The most important things in the world are awareness and learning – wanting to know every day of your life more and more and more. Because every time you learn something new you become something new. An ignorant teacher teaches ignorance, a fearful teacher teaches fear, and a bored teacher teaches boredom… But a good teacher catalyzes in his pupils the burning desire to know and love for the truth and beauty. John Steinbeck writing about his school days said, “I’ve come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and you know how few great artists there are in the world. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since its medium is the human mind and the human spirit.” What an incredible responsibility to be the guardians of the human spirit and the human mind! That is the reason why humanity has the deepest respect for teachers. The human mind and the human spirit are too wondrous to destroy.

Astăzi, lucrul cel mai important este cel de a învăţa, adică de a acumula cunoştinţe, căci persoana care acumulează cunoştinţe devine alta. Un profesor ignorant cultivă ignoranţa la elevii săi, iar unul inteligent – dorinţa de a cunoaşte şi dragostea de adevăr. John Steinbeck îşi aminteşte următoarele despre anii de şcoală: „Am înţeles că un profesor remarcabil e întotdeauna un artist, iar artiştii adevăraţi sunt puţini în lume. Predarea este arta cea mai complexă, căci afectează gândirea şi sufletul omului”. Iar responsabilitatea cea mai mare se reduce la formarea gândirii şi sufletului unui om! Iată de ce profesorii sunt pretutindeni şi întotdeauna respectaţi.