, we must learn from the earliest stages that the highest priority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/when-you-are-a-child-you-learn-your-alphabet-your-numbers-but/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [“A child should learn from early on what kind of activity supported his daily life, and he should appreciate the importance of labor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/a-child-should-learn-from-early-on-what-kind-of-activity-supported/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by John Kennedy > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I think the FBI is the premier law enforcement agency in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-fbi-is-the-premier-law-enforcement-agency-in-all-of-human/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [If you believe that tax policy has nothing to do with the economy, then you're pretty much like a rock, only dumber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/if-you-believe-that-tax-policy-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-economy/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I think the American people, with some justification, think that most politicians live in la-la land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-american-people-with-some-justification-think-that-most/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Just because you've seen 'My Cousin Vinny' doesn't qualify you to be a federal judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/just-because-you-ve-seen-my-cousin-vinny-doesn-t-qualify-you-to-be-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Jurisdictions across the U.S. are snapping up algorithms as tools to help judges make bail and bond decisions. They're being sold as race- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/jurisdictions-across-the-u-s-are-snapping-up-algorithms-as-tools-to/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I happen to believe there is evil in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-happen-to-believe-there-is-evil-in-the-world/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [In theory, the MSRB is supposed to protect the public interest, investors, and state and local governments. In practice, the MSRB membership structure is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/in-theory-the-msrb-is-supposed-to-protect-the-public-interest/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I would rather drink weedkiller than support Obamacare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-would-rather-drink-weedkiller-than-support-obamacare/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [The Second Amendment is just as important as all the other Amendments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/the-second-amendment-is-just-as-important-as-all-the-other-amendments/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [The Democratic position seems to be everything is going to be free. Free education. Free health care. Free housing. Free love. Free kittens, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/the-democratic-position-seems-to-be-everything-is-going-to-be-free/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I don't know a country in the world that doesn't have borders and doesn't want to know who is coming into their country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-know-a-country-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-borders-and/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [This is America. You're entitled to believe what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/this-is-america-you-re-entitled-to-believe-what-you-want/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I don't like to be bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-like-to-be-bored/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [What I think we need to do is pass a bill that says number one, you own your data. Number two, you can license…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/what-i-think-we-need-to-do-is-pass-a-bill-that-says-number-one-you/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) [Explore all 95 John Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child can learn, given the opportunity, but try substitute teaching just once and you will see firsthand the socioeconomic issues that distract our kids from taking advantage of that opportunity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-that-every-child-can-learn-given/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-that-every-child-can-learn-given/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/john-kennedy-6970_believe_most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-tha_2236418.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most of us believe, or should believe, that every child can learn, given the opportunity, but try substitute…” — John Kennedy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most of us believe, or should...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-that-every-child-can-learn-given/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/most-of-us-believe-or-should-believe-that-every-child-can-learn-given/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```