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I have learned that, although I am a good teacher, I am a much better student, and I was blessed to learn valuable lessons from my students on a daily basis. They taught me the importance of teaching to a student - and not to a test.

We're not trying to be the only route into teaching. We do put enormous energy into understanding what differentiates the most successful teachers.

As a student I learned from wonderful teachers and ever since then I've thought everyone is a teacher.

I do think we know that a teacher who knows what he or she is doing, knows their subject matter, and knows how to impart knowledge to kids is a critical piece of closing the achievement gap.

Most teachers still say they love teaching though they wouldn't mind a little more respect for their challenging work and a little less blame for America's educational shortcomings.

I think that the only way to teach is by example, as children will more easily follow what they see you do than what you tell them to do.

When I ask teachers why they teach, they almost always say that it is because they want to make a difference in the lives of children.

Our experience at Teach For America has been that the more people understand educational inequity, the more they want to do something about it.

Feeling pummeled by the outside pounding of tests and standards, a teacher can easily hide and simply turn to the immediacy of the classroom. It is not surprising that many teachers burrow in their rooms with all that they know about their students. There is no place to take the information.

Those who know how to think need no teachers.