Maya Angelou’s writing is full of wisdom for educators. I first discovered Maya Angelou’s writing at the age of 12 when I read her famous memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. At the time, I was a young girl and didn’t quite understand all that was contained in the book. The stories of racism, trauma, and resilience were beyond what my young mind could understand. Now that I am long removed from that first reading and have read I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings multiple times, the educator, researcher, and scholar in me understands and appreciates the memoir. I created this Women’s History Month series highlighting the words of Maya Angelou. These articles are designed to provide educators with ideas they can use to encourage, inspire, and motivate those they encounter in their work.
Educators have a tough job. This is true for all educators, from kindergarten teachers to graduate school professors. To succeed, be happy, and continue the work, educators need to find sources of motivation and strength. The writing of Maya Angelou can offer educators valuable insights into these qualities. Throughout March, this online magazine will help educators by providing them with encouragement, inspiration, and motivation using the words of Maya Angelou. Each day will focus on a different quote. We invite you to visit this online magazine throughout March. We encourage you to share these articles with your colleagues if you find them to be a source of encouragement, inspiration, and motivation in your work as an educator.
If you are an educator in a classroom, share the quote with your students. Ask them for their opinions on what the quote means to them. Ask them to give examples of how the quote is relevant in their lives. Facilitate a discussion about how the quote can be used in the real world. Encourage your students to participate by telling them that there is no single answer and that there are many ways to look at the quote and find meaning.
To get the most out of the quote, think about ways you can use the ideas in your real-world life. Do the words give you an idea of how to take action to make things better in your world? Take a moment to consider how the quote relates to current events in society. Keep in mind, you do not have to care about social justice for the quotes to matter to you. At the same time, we encourage you to remember that Maya Angelou fought for freedom and equity in the United States. Her writing has been translated into multiple languages and studied worldwide. With that framework in mind, look at the quote and think about how you can use the words to make your world a better place.
In conclusion, we hope this series of articles causes you to reflect on the power of Maya Angelou’s words to positively impact your education practice. We encourage you not to simply read the words. Instead, reflect on the words and find ways to use them to give you the strength you need to improve and strengthen your educational practice.
Further Reading
Scholars Matter: How to Build Strength and Resiliency
Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women by Maya Angelou
The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
About the Author
Desk light on. Pages open. Always listening.
Dr. Janeane Davis is Founder and Principal Consultant at Janeane Davis and Associates: Educational Consultants. Most of her writing begins at a well-lit desk where strategy meets storytelling and systems take shape around real lives. Her consulting work centers families, scholars, and institutions committed to equity—and she writes to bring clarity to complex questions, especially those often left unasked.