Very few things are as dangerous as a bunch of incentive-driven individuals trying to play it safe.

To control students is to force them to accommodate to a preestablished curriculum.

Those who know they're valued irrespective of their accomplishments often end up accomplishing quite a lot. It's the experience of being accepted without conditions that helps people develop a healthy confidence in themselves, a belief that it's safe to take risks and try new things.

The overwhelming number of teachers ...are unable to name or describe a theory of learning that underlies what they do.

Maximum difficulty isn't the same as optimal difficulty.

If a child is off-task...mayb e the problem is not the child...maybe it's the task.

Independence is useful, but caring attitudes and behaviors shrivel up in a culture where each person is responsible only for himself.