Teacher Quote by Orson Scott Card
![“You know what I was thinking? [Ruthie] got so excited when she was spouting this ahistorical countertextual nonsense, and I caught myself thinking, 'What an idiot her teacher must be,' and thinking about her teacher made me realize - the kind of excitement she was showing as she mindlessly spouted…” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/795/orson-scott-card-134_teacher_you-know-what-i-was-thinking-ruthie-got_373758.jpg)
““You know what I was thinking? [Ruthie] got so excited when she was spouting this ahistorical countertextual nonsense, and I caught myself thinking, 'What an idiot her teacher must be,' and thinking about her teacher made me realize - the kind of excitement she was showing as she mindlessly spouted back the nonsense she learned in college, that's just like the excitement some of my own students show. And it occurred to me that what we professors think of as a 'brilliant student' is nothing but a student who is enthusiastically converted to whatever idiotic ideas we've been teaching them." "Self-knowledge is a painful thing," said Esther. "To learn that your best students are parrots after all.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview with Orson Scott Card, 2009
The speaker reflects that so-called brilliant students are merely parrots of the teacher's flawed ideas, highlighting the danger of uncritical enthusiasm.
In simple terms: Students often repeat teachers' errors without thinking.
Key Takeaway
Encourage critical thinking, not blind enthusiasm.
Themes
education
critical thinking
pedagogy
student-teacher dynamics
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
advice
observational.
When to use this quote
- college lectures
- teacher training
- student assessments
- curriculum design
Key Concepts
parroting
intellectual humility
self-awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can educators foster genuine understanding?
- What signs show a student is thinking critically?
A Different Perspective
If teachers themselves are not reflective, the cycle continues.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
