Home / Authors / Deborah Meier

Deborah Meier Quotes

Education Reform Leader

Deborah Meier is an American education reform leader, born on April 6, 1931. She is renowned for her contributions to public education and her advocacy for educational equity.

Filter quotes by topic

All Ifs People Teaching Differences School World Asks Curiosity Done Giving

Famous Deborah Meier Quotes

“I take enormous pleasure every time I see something that I've done that cannot be wiped out. In some way ... I guess it's a protest against mortality. But it's been so much fun! It's the curiosity that drives me. It's making a difference in the world that prevents me from ever giving up.”

World Way Giving Done Fun Differences Pleasure Giving Up Curiosity Enormous Making A Difference Protest Mortality Making A Difference In The World

Author:Deborah Meier

“Some people thought that if you put pressure on kids, parents, and teachers and schools, the pressure alone would produce results. It appealed to people who think the quick fix for education is to threaten people. It's not a left-right division.”

People Ifs Thinking Kids School Left Parent Results Teacher Produce Pressure Division Parents And Teachers Quick Fixes

Author:Deborah Meier

“The only thing they [government] want is better data. But data doesn't tell people someone is well educated. It's a vicious circle. There is some myth involved. Some of this attitude has a long history.”

People Want Wells Long Government Attitude Involved Myth Circles Educated Data Vicious Well Educated Vicious Circles

Author:Deborah Meier

“If you define yourself as someone fixing education, there's nothing short-range you can do to fix education directly. It's labor intensive. You have to change the way people act. You have to convince people, and change people.”

People Ifs Way Can Do Labor Range Convince Fixing Define Yourself

Author:Deborah Meier

“Mindset changes are not happening from change in legislation. Like desegregation. We legally got rid of legal segregation, but schools are still segregated. You can demand people have better math understanding, but it depends how you interpret math understanding, and what you want it for, and if you think everybody can and should have that.”

People Ifs Thinking Want Should Stills School Understanding Depends Demand Happenings Should Have Mindset Math What You Want Legislation Segregation

Author:Deborah Meier

“A passion for learning...isn't something you have to inspire with; it's something you have to keep from extinguishing.”

Passion Inspire

Author:Deborah Meier

“Teaching is mostly listening, and learning is mostly telling.”

Teaching Listening

Book:The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem

Source: The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem

“We are all carriers of our own stories. We have never trusted our own voices. Reforms came, but we don't make them. They were presented by people removed from schools, by 'experts'. Such changes bi passes school. School by school changes, however slow, could make a powerful difference.”

People Stories School Voice Differences Powerful Reform Experts Trusted Never Trust Carrier

Author:Deborah Meier

“Good schools, like good societies and good families, celebrate and cherish diversity.”

Source: The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem

“Only secretly rebellious teachers have ever done right by our least advantaged kids.”

Done Kids Teacher Teaching Rebellious

Author:Deborah Meier

“There's a radical - and wonderful - new idea here... that all children could and should be inventors of their own theories, critics of other people's ideas, analyzers of evidence, and makers of their own personal marks on the world. Its an idea with revolutionary implications. If we take it seriously.”

Source: The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem

“It's the curiosity that drives me. It's making a difference in the world that prevents me from ever giving up.”

World Giving Differences Giving Up Curiosity Making A Difference Making A Difference In The World

Author:Deborah Meier

“Teaching is listening, learning is talking”

Talking Teaching Listening

Author:Deborah Meier

“The art of good teaching begins when we can answer the questions our students are really trying to ask us, if only they knew how to do so.”

Ifs Trying Art Asks Answers Teaching Students Good Teaching

Author:Deborah Meier

“If you ask me, taking on risk and being more daring is a real important part of creativity.”

Ifs Important Real Asks Creativity Risk Ask Me Daring

Author:Deborah Meier

About the Author

Born: April 6, 1931
Known for: Education Reform Leader
Quotes: 15

Books & Sources

The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in HarlemRelated source material

Similar Authors

Maurice NatansonBrowse related quotes
Dana GoldsteinBrowse related quotes
Todd WhitakerBrowse related quotes
Jari AskinsBrowse related quotes
Hyman BassBrowse related quotes
Marva CollinsBrowse related quotes
David PerkinsBrowse related quotes
Paul Q. HirstBrowse related quotes
Claire FaginBrowse related quotes
Edward JoynerBrowse related quotes