Able Quote by Carl Friedrich Gauss
“To the distracting occupations belong especially my lecture courses which I am holding this winter for the first time, and which now cost much more of my time than I like. Meanwhile I hope that the second time this expenditure of time will be much less, otherwise I would never be able to reconcile myself to it, even practical (astronomical) work must give far more satisfaction than if one brings up to B a couple more mediocre heads which otherwise would have stopped at A.”
About This Quote
The speaker laments the heavy time cost of teaching new courses, hoping future iterations will be easier, and contrasts this with the greater satisfaction derived from practical scientific work.
In simple terms: Teaching is time‑intensive, practical work is rewarding.
Key Takeaway
Teaching demands effort; mastery eases future teaching.
Themes
education
effort
efficiency
satisfaction
practicality
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
philosophical
personal
When to use this quote
- preparing a new lecture series
- first‑time teaching
- balancing research and teaching
Key Concepts
time management
learning curve
value of practice
Practical Applications
- improving teaching efficiency
- prioritizing research tasks
Questions to Reflect On
- How can educators reduce the workload of new courses?
- What aspects of practical work make it more fulfilling than teaching?
![“It is always noteworthy that all those who seriously study this science [the theory of numbers] conceive a sort of passion for it.” quote by Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/24a/carl-friedrich-gauss-9412_mathematics_it-is-always-noteworthy-that-all-those-w_488590.jpg)
