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Education Quote by Ken Bain

“Sure, they became frustrated with students at times and occasionally displayed impatience, but because they were willing to face the failures of teaching and believed in their capacity to solve problems, they tried not to become defensive with their students or build a wall around themselves…” quote by Ken Bain
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““Sure, they became frustrated with students at times and occasionally displayed impatience, but because they were willing to face the failures of teaching and believed in their capacity to solve problems, they tried not to become defensive with their students or build a wall around themselves. Instead, they tried to take their students seriously as human beings and treated them the way they might treat any colleague, with fairness, compassion, and concern. That approach found reflection in what they taught, how they taught it, and how they evaluated students, but it also appeared in attempts to understand their students’ lives, cultures, and aspirations. It even emerged in their willingness to see their students outside of class.””

Ken Bain

About This Quote

Source Book: "What the Best College Teachers Do", 2004

Effective teachers stay open, treat students as peers, and seek to understand their lives, fostering fairness and compassion.

In simple terms: Good teachers are empathetic and collaborative.

Key Takeaway

Practice empathy in teaching.

Themes

education empathy collaboration

Mood

thoughtful hopeful inspirational

Type

educational philosophical

When to use this quote

  • classroom interaction
  • student mentorship
  • cultural awareness
  • assessment
  • feedback

Key Concepts

pedagogy humanistic teaching

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can teachers balance empathy with authority?
  • What practices sustain fairness?
A Different Perspective

Too much empathy may blur professional boundaries.

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