An Activity for Your Students or Employees

Starting each school or workday by sharing an inspirational quote can establish a very positive workspace climate. Whether it is with students or employees, motivational quotes are an excellent way teachers and employers can instantly transform their classrooms and business into a more uplifting, productive space.

GETTING STARTED: Here are some impactful quotes I discovered on the Canva website. Post one on your whiteboard or bulletin board each day for 1 month.

• “The man who does not read books has no advantage over the one who cannot read them.” — Mark Twain
• “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
• “Teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself.” — Chinese proverb
• “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” —B.B. King
• “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited.” – Plutarch
• “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” — John Wooden
• “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein
• “Learning is never done without errors and defeat.” – Vladimir Lenin
• “Never let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth
• “Procrastination makes easy things hard and hard things harder.” — Mason Cooley
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
• “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes
• “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
• “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” — Beverly Stills
• “I think it’s possible to ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” — Elon Musk
• “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson
• “Genius is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration.” — Thomas Edison
• “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated.” — R Collier
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
• “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” — A.A Milne
• “Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein
• “The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss
• “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” — Jennifer Dukes Lee
• “None of us is as smart as all of us.” — Ken Blanchard
• “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” — Chinese Proverb
• “Today a reader. Tomorrow a leader.” – Anonymous
• “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated.” — R Collier
• “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.”—Confucius
• “Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom.”—George Washington Carver

NEXT STEPS/ACTIVITY: Have small teams of students/employees create their own inspiration classroom/work poster.

Using chart paper with colored markers OR access to Google slides:

1. Divide your class or employees up into small working (breakout) groups.
2. Provide the following directions:
   • Explain to your students/employees they have seen posted an inspirational quote each day for the past month.
   • Now it is your group’s opportunity to come up with your own inspirational quote, along with appropriate artwork/clipart to support your special message. Your message can promote character-building, encourage strong work ethic, encourage perseverance when the going gets tough, etc.
   • Be sure all members of your group have an opportunity to contribute ideas before reaching consensus.
   • Each member of a group should be able to contribute to the poster design.
3. After a specified amount of time, your group will be asked to share your inspiration poster with the entire class or group of employees.

LAST STEPS/POSTING GROUP WORK: For the remainder of the year, post one group’s inspiration poster each week in your classroom or work space.

I hope you enjoy and are inspired by the quotes and activity.

Stay healthy and safe. Dean