---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want technology to replace…"
description: "\"I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where there are no teachers, or the teachers are overwhelmed, it can be helpful.\" — Maryanne Wolf"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg"
---

#  I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where…

![“I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where there are no teachers, or the teachers are overwhelmed, it can be helpful.” quote by Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg)

> “I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where there are no teachers, or the teachers are overwhelmed, it can be helpful.”

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Technology can support teaching where teachers are lacking, but shouldn't replace them.

**In simple terms:** Tech aids, not replaces, teachers.

Key Takeaway

Use tech as a supplement.

Themes

education technology teacher support

Mood

concerned optimistic

Type

practical reflective

When to use this quote

- rural schools
- overcrowded classrooms
- teacher burnout

Key Concepts

learning theory AI in classrooms

Questions to Reflect On

- When is tech appropriate in education?
- How can teachers stay central with tech?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on tech may diminish human connection.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/)

## Related quotes

> [For new technology to replace old, it has to have at least ten times the benefit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/for-new-technology-to-replace-old-it-has-to-have-at-least-ten-times/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

> [I like to remind teachers that even though they're all overwhelmed and overloaded, and it's easy to get burned out, it really is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-like-to-remind-teachers-that-even-though-they-re-all-overwhelmed/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [We will not achieve high performance in education if we replace teachers with machines or turn teachers into machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/we-will-not-achieve-high-performance-in-education-if-we-replace/)

[Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/)

> [“‎Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/teachers-matter-so-instead-of-bashing-them-or-defending-the-status/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [As hardware doubles its density every 18-24 months, courtesy of Moore's Law, and as software eats the world, technology will replace a broad swathe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-evans/as-hardware-doubles-its-density-every-18-24-months-courtesy-of-moore/)

[Jon Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-evans/)

> [We may think we live in a digital age. But there are some things technology will never replace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/we-may-think-we-live-in-a-digital-age-but-there-are-some-things/)

[Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/)

> [We think we learn from teachers, and we sometimes do. But the teachers are not always to be found in school or in great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/we-think-we-learn-from-teachers-and-we-sometimes-do-but-the-teachers/)

[Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/)

> [The sins of teachers are the teachers of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/the-sins-of-teachers-are-the-teachers-of-sin/)

[William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/)

> [“Students recognise their teachers. Teachers recognise their students.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/students-recognise-their-teachers-teachers-recognise-their-students/)

[Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/)

> [Teachers are expendable, overworked, underpaid, and many times disrespected by students, parents and higher-ups. Nonetheless, these teachers still show up because there are some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/teachers-are-expendable-overworked-underpaid-and-many-times/)

[Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/)

> [“Sincere students find sincere teachers, and sincere teachers find sincere students. The two go together like a box and its lid. (p. 108)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/sincere-students-find-sincere-teachers-and-sincere-teachers-find/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [Our teachers are everywhere. Our teachers are right in front of us, and take so many forms. All we need to do is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/our-teachers-are-everywhere-our-teachers-are-right-in-front-of-us-and/)

[Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/)

> [Some people hate teachers, because teachers share knowledge and sharing is an anathema to some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-hate-teachers-because-teachers-share-knowledge-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Here, let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true: Teachers? Teachers make a difference! Now what about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-mali/here-let-me-break-it-down-for-you-so-you-know-what-i-say-is-true/)

[Taylor Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-mali/)

> [There is no system in the world or any school in the country that is better than its teachers. Teachers are the lifeblood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-system-in-the-world-or-any-school-in-the-country-that-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Maryanne Wolf

> [There's a richness that reading gives you, an opportunity to probe more than any other medium I know of. Reading is about not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/there-s-a-richness-that-reading-gives-you-an-opportunity-to-probe/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [Skimming has led, I believe, to a tendency to go to the sources that seem the simplest, most reduced, most familiar, and least cognitively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/skimming-has-led-i-believe-to-a-tendency-to-go-to-the-sources-that/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [The brain is constantly adapting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-brain-is-constantly-adapting/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [We humans invented literacy, which means it doesn't come for free with our genes like speech and vision. Every brain has to learn it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/we-humans-invented-literacy-which-means-it-doesn-t-come-for-free-with/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [The same plasticity that allows us to form a reading circuit to begin with, and short-circuit the development of deep reading if we allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-same-plasticity-that-allows-us-to-form-a-reading-circuit-to-begin/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [If you word-spot James Joyce, you'll miss the entire experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/if-you-word-spot-james-joyce-you-ll-miss-the-entire-experience/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [“There are few more powerful mirrors of the human brain's astonishing ability to rearrange itself to learn a new intellectual function than the act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/there-are-few-more-powerful-mirrors-of-the-human-brain-s-astonishing/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [We have to move into the 21st century, but we should do so with great care to build a 'bi-literate' brain that has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/we-have-to-move-into-the-21st-century-but-we-should-do-so-with-great/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [The brain is plastic its whole life span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-brain-is-plastic-its-whole-life-span/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [I am an apologist for the reading brain. It represents a miracle that springs from the brain's unique capacity to rearrange itself to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/i-am-an-apologist-for-the-reading-brain-it-represents-a-miracle-that/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [We human beings were never born to read; we invented reading and then had to teach it to every new generation. Each new reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/we-human-beings-were-never-born-to-read-we-invented-reading-and-then/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [When we have any function, whether it's language or vision or cognitive functions like memory, we aren't dealing with a straight line to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/when-we-have-any-function-whether-it-s-language-or-vision-or/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [Every opportunity to practice is a gift to the developing reader. Practice, practice, practice, in every form and medium!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/every-opportunity-to-practice-is-a-gift-to-the-developing-reader/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [Each young reader has to fashion an entirely new 'reading circuit' afresh every time. There is no one neat circuit just waiting to unfold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/each-young-reader-has-to-fashion-an-entirely-new-reading-circuit/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

[Explore all 63 Maryanne Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

## More Education quotes

> [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/)

Ted Martinez

> [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/)

[Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/)

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/)

[Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/)

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/)

Ioannes Amos Commenius

> [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/)

H.D. (Hilda Doolittle

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/)

[Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/)

> [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/)

[Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/)

[Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where there are no teachers, or the teachers are overwhelmed, it can be helpful.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Maryanne Wolf"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teachers-but-where-there-are-no/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Education"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teachers-but-where-there-are-no/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/maryanne-wolf-10802_overwhelmed_i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teach_1295433.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't want technology to replace teachers, but where there are no teachers, or the teachers are…” — Maryanne Wolf",
                "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": "Maryanne Wolf",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't want technology to replace...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teachers-but-where-there-are-no/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/i-don-t-want-technology-to-replace-teachers-but-where-there-are-no/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
