--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do think we know that a teacher who…" description: "\"I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critica..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg" --- # I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she… ![“I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critical piece of closing the achievement gap.” quote by Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg) > “I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critical piece of closing the achievement gap.” [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective teachers who master content and pedagogy are essential to narrowing the achievement gap between students. **In simple terms:** Good teachers help close achievement gaps. Key Takeaway Invest in teacher development and support. Themes education equity teacher quality achievement gap Mood optimistic determined Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - school reform - teacher training - curriculum design - policy advocacy Key Concepts pedagogy content mastery student outcomes Questions to Reflect On - How can schools better support teachers? - What policies most impact teacher effectiveness? A Different Perspective Even skilled teachers need systemic resources and supportive environments to succeed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Achievement gap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement-gap/) [Closing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closing/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Gaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaps/) [Impart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impart/) [Impart Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impart-knowledge-758316/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Know Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-teacher-1466124/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Subject matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subject-matter/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-knows-1070110/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The teaching thing, the one where I have to impart my knowledge, is probably what comes the least naturally to me because I'm an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/the-teaching-thing-the-one-where-i-have-to-impart-my-knowledge-is/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [What I learned in my time isn't necessarily being taught now, and I'd like to help impart that knowledge to a new generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/what-i-learned-in-my-time-isn-t-necessarily-being-taught-now-and-i-d/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Anthroposophy does not want to impart knowledge. It seeks to awaken life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-steiner/anthroposophy-does-not-want-to-impart-knowledge-it-seeks-to-awaken/) [Rudolf Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-steiner/) > [Self-confidence results, first, from exact knowledge; second, the ability to impart that knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/self-confidence-results-first-from-exact-knowledge-second-the-ability/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The primary goal of management education was, as originally conceived, to impart knowledge that could be applied to a variety of real-world business situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-bennis/the-primary-goal-of-management-education-was-as-originally-conceived/) [Warren Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-bennis/) > [We want to obviously foster a relationship that we're a partner with states; that we all share the same goals of closing the achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/we-want-to-obviously-foster-a-relationship-that-we-re-a-partner-with/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [I mean, one thing I know about change is we are not going to close the achievement gap without educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-mean-one-thing-i-know-about-change-is-we-are-not-going-to-close-the/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [“To impart knowledge onto someone else, you have to have the wisdom and knowledge yourself in order to do so !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostle-paul/to-impart-knowledge-onto-someone-else-you-have-to-have-the-wisdom-and/) [Apostle Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostle-paul/) > [Government should take necessary steps to add music into school syllabus and impart knowledge to the students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/government-should-take-necessary-steps-to-add-music-into-school/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [The most successful classes are those where the teacher has a clear idea of what is expected from the students and the students know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-wong/the-most-successful-classes-are-those-where-the-teacher-has-a-clear/) [Harry Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-wong/) > [“I didn't know you were held back." "I was." "I didn't know you could be a teacher if you were held back." "You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-byars-betsy-duffy-laurie-myers/i-didn-t-know-you-were-held-back-i-was-i-didn-t-know-you-could-be-a/) [Betsy Byars; Betsy Duffy; Laurie Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-byars-betsy-duffy-laurie-myers/) > [Education is what you learn in books, and nobody knows you know it but your teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-cary-hudson/education-is-what-you-learn-in-books-and-nobody-knows-you-know-it-but/) [Virginia Cary Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-cary-hudson/) > [I liked my teacher very much and after some years of mediation, I began to teach meditation, referring all things that I didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-liked-my-teacher-very-much-and-after-some-years-of-mediation-i/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“What I call my philosophy of teaching is in fact a philosophy of learning. It comes out of Plato, modified. Before true learning can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/what-i-call-my-philosophy-of-teaching-is-in-fact-a-philosophy-of/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [Grade School Class studying Religion Teacher: Peter, can you tell me who is Jesus Christ? Peter: I don't know teacher maybe he is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jing/grade-school-class-studying-religion-teacher-peter-can-you-tell-me/) [Jing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jing/) ## More by Margaret Spellings > [Higher education is confronting challenges, like the economy is, about the need for a higher number of more adequately trained, more highly educated citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/higher-education-is-confronting-challenges-like-the-economy-is-about/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [I think it'd be useful for parents to know kind of what is the culture of an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-think-it-d-be-useful-for-parents-to-know-kind-of-what-is-the/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [It's a hard process to navigate... to figure out where your kid ought to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/it-s-a-hard-process-to-navigate-to-figure-out-where-your-kid-ought-to/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [We know that if we're going to remain economically competitive in the world, and viable as a civic democracy, that we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/we-know-that-if-we-re-going-to-remain-economically-competitive-in-the/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [And I think that's righteous, I think that's what parents want to know. They want to know what's going right in the school, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/and-i-think-that-s-righteous-i-think-that-s-what-parents-want-to-know/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [I mean, one thing I know about change is we are not going to close the achievement gap without educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-mean-one-thing-i-know-about-change-is-we-are-not-going-to-close-the/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Don't let anyone else take the measure of your worth and capabilities. Always stand proud in who you are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/don-t-let-anyone-else-take-the-measure-of-your-worth-and-capabilities/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Again, the truth of the matter is we haven't paid that much attention to high school accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/again-the-truth-of-the-matter-is-we-haven-t-paid-that-much-attention/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [In Connecticut, my understanding, although I haven't seen the actual litigation, is that they want to measure every other year and not provide annual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/in-connecticut-my-understanding-although-i-haven-t-seen-the-actual/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Well, one of them is annual assessment in grades 3-8. It's integral to the implementation of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/well-one-of-them-is-annual-assessment-in-grades-3-8-it-s-integral-to/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [The long and short of it is, we need more rigor in all kinds of programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/the-long-and-short-of-it-is-we-need-more-rigor-in-all-kinds-of/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [If all you ever do is all you've ever done, then all you'll ever get is all you've ever got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/if-all-you-ever-do-is-all-you-ve-ever-done-then-all-you-ll-ever-get/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [What we know is the workplace is more demanding than ever before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/what-we-know-is-the-workplace-is-more-demanding-than-ever-before/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [We want to obviously foster a relationship that we're a partner with states; that we all share the same goals of closing the achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/we-want-to-obviously-foster-a-relationship-that-we-re-a-partner-with/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [I think all kinds of parents are different in what they're seeking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-think-all-kinds-of-parents-are-different-in-what-they-re-seeking/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) [Explore all 23 Margaret Spellings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) [Nicholas Roerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-roerich/) > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critical piece of closing the achievement gap.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Spellings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-knows-what-he-or-she-is-doing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-knows-what-he-or-she-is-doing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/margaret-spellings-24878_achievement_i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-kn_382024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows…” — Margaret Spellings", "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": "Margaret Spellings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do think we know that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-knows-what-he-or-she-is-doing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/i-do-think-we-know-that-a-teacher-who-knows-what-he-or-she-is-doing/#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 } } ] } ```