--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A self-taught man usually has a poor…" description: "\"A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse student.\" — Henny Youngman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg" --- # A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse… ![“A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse student.” quote by Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg) > “A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse student.” [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑education without guidance leads to poor teaching and even worse learning outcomes. **In simple terms:** Learning alone often fails. Key Takeaway Seek mentors for better learning. Themes education self‑improvement mentorship Mood motivational practical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - online courses - career skill development - personal projects Key Concepts learning theory teacher‑student dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who can guide your learning journey? - What resources can improve your study? A Different Perspective Self‑teaching can be inefficient without feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Man U](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-u/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-teacher-2278780/) [Self taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-taught/) [Taught Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-man-518059/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-worse-5010500/) [Worse Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-student-6086256/) ## Related quotes > [The self taught man seldom knows anything accurately, and he does not know a tenth as much as he could have known if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-self-taught-man-seldom-knows-anything-accurately-and-he-does-not/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Only a self-taught man can teach others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girish-kohli/only-a-self-taught-man-can-teach-others/) [girish kohli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girish-kohli/) > [“Now it is true that I could have learned without a teacher, but it would have been risky for me, because of my natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/now-it-is-true-that-i-could-have-learned-without-a-teacher-but-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [That was really so upsetting when you are trying to pass on some very serious knowledge and be basically, treated worse than a student…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-vitous/that-was-really-so-upsetting-when-you-are-trying-to-pass-on-some-very/) [Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-vitous/) > [An incompetent teacher is even worse than an incompetent surgeon because a surgeon can only cut up one person at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-l-boyer/an-incompetent-teacher-is-even-worse-than-an-incompetent-surgeon/) [Ernest L. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-l-boyer/) > [A poor surgeon hurts one person at a time. A poor teacher hurts 130.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-l-boyer/a-poor-surgeon-hurts-one-person-at-a-time-a-poor-teacher-hurts-130/) [Ernest L. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-l-boyer/) > [A poor teacher complains, an average teacher explains, a good teacher teaches, a great teacher inspires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosur-narasimhaiah/a-poor-teacher-complains-an-average-teacher-explains-a-good-teacher/) [Hosur Narasimhaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosur-narasimhaiah/) > [A poor surgeon hurts 1 person at a time. A poor teacher hurts 130.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-poor-surgeon-hurts-1-person-at-a-time-a-poor-teacher-hurts-130/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Success is a poor teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/success-is-a-poor-teacher/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Nothing can be taught to a man, only it's possibly to help him to discover it inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/nothing-can-be-taught-to-a-man-only-it-s-possibly-to-help-him-to/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [My Father taught me how to be a man – and not by instilling in me a sense of machismo or an agenda of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/my-father-taught-me-how-to-be-a-man-and-not-by-instilling-in-me-a/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [They taught me that no man could be their leader except he ate the ranks' food, wore their clothes, lived level with them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/they-taught-me-that-no-man-could-be-their-leader-except-he-ate-the/) [T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/) > [I think my dad taught me what a man should be to a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-think-my-dad-taught-me-what-a-man-should-be-to-a-woman/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [My mom and dad taught me a lot. They kept me out of trouble and told me to go a better route. They taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierre-paul/my-mom-and-dad-taught-me-a-lot-they-kept-me-out-of-trouble-and-told/) [Jason Pierre-Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierre-paul/) > [“Watching you has taught me that a man need not be weak to have a faith, but is made strong by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanna-white/watching-you-has-taught-me-that-a-man-need-not-be-weak-to-have-a/) [Roseanna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanna-white/) ## More by Henny Youngman > [I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-take-my-wife-everywhere-but-she-keeps-finding-her-way-back/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [A man goes to a psychiatrist. "Nobody listens to me!" The doctor says, "Next!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-man-goes-to-a-psychiatrist-nobody-listens-to-me-the-doctor-says-next/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [My other brother-in-law died. He was a karate expert, then joined the army. The first time he saluted, he killed himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/my-other-brother-in-law-died-he-was-a-karate-expert-then-joined-the/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [I have a car that I call Flattery because it gets me nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-have-a-car-that-i-call-flattery-because-it-gets-me-nowhere/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [I'll never forget my first words in the theatre. "Peanuts. Popcorn."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-ll-never-forget-my-first-words-in-the-theatre-peanuts-popcorn/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [A car hit a Jewish man. The paramedic says, "Are you comfortable?" The man says, "I make a good living."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-car-hit-a-jewish-man-the-paramedic-says-are-you-comfortable-the-man/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [My brother then bought 1000 Japanese cameras. They all go, "Crick".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/my-brother-then-bought-1000-japanese-cameras-they-all-go-crick/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once... You know what I did before I married? Anything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/the-most-effective-way-to-remember-your-wife-s-birthday-is-to-forget/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [My wife is a light eater. As soon as it's light, she starts to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/my-wife-is-a-light-eater-as-soon-as-it-s-light-she-starts-to-eat/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Just got back from a pleasure trip: I took my mother-in-law to the airport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/just-got-back-from-a-pleasure-trip-i-took-my-mother-in-law-to-the/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [The hotel I'm in has a lovely closet. A nail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/the-hotel-i-m-in-has-a-lovely-closet-a-nail/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Everytime I ask what time it is, I get a different answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/everytime-i-ask-what-time-it-is-i-get-a-different-answer/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [If you're going to do something tonight that you'll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/if-you-re-going-to-do-something-tonight-that-you-ll-be-sorry-for/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Psychiatrists say that 1 of 4 people are mentally ill. Check 3 friends. If they are okay, you're it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/psychiatrists-say-that-1-of-4-people-are-mentally-ill-check-3-friends/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [The food on the plane was fit for a king. "Here, King!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/the-food-on-the-plane-was-fit-for-a-king-here-king/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) [Explore all 230 Henny Youngman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse student.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henny Youngman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-teacher-and-a-worse-student/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-teacher-and-a-worse-student/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/henny-youngman-1539_education_a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-tea_806037.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A self-taught man usually has a poor teacher and a worse student.” — Henny Youngman", "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": "Henny Youngman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A self-taught man usually has a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-teacher-and-a-worse-student/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-self-taught-man-usually-has-a-poor-teacher-and-a-worse-student/#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 } } ] } ```