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The one thing about being a parent is the ability to be selfless: To give up the things you want and need for the benefit of someone else.

To be a teacher you have to have a very giving, selfless personality. I don't think I'm that selfless and giving.

The best schools tend to have the best teachers, not to mention parents who supervise homework, so there is less need for self-organised learning. But where a child comes from a less supportive home environment, where there are family tensions perhaps, their schoolwork can suffer. They need to be taught to think and study for themselves.

The American Federation of Teachers has a long track record of working with administrators, parents, and communities to provide real help to struggling students and low-performing schools. We've learned that intensive interventions, proven programs, and adequate resources can transform students' lives and their schools.

As a kid at school, I had a lot of really good teachers and I had a lot of really bad teachers, and I just know how much of an impact those can have on a young child. To be one of the good teachers - I want to have that kind of impact.

Teach success before teaching responsibility. Teach them to believe in themselves. Teach them to think, 'I'm not stupid'. No child wants to fail. Everyone wants to succeed.

I'm a really good parent to myself sometimes, and I do things that make me learn and grow.

I grew up in a Chinese family where the parents' No. 1 priority is the kids' education.

I started my career in parent education with the idea that we needed to let our kids go. I believed that parents were suffocating for their children. There was no room for individuality and personhood.

Having a child on the way changes your perspective. You want to do things that will make them proud of you.