--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents came from an environment where…" description: "\"My parents came from an environment where everyone knew that the way to be successful was to get a great education, and that was going to be your ticke..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg" --- # My parents came from an environment where everyone knew… ![“My parents came from an environment where everyone knew that the way to be successful was to get a great education, and that was going to be your ticket in life. If you could succeed in education then you would succeed in life, so that was sort of the driving force behind my parents' upbringing…” quote by Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg) > “My parents came from an environment where everyone knew that the way to be successful was to get a great education, and that was going to be your ticket in life. If you could succeed in education then you would succeed in life, so that was sort of the driving force behind my parents' upbringing, and therefore kind of how they brought me up.” [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. Education is viewed as the primary pathway to success, shaping parental expectations and personal ambition. **In simple terms:** Education is seen as a ticket to life success. Key Takeaway Prioritize learning opportunities. Themes education social mobility family values aspiration Mood reflective hopeful Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - college planning - career counseling - parental guidance - policy debate Key Concepts human capital socioeconomic inequality Questions to Reflect On - What other factors contribute to success? - How can education be made more equitable? A Different Perspective Not all success stems from education alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Driving force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-force/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Great education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-education/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Upbringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upbringing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm so grateful to my parents for my upbringing and for all of the opportunities that I was provided with, but I also learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/i-m-so-grateful-to-my-parents-for-my-upbringing-and-for-all-of-the/) [Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/) > [There's a part in every person that has a fake self. We've had this since infancy due to our parents and our upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/there-s-a-part-in-every-person-that-has-a-fake-self-we-ve-had-this/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [You have to utilize who you are in your work. Nobody else can do that: nobody else can pull from your background, from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carson/you-have-to-utilize-who-you-are-in-your-work-nobody-else-can-do-that/) [David Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carson/) > [I know that many students take personal responsibility for their education and succeed as a result. I want them to know they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-sandoval/i-know-that-many-students-take-personal-responsibility-for-their/) [Brian Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-sandoval/) > [Right-wingers don't want public education to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/right-wingers-don-t-want-public-education-to-succeed/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [As is said about most writers: on the one hand all I ever did from when I was a child was read, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/as-is-said-about-most-writers-on-the-one-hand-all-i-ever-did-from/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) > [I am a family person. I thank my parents for their upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raashi-khanna/i-am-a-family-person-i-thank-my-parents-for-their-upbringing/) [Raashi Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raashi-khanna/) > [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/) > [About 1900 my parents came to the United States as children from what was then the Polish area of Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lewis-perl/about-1900-my-parents-came-to-the-united-states-as-children-from-what/) [Martin Lewis Perl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lewis-perl/) > [Like the Caribbean Windrush generation, my parents came to this country from the Commonwealth in the 1960s. They, too, came to help rebuild this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-javid/like-the-caribbean-windrush-generation-my-parents-came-to-this/) [Sajid Javid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-javid/) > [My grandparents and my parents came over from Cuba with nothing to their name just for a chance of freedom and opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-alvarez/my-grandparents-and-my-parents-came-over-from-cuba-with-nothing-to/) [Eddy Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-alvarez/) > [I was an only child. Both my parents came from working-class families in Hackney, east London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robinson/i-was-an-only-child-both-my-parents-came-from-working-class-families/) [Tony Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robinson/) > [I'm the daughter of immigrants and my parents came to this country with nothing in their pockets and not speaking English and all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/i-m-the-daughter-of-immigrants-and-my-parents-came-to-this-country/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [I was in love with Tina Goodman since I was three and her parents came popping out of the trash cans. I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/i-was-in-love-with-tina-goodman-since-i-was-three-and-her-parents/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [Both my parents came into the United States from Mexico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cain-velasquez/both-my-parents-came-into-the-united-states-from-mexico/) [Cain Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cain-velasquez/) ## More by Michelle Rhee > [In schools where parent involvement is greater, you do have higher achievement levels and better functioning, better performing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/in-schools-where-parent-involvement-is-greater-you-do-have-higher/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [My grandfather was a teacher, my grandmother on my mom's side, four of my aunts, my sister-in-law, my best friend. 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. They were designed to be professional organizations that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-believe-that-the-teachers-unions-are-doing-exactly-what-they-re/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We've lost our competitive spirit. We've become so obsessed with making kids feel good about themselves that we've lost sight of building the skills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-ve-lost-our-competitive-spirit-we-ve-become-so-obsessed-with/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [Standardized tests are an indicator of the kind of service taxpayers are receiving - and whether schools, educators and policymakers are doing their jobs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/standardized-tests-are-an-indicator-of-the-kind-of-service-taxpayers/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights, privileges and priorities of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-are-always-going-to-put-the-best-interests-of-kids-above-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We need to do everything we can to ensure every single child has an effective teacher every day, which means we need to identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-need-to-do-everything-we-can-to-ensure-every-single-child-has-an/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [I'd rather deal with anger than apathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-d-rather-deal-with-anger-than-apathy/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) [Explore all 27 Michelle Rhee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) ## More Behinds quotes > [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/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My parents came from an environment where everyone knew that the way to be successful was to get a great education, and that was going to be your ticket in life. If you could succeed in education then you would succeed in life, so that was sort of the driving force behind my parents' upbringing, and therefore kind of how they brought me up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Rhee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-parents-came-from-an-environment-where-everyone-knew-that-the-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-parents-came-from-an-environment-where-everyone-knew-that-the-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/michelle-rhee-22574_behinds_my-parents-came-from-an-environment-wher_3052597.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My parents came from an environment where everyone knew that the way to be successful was to get a great…” — Michelle Rhee", "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": "Michelle Rhee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My parents came from an environment...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-parents-came-from-an-environment-where-everyone-knew-that-the-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-parents-came-from-an-environment-where-everyone-knew-that-the-way/#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 } } ] } ```