Every day Quote by R.J. Palacio
““Well, you can't really force him to eat the veggies, guys, but your job is to make sure they're on his plate. He can't eat them if they're not even on his plate" -pediatrician "I've thought about that a lot over the years. I think about it with teaching. My students can't learn what I don't teach them. Kindness. Empathy. Compassion. It's not part of the curriculum, I know, but I still have to keep dishing it out onto their plates every day. Maybe they'll eat it; maybe they won't. Either way, my job is to keep on serving it to them. Hopefully, a little mouthful of kindness today may make them hungry for a bigger taste of it tomorrow" -Mr. Browne””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview with R.J. Palacio, 2020
Educators must consistently provide kindness, empathy, and compassion even when not explicitly taught, hoping students will eventually value them.
In simple terms: Teach kindness daily even if not required.
Key Takeaway
Keep offering compassion regardless of immediate uptake.
Themes
education
empathy
compassion
teaching
curriculum
Mood
reflective
encouraging
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- classroom lessons
- parental guidance
- mentor meetings
- team workshops
Key Concepts
social learning
emotional intelligence
modeling behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you embed empathy into daily routines?
- What signs show kindness is being absorbed?
A Different Perspective
Students may reject kindness if not reinforced regularly.
