--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the high school classroom you are a…" description: "\"In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a refere..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png" --- # In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a… ![“In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist…” quote by Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png) > “In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist, a fool, a traffic cop, a priest, a mother-father-brother-sister-uncle-aunt, a bookeeper, a critic, a psychologist, the last straw.” [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teachers juggle countless roles, reflecting the complex, multifaceted nature of education. **In simple terms:** Teachers wear many hats. Key Takeaway Recognize and support teachers’ diverse duties. Themes education multitasking role complexity Mood reflective empathetic Type literary educational When to use this quote - classroom management - parent communication - curriculum design - professional development Key Concepts identity expectation management burnout Questions to Reflect On - Which teacher role do you value most? - How can schools reduce role overload? A Different Perspective Overloading teachers can diminish effectiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunt/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brother sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-sister/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Classroom Drill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom-drill-1685150/) [Clerks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clerks/) [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Clown Counselor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown-counselor-1685152/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Conductor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conductor/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Counselor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counselor/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) [Dress code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dress-code/) [Dresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dresses/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) [Rabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbi/) [Referee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referee/) [Scholar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholar/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-classroom-1685151/) [Shoulder to cry on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulder-to-cry-on/) [Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulders/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Tap dancers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tap-dancers/) [Therapists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapists/) [Traffic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic/) [Uncles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncles/) ## Related quotes > [And that really captures the difference for the bullied straight kid versus the bullied gay kid, is that the bullied straight kid goes home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/and-that-really-captures-the-difference-for-the-bullied-straight-kid/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [The most important man in my life is and always will be Alain Delon. He is always there when I need a shoulder to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romy-schneider/the-most-important-man-in-my-life-is-and-always-will-be-alain-delon/) [Romy Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romy-schneider/) > [I've got God's shoulder to cry on. And I cry a lot. I do a lot of crying in this job. I'll bet I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-ve-got-god-s-shoulder-to-cry-on-and-i-cry-a-lot-i-do-a-lot-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Love is illegal - but not hate. That you can do anywhere, anytime, to anybody. But if you want a little warmth, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-jacobi/love-is-illegal-but-not-hate-that-you-can-do-anywhere-anytime-to/) [Lou Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-jacobi/) > [When I got enough confidence, the stage was gone. When I was sure of losing, I won. When I needed people the most, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-i-got-enough-confidence-the-stage-was-gone-when-i-was-sure-of-3/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The bullied straight kid goes home to a shoulder to cry on and support and can talk freely about his experience at school and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bullied-straight-kid-goes-home-to-a-shoulder-to-cry-on-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [“We ought to readily share our successes with those with whom we readily share our problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/we-ought-to-readily-share-our-successes-with-those-with-whom-we/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Music has been my everything since day one. It's been my shoulder to cry on, my rock and my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-perri/music-has-been-my-everything-since-day-one-it-s-been-my-shoulder-to/) [Christina Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-perri/) > [“Our friends are often secretly made happy, or less unhappy, by their finding out about our problems, because that reminds them that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/our-friends-are-often-secretly-made-happy-or-less-unhappy-by-their/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I wonder if tap dancers walk into a room, look at a floor and think, 'I'd so tap that.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wonder-if-tap-dancers-walk-into-a-room-look-at-a-floor-and-think-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Work like you don't need the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/work-like-you-don-t-need-the-money/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [I was a tap dancer as a child, so I understand precision and repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-gould/i-was-a-tap-dancer-as-a-child-so-i-understand-precision-and-repetition/) [Elliott Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-gould/) > [Tap dancers find it very difficult to do anything other than tap if that is all they have been trained in because, again, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/tap-dancers-find-it-very-difficult-to-do-anything-other-than-tap-if/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [I never wanted to be a painter; I wanted to be a tap dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-painter-i-wanted-to-be-a-tap-dancer/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [A tap dancer is really a frustrated drummer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-powell/a-tap-dancer-is-really-a-frustrated-drummer/) [Eleanor Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-powell/) ## More by Frank McCourt > [I'm not one of those James Joyce intellectuals who can stand back and look at the whole edifice... It was a slow process for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-m-not-one-of-those-james-joyce-intellectuals-who-can-stand-back-and/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God's