She was a singer, an author, a poet, an activist, a mother and a friend to many. But Maya Angelou was also a master teacher. She died last week at her home in Winston-Salem, NC at age 86. Her private funeral will be held Saturday, June 7 at 10 a.m. at Wake Forest University Wait Chapel and will be livestreamed for the public.

Though she never went to college herself, she was a college professor and held 30 honorary degrees. In addition to learning from what she did and wrote, educators can be inspired from what she said.

Here are some quotes from Maya Angelou that inspire. I hope they encourage you in your teaching especially when your days are the bleakest.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.”

“If someone shows you who they really are, believe them.”

“Nothing will work unless you do.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

"You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody."

More quotes from Maya Angelou can be found here: