This quote comes from Seneca's essay regarding the virtue of mercy. I've picked this because I am a new teacher and this fairly describes my ideal for classroom management.
"There is the further point that a great many people are capable of returning to virtue's path if punishment is waved. But pardon should not be exercised in an unthinking way; for once the distinction between bad men and good is removed, what follows is confusion and the outbreak of vice; accordingly a wise restraint should be shown, such as is capable of distinguishing between curable characters and ones past hope. The mercy we exercise ought not to be indiscriminate and for all and sundry but it should not be withheld completely; for pardoning all involves no less cruelty than pardoning none. We must preserve a mean; but because equilibrium is not easily achieved, whatever is likely to tilt the balance should incline the scale in the more benign direction."
I have been called too nice as a professional and maybe I am not reaching a proper equilibrium, but this is because I continually incline to that benign direction.
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