work on their own, who help in the ghettos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-admire-certain-priests-and-nuns-who-go-off-on-their-own-and-do-god/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [When I act tough they listen politely till the spasm passes. They know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/when-i-act-tough-they-listen-politely-till-the-spasm-passes-they-know/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [Just luxuriate in a certain memory, and the details will come. It's like a magnet attracting steel filings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/just-luxuriate-in-a-certain-memory-and-the-details-will-come-it-s/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [Sing your song. Dance your dance. Tell your tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/sing-your-song-dance-your-dance-tell-your-tale/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [They all went into the bar business. Which was a mistake, because they began to sip at the merchandise and it set them back,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/they-all-went-into-the-bar-business-which-was-a-mistake-because-they/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [My childhood here... was very limited. So it was a long, long time before I actually went out to Brooklyn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/my-childhood-here-was-very-limited-so-it-was-a-long-long-time-before/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [We never really had any kind of a Christmas. This is one part where my memory fails me completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/we-never-really-had-any-kind-of-a-christmas-this-is-one-part-where-my/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [A lot of people say writers start losing their powers after 60 or 65. But I look at the best-seller list and see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/a-lot-of-people-say-writers-start-losing-their-powers-after-60-or-65/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [“When the dark clouds flutter like bats in my head I wish I could open a window and release them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/when-the-dark-clouds-flutter-like-bats-in-my-head-i-wish-i-could-open/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [Shakespeare is like mashed potatoes, you can never get enough of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/shakespeare-is-like-mashed-potatoes-you-can-never-get-enough-of-him/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I just have to proceed as usual. No matter what happens, nothing helps with the writing of the next book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-just-have-to-proceed-as-usual-no-matter-what-happens-nothing-helps/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [Worse than the ordinary, miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/worse-than-the-ordinary-miserable-childhood-is-the-miserable-irish/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [It's not enough to be American. You always have to be something else, Irish-American, German-American, and you'd wonder how they'd get along if someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/it-s-not-enough-to-be-american-you-always-have-to-be-something-else/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I had to get rid of any idea of hell or any idea of the afterlife. That's what held me, kept me down. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-had-to-get-rid-of-any-idea-of-hell-or-any-idea-of-the-afterlife/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) [Explore all 159 Frank McCourt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) ## More Aunt quotes > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [“Quin took on the air of someone who has just realized it's time for the yearly visit to the spinster great-aunt in a desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fecteau/quin-took-on-the-air-of-someone-who-has-just-realized-it-s-time-for/) [Amy Fecteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fecteau/) > [My aunt and uncle are clearly civilians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-kimmel/my-aunt-and-uncle-are-clearly-civilians/) [Jimmy Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-kimmel/) > [“Aunt Helen Beck had many intentions about her death. 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Aunt Jettie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/i-look-like-barbara-bush-in-drag-aunt-jettie/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [I only wanted Uncle Vernon standing by his own car (a Hudson) on a clear day, I got him and the car. Ialso got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-friedlander/i-only-wanted-uncle-vernon-standing-by-his-own-car-a-hudson-on-a/) [Lee Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-friedlander/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [My aunt got me interested in journalism - she found an old typewriter, had it worked over, put it on the dining room table,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jenkins/my-aunt-got-me-interested-in-journalism-she-found-an-old-typewriter/) [Dan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jenkins/) > [This kind of thing always amazed Ginny--people who just walked away from institutions. People who left school when they didn't see the point. Aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/this-kind-of-thing-always-amazed-ginny-people-who-just-walked-away/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [“You will not be able to shelter her forever,” my aunt insists. “What will happen when you are gone someday, and all the suitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-forest/you-will-not-be-able-to-shelter-her-forever-my-aunt-insists-what-will/) [Laurie Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-forest/) > [my sweet old etcetera aunt lucy during the recent war could and what is more did tell you just what everybody was fighting for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-sweet-old-etcetera-aunt-lucy-during-the-recent-war-could-and-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 720 Aunt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist, a fool, a traffic cop, a priest, a mother-father-brother-sister-uncle-aunt, a bookeeper, a critic, a psychologist, the last straw.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank McCourt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-drill-sergent-a-rabbi-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aunt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-drill-sergent-a-rabbi-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/frank-mccourt-2576_aunt_in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-d_2570346.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the high school classroom you are a drill sergent, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a…” — Frank McCourt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frank McCourt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the high school classroom you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-drill-sergent-a-rabbi-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/in-the-high-school-classroom-you-are-a-drill-sergent-a-rabbi-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```