In the depth of the near depression that he faced when he came in Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress provided 'recovery funds' that literally kept our classrooms open. Two years ago these funds saved nearly 20 000 teacher and education jobs - just here in North Carolina.

I taught in a small teacher's college for three or four years at which point all the administrators got a pay raise and the teaching faculty didn't.

Encouragement from my high school teacher Patty Hart said 'you need to focus and theater might be your route out of here.' I created the program went to college and graduate school and now here I am.

Every child grows everything depends on the teacher.

I was strongly encouraged by a science teacher who took an interest in me and presented me with a key to the laboratory to allow me to work whenever I wanted.

When you are studying jazz the best thing to do is listen to records or listen to live music. It isn't as though you go to a teacher. You just listen as much as you can and absorb everything.

If it wasn't for my drama teacher I wouldn't be here right now.

I went whole hog at the actor's lifestyle - really embraced it. I had by then known how much I loved acting already because I discovered acting from a teacher in the seminary - that's the first place I ever did it in the seminary.

I had a great movement teacher - he showed me how to walk so I wasn't becoming like a cartoon.

I studied with a blind teacher from about 5 until I was 16 at two different schools. From the age of 12 until 16 I was in a boarding school-which I believe at that time was compulsory for blind children.

I love films that make me react emotionally and physically when you walk out of the cinema. Two of my favorite films however have got to be 'The Tree Of Life' and 'The Piano Teacher ' which also stars one of my favourite actresses Isabelle Huppert.

I got into acting my junior year of high school. We got a new hot drama teacher and I was like 'Alright I'll try drama.'

My second grade teacher told me I would never graduate high school. That I was going to be a juvenile delinquent.

I think it is most important for a teacher to play the pieces and studies that are being played by the student.

My primary school teacher once poured a bottle of curdled school milk forcefully down my throat. Then I threw it up all over her suede shoes. I'd rather have drunk from the spittoon in Barney's barber shop.

I enjoyed school - although I ran away on the first day. I'd reminded the teacher that it was nearly time for 'Watch With Mother' on TV.

I had one companion. He was a teacher from the Ukraine who spoke English so we could communicate a bit. I learnt a few Russian words but it was hard to concentrate.

Both my grandmothers had upright pianos and I just knew how to play since I was a child. Nobody taught me. I sounded like a grown-up and then I learned how to read music. I played so well by ear I could fool the teacher to believe I could play the notes. She'd make the mistake of playing the song once and I could play it.

I wanted to be a ballet teacher.

I'm sure any vocal teacher that listens to me would rather cut my throat than do anything - I do everything all wrong - but I think for me that's the best - because I don't think I have a voice so I think what I project would be style - if I learned to sing I'd lose my style.

I wanted to become a kindergarten teacher like my mother.

My father was a writer and an acting teacher.

When a music teacher that I had at school was taken ill and we had a variety show and I had to fill in - that's when I realized I had a voice.

I was very inspired by my mother. She was a vocal teacher and sang in a band and my first memories of her were going out with her on the local circuit.