This then is the first duty of an educator: to stir up life but leave it free to develop.

The observation of the way in which the children pass from the first disordered movements to those which are spontaneous and ordered -- this is the book of the teacher; this is the book which must inspire her actions . . .

Adults have not understood children or adolescents and they are, as a consequence, in continual conflict with them.

The child can only develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience 'work'.

At a given moment a child becomes interested in a piece of work, showing it by the expression of his face, by his intense attention, by his perseverance in the same exercise. That child has set foot upon the road leading to discipline.

The first essential for the child’s development is concentration. The child who concentrates is immensely happy.

No one who has ever done anything really great or successful has ever done it simply because he was attracted by what we call a 'reward' or by the fear of what we call a 'punishment.'