Teachers are often criticised these days. They get things wrong. They don't have enough time. Or they're being (falsely) accused of the worst kinds of acts against children.

(How teachers must love finding themselves reviewed, judged and commented on at www.RateMyTeachers.com!)

Teaching is, and always has been, a tough, demanding job where the impact - both good and bad - is often felt years and years later by the pupil.

And the profession of teaching must be one of the most interfered with - government after government (that thinks they know best) changing curriculum, dabbling with discipline, and generally messing with the teacher mojo!

And, a bit like being a referee in sport, people only seem to notice a teacher's mistakes.

And I do not speak as a teacher here, but as a former pupil who experienced his fair share of 'bad' teachers - teachers who, for example, couldn't control the class or (perhaps worse) who controlled the class (with fear) too much.

Still, I prefer to remember the teachers that inspired me, and encouraged me, and allowed me to develop.

Teachers like Mr Middleton who in junior school seemed to be one of the few adults in my life who was actively interested and proud of my sporting prowess.

Teachers like Mr Bell who created a strong, secure environment in the classroom (he taught maths) so I was able learn without interruption and get an A grade in my final high school exams (UK O-level, now known as GCSE).

So, it's to these teachers who inspired me, and to the teachers who may have inspired you, that I share these inspirational teacher quotes.

And if you are a teacher reading this, I say "thank you", and hope you can stay inspired to continue teaching in this toughest of professions...

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery."
-- Mark van Doren

Yes, I shall never forget discovering the natural beauty of mathematics at 6th form - ideas like how the Fibonacci Numbers can be found in nature, or how the Egyptians (and others) used the golden ratio in their architecture (think the pyramids).

These things weren't on the syllabus, but they inspired (and continue to inspire) my imagination and my love of mathematics. Thank you.

"The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you learned this afternoon."
-- Anonymous

Well, the more I share what I know in informal teaching and training, or via writing articles like these, the more I realise the truth of this statement. Always be one step ahead of the pupil and you'll be fine, I guess.

As for the following inspirational teacher quote:

"He who dares to teach must never cease to learn."
-- Richard Henry Dann

I'm sure this is true, too.

I'm sure my teachers learnt about life, about themselves, as they taught me and my fellow pupils in junior school, high school and beyond.

For what is a child, but some reflection of each of us that has the fortune (or misfortune) to interact with that child.

And what is a true teacher, but someone who encourages the pupil to go beyond the confines of the teacher's knowledge and understanding so that the pupil, eventually, has no need of them at all.

But why is it important to share these positive inspirational life quotes about teaching? Why thank them for what they've done, and continue to do? Why not, instead, sneer at teachers as George Bernard Shaw so famously did?

Well...

"Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition."
-- Jacques Barzun

And, after all, aren't we all teachers in this game of life we find ourselves engaged in today!

And the most important person we have to teach... ourselves!

You can find more inspirational teacher quotes like these at http://www.selfhelpcollective.com/inspirational-teacher-quotes.html.

From Steve M Nash - Editor of guru-free http://www.SelfHelpCollective.com.