--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Creativity is good and whatever. But if…" description: "\"Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don't know how to read, I don't care how creative you are. You're not doing your job.\" — Michelle ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/michelle-rhee-22574_care_creativity-is-good-and-whatever-but-if-t_3206152.jpg" --- # Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don't… ![“Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don't know how to read, I don't care how creative you are. You're not doing your job.” quote by Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/michelle-rhee-22574_care_creativity-is-good-and-whatever-but-if-t_3206152.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/michelle-rhee-22574_care_creativity-is-good-and-whatever-but-if-t_3206152.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32a/michelle-rhee-22574_care_creativity-is-good-and-whatever-but-if-t_3206152.jpg) > “Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don't know how to read, I don't care how creative you are. You're not doing your job.” [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literacy is essential; creativity cannot replace basic reading skills in education. **In simple terms:** Reading is fundamental before creativity. Key Takeaway Prioritize teaching reading. Themes education literacy creativity responsibility Mood concerned determined Type advice policy When to use this quote - classroom instruction - curriculum design - policy advocacy Key Concepts foundational skills learning hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance literacy and creative learning? - What policies support reading proficiency? A Different Perspective Creativity alone does not ensure learning outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Doing Your Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-your-job/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) ## Related quotes > [You cannot teach creativity - how to become a good writer. 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But while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-wiegand/the-first-time-you-have-a-little-success-some-good-feedback-you-start/) [Erik Wiegand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-wiegand/) > [It's important for me to be innovative and creative when doing charitable work as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2-chainz/it-s-important-for-me-to-be-innovative-and-creative-when-doing/) [2 Chainz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/2-chainz/) > [I wasn't in the art world at all as a kid; I was just creative, and we were always doing arts and crafts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-jacobson/i-wasn-t-in-the-art-world-at-all-as-a-kid-i-was-just-creative-and-we/) [Abbi Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-jacobson/) > [It feels like there are more good youts out there following their dreams. 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So I've always, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-grandfather-was-a-teacher-my-grandmother-on-my-mom-s-side-four-of/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [There’s a belief now that the problem with our schools is parents, that if we just had better parents we would have better performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/there-s-a-belief-now-that-the-problem-with-our-schools-is-parents/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [That should be the goal, is that every kid in every neighborhood, despite whatever challenges they may face, are getting a great education in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/that-should-be-the-goal-is-that-every-kid-in-every-neighborhood/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [Poverty is so significant that we can't expect to overcome the impacts of poverty in schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/poverty-is-so-significant-that-we-can-t-expect-to-overcome-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [If you grew up in a lower-income community, or less well-off, the belief is that the way to change that circumstance is through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-you-grew-up-in-a-lower-income-community-or-less-well-off-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We need to identify the least effective or ineffective teachers and for those people we need to either quickly accelerate their practice or move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-need-to-identify-the-least-effective-or-ineffective-teachers-and/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [ I think that one thing that people are missing is that we are never going to be able to fix this country's \[American\] economy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-think-that-one-thing-that-people-are-missing-is-that-we-are-never/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [I believe that the teachers unions are doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. 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