--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to teach acting in a maximum…" description: "\"I used to teach acting in a maximum security men's prison. I worked with guys with the most dysfunctional behavior problems. I probably learned more th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/diane-farr-51150_acting_i-used-to-teach-acting-in-a-maximum-secu_2503236.jpg" --- # I used to teach acting in a maximum security men's prison… ![“I used to teach acting in a maximum security men's prison. I worked with guys with the most dysfunctional behavior problems. I probably learned more there than from my prestigious theater degree.” quote by Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/diane-farr-51150_acting_i-used-to-teach-acting-in-a-maximum-secu_2503236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/diane-farr-51150_acting_i-used-to-teach-acting-in-a-maximum-secu_2503236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/diane-farr-51150_acting_i-used-to-teach-acting-in-a-maximum-secu_2503236.jpg) > “I used to teach acting in a maximum security men's prison. I worked with guys with the most dysfunctional behavior problems. I probably learned more there than from my prestigious theater degree.” [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teaching acting in prison taught her more practical insight than formal academic training. **In simple terms:** Real-world experience can outshine formal education. Key Takeaway Value hands‑on learning environments. Themes education prison reform acting personal growth Mood reflective inspirational Type educational practical When to use this quote - prison workshops - community theater - rehabilitation programs Key Concepts experiential learning social rehabilitation skill transfer Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions integrate experiential learning? - What barriers exist in non‑traditional classrooms? A Different Perspective Such settings may lack resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [In a world where you graduate with a theater degree from college, you gotta find your bread job. You gotta find that job to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-rothwell/in-a-world-where-you-graduate-with-a-theater-degree-from-college-you/) [Natasha Rothwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-rothwell/) > [There's a part of me that wishes I had gone to school and gotten a business degree, because I almost wonder if that wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/there-s-a-part-of-me-that-wishes-i-had-gone-to-school-and-gotten-a/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [I can never remember a time when I didn't want to be an actress, to be honest. And so, all through high school, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-hoover/i-can-never-remember-a-time-when-i-didn-t-want-to-be-an-actress-to-be/) [Mikaela Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-hoover/) > [I graduated from a place called Whitworth College in Spokane with a theater degree, then in 1993 I moved to L.A. and auditioned and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-st-john/i-graduated-from-a-place-called-whitworth-college-in-spokane-with-a/) [Trevor St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-st-john/) > [My whole background is theater, and theater is to some degree presentational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/my-whole-background-is-theater-and-theater-is-to-some-degree/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [Teaching theater, I felt very lucky. In a world where there's few options for someone who graduates with a theater degree, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-rothwell/teaching-theater-i-felt-very-lucky-in-a-world-where-there-s-few/) [Natasha Rothwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-rothwell/) > [I was like, I can't just be going to school willy-nilly. No theater degree for me. I need to go into something where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robby-hoffman/i-was-like-i-can-t-just-be-going-to-school-willy-nilly-no-theater/) [Robby Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robby-hoffman/) > [I feel like being on Broadway will convince my mother that my theater degree was worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/i-feel-like-being-on-broadway-will-convince-my-mother-that-my-theater/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [I went to an acting school in Delhi after doing 15 films as a hero! I went there because I wanted to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-morea/i-went-to-an-acting-school-in-delhi-after-doing-15-films-as-a-hero-i/) [Dino Morea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-morea/) > [I will become a more mature actor and it's one of my dreams to teach acting as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joo-won/i-will-become-a-more-mature-actor-and-it-s-one-of-my-dreams-to-teach/) [Joo Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joo-won/) > [Everyone has to do the same work as actors - I teach acting. But there are those people who come on, and there's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/everyone-has-to-do-the-same-work-as-actors-i-teach-acting-but-there/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [I run the Actor's Studio on the West Coast, and one of the things I say all the time to the people I teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-run-the-actor-s-studio-on-the-west-coast-and-one-of-the-things-i/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Fortunately, I never had to do the waiter thing. When I got out of college, I immediately started to teach acting. One of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nunn/fortunately-i-never-had-to-do-the-waiter-thing-when-i-got-out-of/) Bill Nunn > [Sometimes when I'm not working, I go and teach at an acting school, and quite selfishly, that makes me feel more inspired to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-geere/sometimes-when-i-m-not-working-i-go-and-teach-at-an-acting-school-and/) [Chris Geere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-geere/) > [The important thing is to learn through experience. The more you do the more you learn. I don't think anyone can teach acting from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-harrison/the-important-thing-is-to-learn-through-experience-the-more-you-do/) [Rex Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-harrison/) ## More by Diane Farr > [I did not work out while I was pregnant. I felt like I was having symptoms of a heart attack every time I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/i-did-not-work-out-while-i-was-pregnant-i-felt-like-i-was-having/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) > [Sometimes I even feel funny to say I'm in a biracial marriage because people are like, 'Oh, he's Asian?' The subtext is, 'Who cares?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/sometimes-i-even-feel-funny-to-say-i-m-in-a-biracial-marriage-because/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) > [I began auditioning for acting jobs at the ripe old age of 12. Thirty years later, including a 15-year run on television, I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/i-began-auditioning-for-acting-jobs-at-the-ripe-old-age-of-12-thirty/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) > [I judge preschool teachers and actresses shamelessly. The first five minutes I meet them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/i-judge-preschool-teachers-and-actresses-shamelessly-the-first-five/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) > [I look a little bit like Barbie and talk a little bit like Ken. It's easier for me to sit in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/i-look-a-little-bit-like-barbie-and-talk-a-little-bit-like-ken-it-s/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) > [My parents really did believe in the Golden Rule. They really did believe that all people should be treated equally. They had friends of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-farr/my-parents-really-did-believe-in-the-golden-rule-they-really-did/) [Diane Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) [Explore all 7 Diane Farr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-farr/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to teach acting in a maximum security men's prison. I worked with guys with the most dysfunctional behavior problems. 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