Today, as I was accepting invitations to the annual professional development opportunities offered to educators at the start of each school year, I remembered a quote I heard at one of these “PD days” a few years back — and it got me thinking:

“If I am not an improved version of myself by the end of the year, then you haven’t truly taught me anything I couldn’t have learned on my own.”

A powerful statement about teaching and learning, indeed.

You may have shared your knowledge, but you haven’t influenced me. And there’s a difference.

We often confuse the act of delivering information with the art of teaching. But real teaching — transformative teaching — does more than inform. It challenges. It stretches. It inspires. It plants seeds of thought that continue to grow long after the lesson ends.

In today’s world, information is everywhere. The internet is full of facts, explanations, and tutorials. AI can summarize books. We can access research, lectures, and how-to guides instantly. So if teaching is simply about passing on information, then we’ve become obsolete. After all, anyone can “learn” something with the right video or podcast.

But here’s the truth: how we acquire information matters far less than what we do with it.

And that changes everything.

Because in a world where information is cheap and readily available, the true value lies in application. In discernment. In creativity. In context. In the ability to take what we know and turn it into something meaningful — for ourselves and for others.

This is where great teaching still matters.

Great teachers don’t just hand out knowledge — they help students make sense of it. They don’t just answer questions — they spark new ones. They help learners connect ideas, think critically, make decisions, and act with purpose. They help students turn information into transformation.

A true teacher doesn’t just teach what to think — they help us explore how to think. They don’t just tell us what’s important — they help us understand why it matters. They ignite curiosity, provoke reflection, and encourage discomfort when comfort breeds complacency. They don’t just explain — they empower.

At the end of the day, if all I’ve gained is content — but I haven’t grown in character, perspective, or purpose — then the experience fell short of its potential.

That’s the challenge I set for myself as a learner — and the standard I aspire to as an educator, mentor, and leader.

Don’t just aim to be remembered for what you said.

Aim to be remembered for how you made someone better.