Worth Repeating

I am really enjoying the inspiration I've found posted at Pinterest. It's like having a virtual bulletin board with the most amazing sayings; What a fun way to collect and display words of wisdom. Above is a mini-poster that I created from the quote at the bottom of Joshua's English teacher's email to me last week. I showed it to him and he asked, "What does that mean?" Which led into a great discussion about how if Ms. Ferro treats him like a responsible student and expects that from him, then he's more likely to take and show responsibility in her presence and in her class.

Using maxims such as this for writing prompts or as a springboard for discussion has so much enrichment potential because it challenges our students to think critically about what the author meant as well as about how it applies to their lives today.  You can also use quotes to research who Goethe was and why it is we find his adage worth repeating. Take it a step further and illustrate what he said. What do you think Goethe was referring to when he wrote or uttered these words so many years ago?  How might you use this or the other things I've pinned with your students (or your families) today?